Buildings We Live In and Buildings We Use

Retrofit existing public & community buildings

Convert public- and charity-owned buildings to a higher energy efficiency standard. These conversions should then be clearly showcased to the community to inspire, educate and inform. This project was chosen for its impact on emissions, the conservation of heritage, the opportunity to reduce operating costs, increase utility, the potential job creation and training opportunities, and the wider impact on the community through using the buildings.

Retrofit existing private buildings

Install new measures in existing properties that are privately owned which will reduce the energy use of that property. This will include measures such as insulation, double- or triple-glazing, and looking to replace fossil fuel systems with renewable energy alternatives. This project includes buildings that are owner-occupied and privately rented. It was chosen for its potential to reduce emissions, reduce household bills, make homes warm, tackle fuel poverty, reduce health impacts from cold homes, future-proof existing properties, and create jobs in the local area.

Utilise mining heritage: ground-source heating network

Support research by the University of Lancaster into utilising ex-mining infrastructure by, for example, using heat from water trapped in flooded mineshafts. If this research is successful, it could be used to support economic and social development. This project was chosen to future-proof Selby by using what we already have with an idea that has been proven to work in other areas.

Retrofit existing social housing

Improve existing social housing through retrofits, so that housing is as energy efficient as possible. The aims are to use renewable energy and energy efficiency measures, and ensure adequate instruction and education to the community about how this works and feels. The participants chose this project based on its big impact on both carbon emissions and local people, by reducing energy costs for residents and improving quality of life.

Provide new high standard eco-housing on brownfield sites

Make all new housing (social and privately owned) as close to Passivhaus as possible, with a minimum Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating of B. New builds could also include the use of renewable energy generation, rainwater collection, habitats for wildlife, hedgehog highways and air-source heat pumps. 

This project was chosen for its high CO2 reduction, long-term impact on the environment, its self-sufficiency by using renewable energy, the potential to clean up brownfield sites, and free up green land for wildlife and community enjoyment. 

You can check out the goals for our other themes here:

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  • Upgrading our buildings, also known as ​‘retrofitting’, is the process of installing new features in a building which has already been built. The aim is to make the building use less energy overall, and use renewable energy that doesn’t create carbon dioxide. Retrofitting can include installing features like better insulation and double- or triple-glazed windows. It can also involve replacing fossil-fuel heating, like gas boilers, with clean alternatives, like heat pumps.

  • Energy-efficiency standards are a set of procedures and regulations that prescribe the energy performance of manufactured products, sometimes prohibiting the sale of products that are less efficient than a minimum level.

  • Emissions refer to the release into the earth's atmosphere of any of various gasses, especially carbon dioxide, that contribute to the greenhouse effect.

    Greenhouse gasses are those gasses in the atmosphere that have an influence on the earth's energy balance. They cause the so-​called greenhouse effect. The best known greenhouse gasses, carbon dioxide (CO2), methane and nitrous oxide, can be found naturally in low concentrations in the atmosphere.

    The greenhouse effect is when some of the infrared radiation from the Sun passes through the atmosphere, but most is absorbed and re-emitted in all directions by greenhouse gas molecules and clouds. The effect of this is to warm the Earth's surface and the lower atmosphere.

  • Home insulation is when you protect or cover areas in your home to stop heat from escaping or entering. Insulating your house means you’ll keep warm air in and cold air out. Floors, lofts, pipes, windows and walls are the main areas where hot air will escape and cold air can come in. There are many simple yet effective ways to insulate your home, which can significantly reduce the amount of heat you waste whilst lowering your heating bills.

  • Windows which have two layers of glass with a space between them, designed to reduce loss of heat and exclude noise.

  • Fossil fuels are made from decomposing plants and animals. These fuels are found in the Earth’s crust and contain carbon and hydrogen, which can be burned for energy. Coal, oil, and natural gas are examples of fossil fuels.

    Find out more - www.nationalgeographic.org

  • Renewable energy alternatives are sources of energy that are alternatives to the most commonly used non-sustainable sources - like coal. Renewable energy, often referred to as clean energy, comes from natural sources or processes that are constantly replenished. For example, sunlight keeps shining and blowing, even if their availability depends on time and weather.

    The most popular renewable energy sources currently are:

    • Solar energy

    • Wind energy

    • Hydro energy

    • Tidal energy

    • Geothermal energy

    • Biomass energy

    Find out more: https://www.edfenergy.com/for-home/energywise/renewable-energy-sources

  • A ground-source heating network provides a clean way to heat buildings, free of all carbon emissions on site by transfering heat from the ground into buildings. It makes use of solar energy stored in the ground to provide one of the most energy-efficient ways of heating buildings.

  • Social housing is the term given to accommodation which is provided at affordable rates, on a secure basis to people on low incomes or with particular needs. Social homes are provided by housing associations (not-for-profit organisations that own, let, and manage rented housing) or a local council. As a social tenant, you rent your home from the housing association or council, who act as landlord.

    Find out more: https://england.shelter.org.uk/support_us/campaigns/what_is_social_housing

  • Energy efficiency means using less power to perform an action such as switching on a light or to provide a service such as heating water

    Renewable energy, often referred to as clean energy, comes from natural sources or processes that are constantly replenished. For example, sunlight or wind keep shining and blowing, even if their availability depends on time and weather.

    The most popular renewable energy sources currently are:

    • Solar energy

    • Wind energy

    • Hydro energy

    • Tidal energy

    • Geothermal energy

    • Biomass energy

    Find out more: https://www.edfenergy.com/for-home/energywise/renewable-energy-sources

  • An Eco-house is an environmentally low-impact home designed and built using materials and technology that reduces its carbon footprint and lowers its energy needs.

    A brownfield site is an area that has been used before and tends to be disused or derelict land. Such sites are usually abandoned areas in towns and cities which have been used previously for industrial and commercial purposes.

    Redevelopment of brownfield sites is at the core of the UK Sustainable Development Strategy as it not only cleans up environmental health hazards and eyesores, but it encourages community regeneration. Often these sites are a core issue for the community around them and the public like to see them reused, especially if there is affordable housing, community projects, and they create opportunities for employment.

    Find out more: https://www.slatergordon.co.uk/newsroom/greenfield-brownfield-sites/