Seminar for housing stakeholders aims to address barriers to retrofitting

Jennifer-Brennan
Jennifer Brennan, Co-Founder and Director of Harlow Consulting, which led a recent analysis of skills gaps and other shortfalls (image credit: Charlotte Nelson Photography)

An advocacy group is piloting a whole-house retrofit scheme in the Manchester area. The initiative is the work of Carbon Co-op’s Levenshulme Area-Based Retrofit scheme, and has the professed aim of bringing retrofit opportunities to communities by addressing some of the barriers and challenges currently facing households to access retrofitting.

The webinar is hosted by the Carbon Co-op, a Community Benefit Society, whose aim is to radically reduce domestic carbon emissions.

During the webinar, a panel of experts from the scheme will share their insights about the processes and the innovative model underpinning the scheme. Attendees will have the chance to learn from leaders in the retrofit field and engage directly with the panel in a live Q&A session.

The free online event offers unique insights for those with an interest in the built environment, such as local authorities, social housing providers, architects, and other stakeholders.

Panellists include Jonathan Atkinson, Co-founder of Carbon Co-op, Aneaka Kelly, Citizen and Community Engagement Lead at Carbon Co-op, Michael Dickinson, Director at B4Box Ltd, and architects Hannah Dixon and Julie Maxwell from Progress in Practice.

Together, they bring a wealth of knowledge in sustainable construction, community engagement, and energy-efficient retrofits.

The webinar is chaired by Co-Founder and Director of the research agency Harlow Consulting, Jennifer Brennan, who recently led a Skills Needs Analysis for Historic England assessing skills needs, gaps and shortages for construction, repair, and maintenance of pre-1919 buildings, including skills and qualifications needed for retrofit.

Harlow Consulting specialise in construction and built environment research and evaluation. The agency works with clients including CITB, Historic Environment Scotland, Home Builders Federation and Historic England.

Jennifer Brennan said: “This event is an important opportunity for anyone working in the built environment to learn from the Levenshulme pilot. We’re bringing together an incredible panel of specialists who will offer their insights from this innovative project.”

Levenshulme Area-Based Retrofit Scheme Webinar: Wednesday October 30, 1-2.30pm. Secure your free place to gain valuable insights into this retrofit project: Levenshulme Area-Based Retrofit Scheme Tickets, Wed, Oct 30, 2024 at 1:00 PM | Eventbrite