Low Carbon Buildings

Thermal imageThe Zero Carbon Yorkshire Buildings working group is made up of a wide range of building professionals, businesses, activists and academics from across the Yorkshire region.

It is now also affiliated to the AECB as the AECB Yorkshire group. The group meets three times a year in Leeds and has identified the following areas to work on initially:

  • Promotion of Passivhaus low energy building standard (for newbuilds) to local authorities and housing associations within Yorkshire.
  • Exploring solutions to the financial, political and technical challenges posed by the need to undertake radical retrofits of existing buildings within Yorkshire.
  • Promote low carbon building and showcase local exemplar projects within Yorkshire through conferences and websites.
  • Exploring appropriate low carbon energy sources for ultra low energy buildings

Ideas and suggestions for the group are very welcome. Contact the administrator of the group: [email protected]

 LINKEDIN Group: Zero Carbon Yorkshire BUILDINGS


January 2023: Making retrofit happen in Yorkshire

View recording here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZdBd3ltiITg

  • Retrofit our home to tackle multiple crises – Dr Kate Simpson – download pdf
  • National & local government initiatives on retrofitting homes. The West Yorkshire Better Homes Hub – Nadia McPherson ([email protected]) , Programme Lead (Energy & Environment), West Yorkshire Combined Authoritydownload pdf
  • Retrofit one-stop-shops, exemplars and Yorkshire initiatives

Matthew Tulley ([email protected])  Retrofit One Stop Shops – Ireland exemplar  – download pdf

Andy Boyle ([email protected]) Leeds Retrofit Accelerator  – download pdf

Community Energy York

Plans for a one stop shop in Kirklees: Contact: [email protected]

  • Retrofit training & funding retrofit projects

Simeon Perry ([email protected]), Head of Operations EN:Able Communities CIO, Efficiency Northdownload pdf

John Kerr ([email protected]), Retrofit Programme Manager, Zero Carbon Harrogatedownload pdf

Kevin Pratt ([email protected]) Pure Haus – Yorkshire Training Centre Plans – download pdf

Notes from Zoom Chat


October 2022: Increasing the uptake of Passivhaus in Yorkshire

View recording here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=htMoywMc1cA

  • Sophie Round, Housing Delivery Programme Manager, York City Council sharing an update on its Passivhaus housing delivery programme Download pdf  Email: [email protected]
  • Tim Larner, Passivhaus custom-builder and small-scale developer ‘Four years living in a Passivhaus, what we’ve learned about carbon, utilities and running costs: should the energy crisis be driving us towards Passivhaus’. Download pdf 
  • Kevin Pratt, Director, Pure Haus “Our journey to Passivhaus developments in Yorkshire” Email: [email protected]

January 2022 online: The Big Retrofit Debate: Training & technical

View recording here: https://youtu.be/gPiZjnAE4qs


November 2021 Online: The Big Retrofit Debate: Making it happen

View recording here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LKOnjlPdTbY&t=23s

Changing Government retrofit policy 

Local community grassroots retrofit initiatives  

Local examples of largescale retrofit


July 2021 Online meet-up ‘Training for low energy building & retrofit’

Ask Mayor Tracy Brabin to launch Green Jobs Task Force – send a letter using Friends of the Earth’s template email


January 2021 Online meet-up ‘Building Passivhaus & retrofit at scale’

VIEW RECORDING OF THE WEBINAR (you will need to register to view)


October 2020 Online meet-up ‘Building Passivhaus at scale’

VIEW RECORDING OF THE WEBINAR  (you will need to register to view)


September 2020 Online meet-up ‘Community retrofit’


July 2020 Online meet-up ‘Build Back Better/ Green Recovery’

