Architecture - Zero Carbon

Zero Carbon Retrofit Housing

The UK’s target for reduction of greenhouse gas emissions is 80% by year 2050. Domestic buildings are responsible for 28% of the total UK carbon emissions, out of which 73% goes for space and water heating.

Much research has been focused towards zero and low carbon buildings for new build; however, there is no substantial research into low or zero carbon retrofit. In the circumstances that the new build in the domestic sector is only 1% of the total stock and that 80% of the houses in 2050 will be the houses that exist now, it is true more than ever that “buildings are the front line of our defence against climate change”. (Sue Roaf)

Prof Lubo Jankovic, Professor of Zero Carbon Design at Birmingham School of Architecture, has developed a structured approach for zero carbon retrofit which combines dynamic simulation methods and economic analysis methods so as to achieve economically viable zero carbon solutions, demonstrating substantial financial returns from successful designs.

In his book, ‘Designing Zero Carbon Buildings Using Dynamic Simulation Methods’, published by Routledge in 2012, he demonstrated that zero carbon retrofit is possible and can be economically viable today.

This work is closely linked with a unique case study site, the Birmingham Zero Carbon House, where Prof Jankovic and his team are conducting instrumental monitoring and post occupancy evaluation. The objective of the work is to generalise the principles of zero carbon retrofit and its adaptation to climate change, and to make design principles suitable for a UK-wide rollout.

Current research student

Halla Huws (PhD), Pathways for Long Term Zero Carbon Retrofit (Supervisors: Lubo Jankovic and Richard Coles).