Local housing across the Solent is among the least environmentally efficient in Europe, but this month experts will gather at a virtual event to tackle how to make these homes more sustainable.
Hosted by the University of Portsmouth and Greentech South, the event will discuss best practice around 'retrofitting' houses to make them more energy efficient.
Low Carbon Homes - The Solent will take place from 16-18 March, 2021 and guests are invited to attend drop-in sessions across the three mornings which include speaker sessions, interactive work groups and networking.
Local authorities across the UK have been charged with delivering sustainable housing and improving the efficiency of housing to meet national climate targets.
This retrofit focused event closely aligns with the aims of the University of Portsmouth's target to become a climate-positive institution by 2030.
UK housing is no longer fit for purpose as the majority of British homes were built before the introduction of energy performance regulation. A large number of the Solent's buildings date from the late 19th and 20th centuries, which means it can be expensive and difficult to install efficiency measures.
David Hutchinson, Innovation and Impact Development Manager for the University of Portsmouth's Faculty of Technology and Director of Greentech South, said: "As the project lead for the ERDF funded project EMphasis3 CO2 Reductions, I am delighted that we are able to sponsor this Low Carbon Homes event for the Solent region. The EMphasis3 project - led by the University of Portsmouth - is seeking to accelerate the transition to net-zero, by offering Small and Medium Sized Enterprises access to free energy efficiency audits, innovation support and R&D grant funding.
"This retrofit focused event closely aligns with the aims of the EMphasis3 project and the University of Portsmouth's target to become a climate-positive institution by 2030. We hope that this event can help to establish a Solent retrofit community, with effective partnerships between local councils, housing providers, utility companies and the third sector to promote a retrofit revolution and support the UK Government target of reaching carbon net-zero by 2050."
Academics from the universities of Portsmouth, Southampton and Liverpool John Moores will join housing experts to discuss the challenge of housing retrofit in the South East and Solent - areas which are predicted to see the highest surge in house prices and demand in the UK.
The South East and Solent are areas which are predicted to see the highest surge in house prices and demand in the UK.
Graham Lock, founder of Low Carbon Homes, said: "The Solent region benefits from a strong, supportive University presence that supports local innovation and innovators. We're delighted therefore to have the support of the University of Portsmouth in hosting this event and to be able to showcase programmes and innovations that will support Solent's transition to net-zero.
"The region has a huge array of building architypes, landscapes and conurbations but is coming together at Low Carbon Homes to collaborate to work towards solving one of the UK's greatest carbon reduction challenges - our poor performing housing stock. A single event won't solve the problem, but we're confident that by bringing so many local stakeholders together the Solent will be able to take a sizeable step towards creating a housing retrofit plan that eventually will."
The event is funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and organised in partnership with Low Carbon Homes, which facilitates knowledge exchange on retro-fit best practice, and supports local economic recovery.
To book a place please visit https://www.lowcarbonhomes.uk/events/solent-march-16-2021/ Registration closes at 4pm on Monday 15 March, 2021.
