Following the success of a heritage morning in Birmingham in 2019 and Leeds in 2023, we chose to organise a similar event in Liverpool, centred around the decarbonisation of built heritage, an area at the top of clients’ agendas.  This topic can be complex and intimidating with a plethora of information available but little clarity on what this means for the heritage sector in particular.  Therefore, this event offered a novel opportunity to learn from industry experts, all focused on demystifying this complex topic to reassure and empower attendees.

The morning was held at the stunning Grade I listed Liverpool Cathedral, in a key Northern Powerhouse city which is currently developing five times faster than London.  When we consider Liverpool’s ambitious Net Zero Carbon target of 2030, it’s clear that decarbonisation, restoration and improved thermal performance of the city’s traditional buildings needs to be top priority.

We were delighted to be joined by experts in the field of energy efficiency, decarbonisation and retrofit:

Quadriga Contracts Ltd (Lindsay Law: Managing Director) – Lindsay introduced the morning, discussing the urgency of the climate emergency and the pivotal role the decarbonisation of built heritage can play in meeting net zero targets.  The presentation covered embodied energy, the behaviour of traditional buildings and how a fusion between traditional craftsmanship and modern technology can provide solutions to the decarbonisation of built heritage.  She also set out the skills shortage currently facing the sector and how Quadriga are helping to tackle this through various initiatives.

AtkinsRéalis (Mark Postill: Decarbonomics Delivery Lead) – Mark introduced the innovative Decarbonomics platform and consultancy which provides solutions to building owners and portfolio managers looking to decarbonise their building stock. Mark focussed on the effective and sympathetic decarbonisation of built heritage and demonstrated how Carbon Data Insights can forecast future carbon and energy improvements by using existing data.  This innovative software will change the way carbon and energy considerations are considered in everyday strategic business cases and decision making

Selectaglaze Secondary Glazing (Darren Berryman: Sales Manager) – This presentation advised on all elements of secondary glazing in heritage buildings, including the creation of good specifications on projects requiring improved thermal performance.  Darren outlined the performance levels which can be achieved through the use of secondary glazing, its benefits, potential limitations and more technical aspects such as fixings and design considerations.

Lime Green (Dominic Putnam: Head of Marketing and Business Development) – This presentation covered Lime Green’s Warmshell internal wall insulation system which is designed to improve the thermal efficiency of traditional and solid masonry wall construction using natural wood fibre material.  Dominic provided a comprehensive overview of low carbon retrofit projects within the heritage sector and how Warmshell insulation can significantly improve the thermal performance of heritage buildings.

We hope that everyone left the event feeling empowered to tackle projects requiring the decarbonisation of built heritage and made some valuable contacts and connections in the process.  The feedback received was very positive and we’re looking forward to running more events like this in the future, as net zero targets loom.

If you would like to be kept updated on events and don’t already receive emails from us, please get in touch with Laura Brown on laurab@quadrigaltd.com to ensure you don’t miss out on future events.  You can also join the Heritage and Conservation Networking LinkedIn Group using the link below.

https://www.linkedin.com/groups/8682099/

We thought we’d delve into the rich history of Liverpool’s buildings and put together some interesting facts about the city that might just surprise you…
The city encompasses architecture of the past 300 years and is home to over 2,500 listed buildings and 250 public monuments!

The Albert Dock has the largest collection of Grade I Victorian Buildings in the UK

The Liver Building has shaped one of the worlds most recognisable skylines with it’s prominent Liver Birds overlooking the waterfront. Legend has it that if these birds were ever to fly away the city of Liverpool would cease to exist!

The Bluecoat is thought to be the oldest city centre building. It dates to the early 1700s.

Speke Hall, just outside of the city, with its distinctive black and white timber is a fine example of a Tudor period building that dates back to 1598. It’s hard to miss the Grade I listed building and is one of the only surviving examples of its time!

And last, but by no means least…it’s the birth place of the Beatles!

You might think this has nothing to do with heritage buildings, but in fact the band helped turn this warehouse cellar venue into the most famous club in the world. Celebrating its 60th year in 2017 the Cavern Club has become one of the most visited buildings in the city and is am iconic venue that enhances Liverpool’s heritage and strong cultural image!

Quadriga have had the pleasure of working on a number of Liverpool’s most famous buildings including;
Port of Liverpool Building
Liver Building
Tower Buildings
Wellington Rooms
Atlantic Pavilion, Albert Dock
One Derby Square
Greenbank House

From its waterfront World Heritage Site to its black and white Tudor buildings, Liverpool is an architecturally and culturally vibrant city. With the growth of the Northern Powerhouse it’s an exciting time for the city, and here at Quadriga we can’t wait to see how the architecture of the past is preserved for the future and incorporated into the evolution of the city.