AECB’s Carbon Lite Standard
In our ongoing effort to tackle climate change, the architecture and urbanism community always looks for practical ways to reduce carbon emissions. The Association for Environment Conscious Building (AECB) has developed some fascinating insights through its CarbonLite Retrofit (CLR) standards. They’ve found that these standards, which focus on cost-effective and realistic interventions, can achieve better carbon reductions than even the much-lauded Passivhaus standards. This is a major step forward for sustainability.
The CarbonLite Retrofit Approach: A New Benchmark for Sustainability
The CarbonLite Retrofit (CLR) standards offer a practical framework for significantly reducing energy use in existing buildings. The AECB’s CLR approach emphasises improving the building’s fabric with affordable measures that ensure substantial energy savings and improved thermal comfort. This down-to-earth approach is scalable and accessible, making it suitable for a wide range of buildings and budgets.
The key moves of for a Carbon Lite approach are very similar to what we advise on our www.nomoregas.org
1. An electric energy engine is the most important step towards reducing carbon emissions. Pragmatic and effective actions to reach a degree of insulation that allows the installation of a heat pump are the first considerations. Where heat pumps are impractical, other viable solutions are available at www.nomoregas.org 2. Insulation Requirements: For Step 1 retrofits, recommended measures include cavity wall insulation, 300-400mm loft insulation, and at least double-glazed windows. These ensure that the running costs of heat pumps remain manageable. 3. Ventilation: Installing efficient ventilation systems to maintain indoor air quality while minimising energy use. Proper ventilation prevents moisture build-up and ensures a healthy indoor environment. 4. Step-by-Step Approach: The CLR standards allow for a step-by-step approach to retrofitting, where the process can be done in stages. Step 1 is the minimum permissible step, offering a low-carbon interim measure that can be built upon with deeper fabric retrofits in the future.
Retrofit project in Westminster Mansions, London.
In the top left corner, cables ready to connect the infrared heating (NO gas boilers?). The external wall is ready to breathable insulation and plaster to improve the thermal performance without compromising the building’s thermal and moisture balance.
Key Findings from the Green Register Seminar
During a seminar organised by the Green Register on 12th March 2024, Tim Martel, AECB Standards & Certification Programme Manager, presented findings on the CarbonLite Retrofit standards. The seminar highlighted that the CLR standards produce fewer carbon dioxide emissions than the Passivhaus standard, traditionally seen as the gold standard in energy efficiency. This underscores the effectiveness of cost-effective, pragmatic measures in reducing carbon emissions.
The seminar presented a graph illustrating how the CLR approach, which includes affordable interventions on the building fabric combined with replacing the heat engine with a heat pump, resulted in lower carbon dioxide emissions than all other retrofitting types, including Passivhaus (EnerPHit) standards.
Detailed Insights from the Seminar
Visualising the Impact: The Carbon Emissions Graph
The AECB’s findings were illustrated through a graph showing cumulative CO2e (operational + embodied) emissions over 60 years for a semi-detached house. The graph compared various retrofitting approaches:
• 194 tonnes CO2e for a gas boiler.
• 99 tonnes CO2e for CarbonLite Full Retrofit without ASHP.
• 76 tonnes CO2e for EnerPHit without ASHP.
• Significantly lower emissions for CarbonLite Step 1 Retrofit with ASHP, showcasing it as the least carbon-intensive intervention.
The Benefits of CarbonLite Retrofit
The benefits of adopting the CarbonLite Retrofit standards are manifold:
1. Cost-Effectiveness: The CLR approach focuses on affordable interventions that are accessible to a wide range of building owners, making it a practical solution for achieving significant energy savings without requiring substantial financial investment.
2. Scalability: The pragmatic nature of the CLR standards makes them scalable, allowing for widespread adoption across various building types and sizes, crucial for achieving large-scale carbon reductions.
3. Health and Comfort: By improving insulation, airtightness, and ventilation, the CLR approach enhances overall health and comfort in buildings, benefiting occupants and contributing to the building’s longevity and durability.
4. Environmental Impact: The integration of renewable energy sources and replacing gas boilers with heat pumps significantly reduces the carbon footprint of buildings, a critical step towards achieving net-zero emissions.
Case Studies and Practical Applications
The AECB has documented several case studies illustrating the effectiveness of the CarbonLite Retrofit standards in real-world applications. These case studies provide valuable insights into the practical implementation of the CLR approach and demonstrate the tangible benefits of adopting these standards.
For example, a retrofit project in Bristol utilised the CLR standards to transform a Victorian terrace house. By upgrading insulation, improving airtightness, and installing a heat pump, the project achieved significant energy savings and improved thermal comfort for the occupants. Similarly, a community housing project in Manchester showcased how the CLR standards could be applied to achieve substantial carbon reductions in a cost-effective manner.
Conclusion: A Pragmatic Path to Sustainability
The AECB’s CarbonLite Retrofit standards offer a pragmatic and cost-effective path to achieving significant carbon reductions in existing buildings. By focusing on affordable measures and integrating renewable energy sources, the CLR approach provides a scalable solution that can be widely adopted to combat climate change. As we continue to strive for a sustainable future, the CarbonLite Retrofit standards represent a vital step forward in our collective efforts to reduce carbon emissions and improve the resilience of our built environment.
References and Sources
1. Association for Environment Conscious Building (AECB). (2024). CarbonLite Retrofit Standards. Retrieved from AECB Website. 2. Green Register. (2024). Seminar on CarbonLite Retrofit Standards. Retrieved from Green Register Events.
3. Martel, T. (2024). CarbonLite Retrofit: Achieving Net Zero in Existing Buildings. Presentation at the Green Register Seminar. 4. Passivhaus Trust. (2024). EnerPHit Standard. Retrieved from Passivhaus Trust.
Comments