Eastern Promise to help historic buildings’ carbon emissions

Eastern Promise is trying to help reduce carbon emissions in historic buildings, raising awareness with an event.

The event, which is being held on Thursday, October 12 at Jesus College, Cambridge, will focus on the practical aspects of the retrofitting of historic buildings.

This will include how new materials and renewable energy sources can be deployed to disused historic buildings, and where community groups can find financial support for improvements, along with the conditions that might accompany a successful funding bid.

Eastern Promise chief executive, Mike Rigby, said: “From the historic colleges of Cambridge to Jurnet’s House in Norwich and Pykenham’s Gatehouse in Ipswich, we in the East of England are rightly proud of our historic built environment.

“We also want to retain these buildings for future generations in a way that’s sustainable, affordable and in accordance with our net zero obligations.

“Yet the plethora of techniques, terminology, and technologies, combined with upfront costs and legal uncertainties, makes decarbonisation and retrofit a potentially confusing prospect.

“This Autumn, Eastern Promise will assemble architects, sustainability professionals, policy makers, and legal specialists from across the public and private sectors.

“They’ll be representing organisations as diverse as Mills & Reeve, RIBA East, Historic England, the Heritage Trust Network, and Jesus College Cambridge itself and will be sharing their experience on decarbonisation and repurposing of heritage assets.

“Those tasked with the care and maintenance of the East of England’s heritage are invited to come and listen, ask questions, and share their stories of success”.

Attendees can expect to listen and quiz three panels of hugely knowledgeable experts, which will in turn look at reducing emissions from historic buildings, regardless of use,

reusing and retrofitting redundant heritage assets and resourcing and funding the works needed to bring historic buildings into line with the net zero agenda in a sustainable, manageable way.

Mr Rigby added: “This event will be solutions- and action-focussed: we won’t be using up delegates’ precious time on relitigating climate change. If you’re at a conference on decarbonisation, it’s a safe bet you already know how important this is.

“Neither will we be demanding action from central government but focussing on what we can do for ourselves. Our focus will not be on Whitehall but the historic village hall.

“I particularly want to encourage those with a positive and exciting story to tell on decarbonising heritage to come and share their experience with the panel and audience. I’m excited to hear and share these experiences and I hope to see you there”.

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