  • ‘Accelerator Cities – The role of West Yorkshire, Leeds and Otley in UKGBC programme for city-led retrofit’: James Brass, Policy Officer, West Yorkshire Combined Authority. More information: https://www.ukgbc.org/ukgbc-work/accelerator-cities/ – Powerpoint
  •  ‘Connecting communities: The role of communities in the  UKGBC Accelerator Cities Programme’ Andy Boyle , Otley Energy – Powerpoint
  •  ‘Climate action at Neighbourhood Level’, Phil Bixby, My Future York & Passivhaus designer/ Architect at Constructive Individuals – Powerpoint
  • ‘The renovation of Ravine House’: Howard Evans, Director at Chiles Evans + Care Architects & Director of Architecture and Landscape Architecture Dual Courses at the Sheffield School of Architecture, University of Sheffield – Powerpoint
  •  ‘Kingswood Estate, London – independent review of a 700-unit, mixed-construction retrofit scheme’, Nicholas Heath, Director, NDM Heath Ltd: Sustainable Energy Services & Associate Director, Sustainable Traditional Buildings Alliance – Powerpoint coming soon

WATCH WEBINAR RECORDING (You will have to register to view)


March 2020 Online meet-up

  • Professor Fionn Stevenson, Sheffield University  ‘Housing Fit for Purpose: Performance, Feedback & Learning’ – and the importance of effective Building Performance Evaluation/ Post Occupancy Evaluation for NZEB housing’. Powerpoint  Link to Book
  • Dr Martin Fletcher, Research Fellow, Leeds Sustainability Institute: ‘Evaluating the Performance of Passivhaus Dwellings Pre and Post Occupancy’. Powerpoint

WATCH WEBINAR RECORDING (You will have to register to view)


November 2019 Meet-up Presentations & Links


July 2019 Meet-up Presentations & Links

  • Jenny Brierley, PhD Researcher, University of Sheffield ([email protected]) ‘Scaling up fresh air as well as zero carbon: the challenge of ventilation in practice’ Powerpoint
  • Nigel Banks, Product & Marketing Director, Ilke Homes ([email protected]) ‘How offsite construction can help deliver low energy homes at scale’  Watch video here
  • Claire Jamieson, Phi Architecture ([email protected]) ‘Case study of a Yorkshire EnerPHit project and lessons for ‘scaling up’ low energy retrofits’ Powerpoint
  • Tom de Simone & Jonny Stokeld, members of York Community Energy’s new Warmer York working group, which is aiming to establish a market for home retrofit in York. ([email protected]) ‘Kickstarting a retrofit revolution in York’ Powerpoint 
  • Robin Miller, BecoWallform ([email protected]) ‘ICF construction as a practical option for economic low energy buildings on a large scale’ Powerpoint
  • David Bradley & Kevin Pratt, PureHaus ( [email protected] & [email protected]) ‘A developer’s view of building Passivhaus at scale’ –   Watch video here

January 2019 Meet-up Presentations & Links

  • – Dr Rafael Espinosa from University of Sheffield ([email protected]) The Hidden Energy of Buildings and Construction Materials Powerpoint
  • – David Garlovsky, Inno-Therm ([email protected]Environmental impact associated with the supply chains of insulation materials with focus on specifying a low carbon insulation Powerpoint
  • – Matthew Tulley ([email protected]) “The Generation Carbon Game: Interactive Quiz tests your knowledge of homes and transport for you, your grandparents and before”. [No powerpoint]

October 2018 Meet-up Presentations & Links


June 2018 Meet-up Presentations & Links


January 2018 Meet-up Presentations & Links

  • – Martyn Broadest ([email protected]), Director of Home, Connect Housing: Connect Housing & Passivhaus Powerpoint
  • – Nicholas Heath ([email protected]), Associate Director, Sustainable Traditional Buildings Alliance (STBA): The work of the STBA Powerpoint
  • – Nicola O’Connor ([email protected]), Mandarin Research: Overview of Frontier Economics ‘Affordable Warmth, Clean Growth’ report for EEIG  Powerpoint
  • – Richard Spencer ([email protected]), Passivhaus Consultant & Selfbuilder: Report back on Zero Carbon Yorkshire Make it Happen weekend. Powerpoint
  • – Andy Walker ([email protected]), SURE Insulation, Super-insulation Designer and Author : Inspiring Communities to Insulate Homes: View film