Interest and focus on tackling the climate emergency in historic buildings has never been higher, but action so far is limited. In a series of workshops in early 2023, the questions of what is currently happening and the challenges hindering action were put to those who own, manage, or work with historic buildings across the Square Mile. <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/commonplace-digital-limited/image/upload/v1678465232/projects/historicbuildingscarbonreduction/aae10d2d-1130-44b3-8cf4-020ec27b089e.jpg" /> The results have formed signposts for action, for how a guide can be developed to help historic building owners drive progress towards carbon reduction and climate resilience. Commonalities across all responses showcase the principal opportunities that might galvanise more action; <li>Cost: A lack of funding, grants and government support, coupled with the challenges of building a viable business case in the current climate, were all viewed as significant barriers to action, especially given the additional costs already associated with owning a historic building. </li><li>Where to start: Whilst there is a lot of information available on this topic, many find it impenetrable and, in some instances, incoherently communicated, with some open-source resources adding to the perception of complexity (e.g. the STBA retrofit wheel, and Historic England advice notes). </li><li>Consistent messaging: The inconsistent approach to historic building retrofit across different boroughs was also highlighted as a common barrier, stemming from the lack of top-down support and clarity within the NPPF around how to balance sustainability and energy efficiency measures, against harm to historic fabric and heritage significance. </li><li>Training and skills at all levels: Backed up by the recent Heritage and Carbon: Addressing the Skills Gap report launched in March 2023, there was a call for bridging the knowledge gaps within organisations between those who take an active interest in sustainability within an organisation, those carrying out the work, and those involved in governance and decision making.</li><li>Collaboration: Encouraging collaborative networks of peers where knowledge sharing and mutual benchmarking is facilitating, could help overcome the complexity of negotiating the right advice, approach, and funding – particularly for smaller organisations. </li> <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/commonplace-digital-limited/image/upload/v1678465060/projects/historicbuildingscarbonreduction/26aa1d6d-cc1a-456c-8976-190985dd52b4.jpg" /> <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/commonplace-digital-limited/image/upload/v1678465318/projects/historicbuildingscarbonreduction/bca2f7a8-f486-4b10-a02c-6f56dd5be776.jpg" /> Our call for involvement in the study continues, for owners and managers of historic property and for other interested parties. Both questionnaires can be found on Commonplace platform, found <a href="https://historicbuildingscarbonreduction.commonplace.is/en-GB/proposals/standard-question/step1">here</a>. All feedback received is being used to help shape our ongoing work, and development of an online toolkit aimed at distilling clear and practical advice on how to reduce carbon emissions and build climate resilience in historic buildings.

What challenges do we face? 

The City of London Corporation and Purcell, a leading architecture, heritage and master planning practice, are creating a guide to help listed building owners, occupiers and managers act to deliver sustainable, resilient places.

The surveys run until May 2023. We want to hear from you and understand if an how you are responding to the climate challenge. Your responses will help shape an interactive toolkit for the Square Mile, launched in the early summer of 2023.

Historic Buildings Carbon Reduction and Climate Resilience Challenge

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