Historic England, Cadw and Historic Environment Scotland have jointly published a new handbook to support retrofit qualifications for traditional buildings.
This handbook comes at a crucial time as Britain aims to decarbonise its built environment, with 6.5 million pre-1919 buildings across England, Scotland and Wales at the centre of this effort.
The Level 3 Award in Energy Efficiency Measures for Older and Traditional Buildings is vital in bridging the skills gap in the retrofit workforce.
The new publication, designed as an additional resource for learners, will help tradespeople better understand how to retrofit historic buildings, ensuring they meet modern energy efficiency standards without compromising their heritage.
Climate change poses a significant challenge to the management of historic places, with extreme weather events impacting the performance of these buildings.
However, with proper adaptation, traditional buildings can play an important role in mitigating the effects of climate change.
Only 28% of retrofit professionals are confident in existing training for working on pre-1919 buildings, highlighting the need for this updated and collaborative effort.
The handbook aims to support the growing demand for skilled workers, ensuring that traditional buildings are effectively retrofitted to improve energy efficiency and contribute to the UK’s net-zero targets.
