Retrofits key to cutting carbon emissions

THE retrofitting of homes will be the most important tool in Manchester’s battle to tackle carbon emissions, according to Arup’s associate director, Tim Whitley.

Speaking at an event marking the launch of Grant Thornton’s Sustainable Cities report in Manchester yesterday, Mr Whitely said that retrofitting was “the key issue we need to address” if the government stands any chance of meeting its target of reducing carbon dioxide emissions by 60% in 2050.

Mr Whitley pointed out that since 70% of existing buildings are expected to still be in place by 2050 then retrofitting remains the only option for achieving the quantity of carbon savings expected. He also pointed out that two-thirds of existing energy use from buildings comes from residential properties.

“Traditionally, buildings got to a stage where they had reached the end of their lifespan and were knocked down,” he said. “That doesn’t happen any more. An awful lot can be modified.”

He pointed out that even if a building’s facade is knocked and it is stripped back to its frame, some 50% of its “embodied carbon” would remain making such refits a dramatically more

Nathan Goode, a partner in Grant Thornton’s government and infrastructure department who co-authored the firm’s sustainable Cities report, said that greater collaboration was needed both between major UK cities like Manchester and Liverpool and between the public and private sector was needed if some of the lofty targets for reducing emissions were needed.

However, he argued that after studying many carbon strategies of the UK’s major cities he had found that councils in many areas had already moved away from setting targets towards carrying out programmes that would help to meet them.

Michael O’Doherty, Manchester City Council’s head of climate change, buildings and energy, said that Manchester was working on several initiatives to address issues highlighted in the Climate Change Action plan drawn up in 2009.

The Metrolink extension, for instance, was removing vehicles from the road, creating jobs and reducing carbon emissions while the city is also planning to install £7m worth of charging points for electric vehicles. He also pointed out that Manchester was taking part in the largest “Green Deal” pilot to date, which will see up to 9,000 social housing properties retrofitted.