1 Heritage Assets & Low Carbon Renovation – Experiences from a joint project of Kirklees Council & Leeds City Council RTPI Conference: Emerging contexts for Heritage and Conservation 2011.

2 Matt Bentley Senior Conservation Officer Sustainable Development Unit Leeds City Council. & Joanne Needham Conservation & Design Officer Investment & Regeneration Service Kirklees Council.

3 Brief Introduction to our project Regional project lead by Leeds City Council and Kirklees Council Part of a wider project on up-skilling local governments in climate change Specifically leading on the role Heritage Assets can play in the battle against climate change

4 Overview of project origins What is RIEP? Where is the funding from? What RIEP streams were identified for up-skilling professionals? Why was heritage identified as a key theme?

5 National policy

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7 Key objectives Behaviours & performance Behaviour and performance of historic buildings Behaviour of users Historic environment Designated assets (Significance) Undesignated assets (Local distinctiveness & sense of place) Promote & advocate A holistic approach (Understanding the behaviour and performance of the building and its users should inform any upgrading/improvements NOT a piecemeal approach)

8 Target audience Building owners & users Politicians Built environment professionals (Planners, Architects, Surveyors, Engineers etc) Building industry Suppliers of suitable products and services (both ‘heritage’ and ‘green’) Educational institutions (academic & vocational) Students Amenity and civic societies and other interested groups/bodies

9 Project outputs Guidance & training module (web-based resource) to be delivered via RIEP Good practice case studies (designated assets) Preparation of brief for ‘exemplar’ building case studies (behavioural & performance monitoring before and after works) Toolkit Guidance of ways to improve typical undesignated assets Professional educational event via HELM (June 2011) Public awareness event (June 2011)

10 Progress to date Best practice? - struggling with case studies June events - coming together, working with HELM, lots of interest Exemplar work - due to go out to tender for exemplar & working on 'toolkit' Guidance and training – questionnaire released, but responses limited Building up a good network of contacts and interest of various groups and individuals

11 Our experience The project has, and continues to, receive a lot of interest by all those contacted thus far by ourselves and others are also registering their interest who have heard about the project through other channels Caution - many projects that have been self-promoted as ‘exemplars’ in terms of building conservation have been harmful/damaging There is a need for a more co-ordinated approach regionally and nationally Lots of work being undertaken, but not much of it known about outside of specialist circles

12 Our experience There are only 8 months from November 2010 – June 2011!

13 Desired results Hope to help to raise awareness of the subject and continue the dialogue with the interested parties Hope to create new links between interested parties and strengthen existing links and relationships Hope to see a reduction in our carbon footprint by providing useful outcomes that will assist people in making informed decisions Hope that this project will just be the beginning and lead to further work and projects

14 Get involved We welcome your comments both positive and negative We welcome ideas and offers of involvement Can you suggest any good practice case studies? What are your thoughts on the planned ‘toolkit’ designed to assist owners and agents? Who & what would you like to see at the education day (HELM)? What would you want to see in the training module (RIEP)?

15 Events Education day – June, details to be announced. Public awareness event – June, details to be announced.

16 Thank you Contact details Matt Bentley Joanne Needham