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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.

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Matt Bentley Senior Conservation Officer

Sustainable Development Unit Leeds City Council.

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Joanne Needham Conservation & Design Officer

Investment & Regeneration Service Kirklees Council.

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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

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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?

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National policy

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Key objectivesBehaviours & 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)

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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

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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)

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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

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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

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

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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

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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)?

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Events• Education day – June, details to be announced.

• Public awareness event – June, details to be announced.

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Thank you

Contact details

Matt Bentleymatthew.bentley@leeds.gov.uk0113 2478145

Joanne Needhamjoanne.needham@kirklees.gov.uk01484 225800