Heritage and the Climate Crisis: November News 2021
News and publication highlights relating to Heritage and the Climate Crisis from across the month of November. With COP26 dominating the headlines we weren’t light for coverage on the Climate Crisis this month. From the rejection of the Tulip to the publication of the Historic England Risk Register, see the Heritage Declares news highlights below.
The Tulip rejected at appeal- Big news for Heritage and the Climate Crisis
The controversial Tulip scheme in London was rejected over embodied carbon and heritage concerns. This Architects Journal article provides insight into the milestone decision. Great progress in light of COP26.
Historic England Climate Change Resources
Historic England have recently created a Climate Change: Mitigation, Adaptation and Energy Measures page on their website. A great collection of resources, networks and campaigns to showcase how the historic environment can positively contribute to overall global sustainability. We are delighted to have been included as an example campaign addressing how climate affects heritage and how heritage, and old buildings can be part of creative solutions.
STBA From Retrofit to Regeneration
The Sustainable Traditional Buildings Alliance (STBA) have recently published their guide ‘From Retrofit and Regeneration Publication’. An essential publication which calls for the UK to replace its policies and programmes to ‘Retrofit’
the built environment (merely to improve energy efficiency) with a strategy which uses
a much wider set of objectives. Including health, heritage, community cohesion, local
employment, cleaning and re-greening the environment, transport, and flood
alleviation.
POSTbrief on Reducing the whole life carbon impact of buildings
UK Parliament published a POSTbrief on Reducing the whole life carbon impact of buildings. The report usefully summarises the concerns and priorities of built environment professionals when considering the reduction of emissions, focusing on the need for reuse, whole life carbon analysis, VAT to be reduced in building refurbishments, a better vetting process for materials and polices to drive more resource-efficient construction and use of existing low-carbon building materials. It is reassuring to see the report champion the reuse and re-purposing of buildings. It asks us to reconsider the need for a new building in the first instance and give more consideration to retrofitting and repurposing existing buildings.
We have reusable cups, bags and bottles: so why are our buildings still single use?
The Conversation published an article entitled We have reusable cups, bags and bottles: so why are our buildings still single use? An informative piece on why the built environment needs to be at the centre of the circular economy.
Heritage Creative Interview with Heritage Declares on Sustainability and Digital Heritage
Heritage Declares is featured in Heritage Creative’s latest Heritage Briefing: Increase Footfall with Digital looking at Heritage Tourism and sustainability as well as our aims for COP 26.
Demolition of Oxford Street M&S
Disappointing news came towards the end of the month with the demolition and rebuild of Oxford Street M&S. Interesting articles have stemmed from the decision with a clear push for reuse and retrofit, including this article in the Guardian. Save Britain’s Heritage and the Twentieth Century Society have put together a petition to save and re-use the flagship store.
Historic England’s Risk Register
Historic England Risk Register has been published. It is reassuring to see so many buildings taken off the Risk Register this year. These schemes demonstrate how heritage can play a role in our move towards Net Zero 2050 through reuse and avoiding the high carbon emissions associated with demolishing existing structures and building new
Any thoughts?
Have you got any thoughts on the November News on Heritage and the Climate Crisis? Or suggestions for the December post? Leave them in the comments below or tweet us @HeritageDecl