Updated March 2024

Introduction

The Institute of Historic Building Conservation (IHBC) recognises that climate change is a fundamental global threat that demands appropriate responses from all who have the ability to influence change. The IHBC furthermore considers that conservation of the historic built environment is an essential component of the response to the threat posed by climate change and long-term planning for sustainable development.

Several of the Institute’s Panels are regularly involved in discussing and consulting on issues pertaining to sustainability, climate change, retrofit, and more, including the Green Panel and Technical Panel. The IHBC is also members and active participants of Fit for the Future (FftF) and the Climate Heritage Network (CHN).

The Climate Change Hub stands as an access point and reference for the IHBC’s development of guidance, major events, policy positions, and more. It is an evolving resource which we aim to update regularly.


Free Webinars on BSI PAS-2035 & PAS-2038

The IHBC has hosted online, free webinars providing an overview of the BSI standards PAS-2035 Retrofitting dwellings for improved energy efficiency and PAS-2038 Retrofitting non-domestic buildings for improved energy efficiency. Both webinars were presented by IHBC Technical Panel Chair, Prof John Edwards, who led in the development of BS 7913 and has been a member the panels producing PAS 2030, PAS 2035 and PAS 2038. He developed the first 2 Day course in the Retrofit of Traditional Buildings in 2015 achieving the Level 3 Award qualification required by PAS 2035 and PAS 2038 and has been delivering it ever since. He has been involved in retrofit projects for over 30 years.



Buildings and Climate Global Forum

The IHBC has attended the Buildings and Climate Global Forum in the Palais des Congrès, Paris, France 7-8 March 2024. Hosted by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the French Government, the Forum brought together ministers and high-level representatives of key organisations in an effort to spur the decarbonisation and resilience of the buildings sector. The event was the first of its kind and followed up on progress made at the recent United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP28). The IHBC helped to bring key messages to a global stage that 'building reuse is climate action' and 'scaling up traditional building knowledge is climate action.'



IHBC@COP26

In the runup to the UN Climate Change Conference COP26 in the autumn of 2021, the IHBC endeavoured to promote the concept that Conserving our Places Conserves our Planet. As part of the wide-ranging ‘fringe’ series we successfully delivered a mix of live and pre-recorded content, exclusively digital, allowing us to be ‘present’ and personally engaging for a good part of the fortnight-long conference. It also allowed us to present pre-recorded content, in the form of a podcast, enabling our audience to hear from a broad range of sector experts about both what an enormous challenge climate change really is to the built environment, as well as to highlight the many ways conservation philosophy and practice might, and indeed often already do, offer opportunities to address those challenges. For further references, see the IHBC@COP26 Podcasts, subsequent briefing note, and IHBC Position Statement on sustainability.


Conservation, People, and Places APPG – The Value of Heritage

The Conservation, Places and People APPG was established to
champion efforts to use the conservation and regeneration of the historic environment to help deliver thriving and sustainable communities. To that end, its inaugural report The Value of Heritage drew from a range of evidence to propose several recommendations, including reducing the VAT for repairs and refurbishment of existing buildings, a presumption against demolition and redevelopment in the Planning system, and more. The report was launched at the House of Commons 1 December 2022.


Annual School 2023 Swansea – Climate Change and the Historic Environment: Resilience and Performance

Having taken place 21-24 June 2023, the IHBC’s Annual School in Swansea was a full exploration of the issues around adapting historic places for reduced energy consumption and carbon emissions as well as for the effects of climate change. Consisting of lectures, networking, practical skill-shares, tours of on-site case studies, and an awards celebration it was one of the most technically ambitious annual schools yet. Topics explored include complying with standards, energy management, retrofit, fuel poverty and traditional buildings, energy targets, protected buildings and the climate emergency, and more.


Conclusion

The IHBC is committed to meeting the challenges of climate change, encouraging the principles and practice of built environment conservation as a key enabler for our communities to become more sustainable and more resilient. We hope this hub provides helpful references for all those concerned with the conservation and sustainability of the built environment. For any suggestions on how we can improve this service, contact Michael Netter, IHBC Professional Services Officer, at services@ihbc.org.uk.
 

BS7913 – Guide to the Conservation of Historic Buildings

IHBC Position Statement – Sustainability and Conservation of the Historic Built Environment

IHBC Guidance Note – Retrofitting of Traditional Buildings

IHBC Guidance Note – Climate Change and Older Buildings – Key Sources

IHBC NewsBlogs – Recent news and happenings around climate change

BS EN 16883:2017 Conservation of cultural heritage. Guidelines for improving the energy performance of historic buildings

PAS 2035/2030 – Retrofitting Dwellings for Improved Energy Efficiency

PAS 2038 – Retrofitting Non-Domestic Buildings for Improved Energy Efficiency

Principles of Cultural Heritage Impact Assessment in the UK – IHBC, IEMA, and CiFA

The European Interreg Alpine Space project “ATLAS” – Historic Building Energy Retrofit Atlas (HiBERatlas) and Historic Building Energy Retrofit Tool (HiBERtool)

Sustainable Traditional Buildings Alliance (STBA) – Knowledge Centre, Guidance Wheel, From Retrofit to Regeneration, Natural Insulation Materials in Retrofit, A Bristolian’s guide to Solid Wall Insulation

Conservation Wiki on Designing Buildings Wiki

Edge Debate 135 – Heritage & Net Zero: A wicked problem?

Cadw – Climate Change: Advice and Support

Historic England – Climate Change: Mitigation, Adaptation and Energy Measures

Historic Environment Scotland – Climate Action and the Historic Environment

Government of Ireland DHLGH – Improving Energy Efficiency in Traditional Buildings

Historic Environment Forum – Heritage responds – Taking positive action on climate change

SPAB Knowledge Base – Energy Efficiency

The Pebble Trust – Sustainable Renovation Guide

City of London – Heritage Building Retrofit Toolkit

Chartered Institute of Building – Technical Information Sheet: Retrofit of Buildings

Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors – Residential Retrofit Standard

Grosvenor, Peabody, Historic England, The National Trust, and The Crown Estate – Heritage and Carbon: Addressing the Skills Gap

Government of Ireland – Energy Upgrading of Traditional Buildings for Low Embodied and Life Cycle Emissions – Guidance and Case Study

The University of Edinburgh – Retrofitting Historic Sash & Case Windows: A Quick Start Guide for Homeowners

Climate Heritage Network – Bringing the power of arts, culture, and heritage to climate action

National Trust – A Climate for Change: Adaptation and the National Trust

Fit for the Future – Fit for the Future is an environmental sustainability network, facilitating knowledge-sharing and collaboration across organisations and sectors so that they can achieve the rapid and far-reaching changes needed to decarbonise, adapt to climate change and drive positive environmental impacts.