Britain’s culture and economy are greatly influenced by and reliant upon historic buildings, and we believe that these architectural treasures can also assume a prominent position in combatting climate change.

Preserving the aesthetic allure and historic significance of a building is paramount when embarking on a retrofit endeavour, requiring careful consideration of its original construction. Additionally, each building project mandates an approach customised to its specific context.

It is crucial to recognise and differentiate the inherent qualities of traditional buildings from their modern counterparts, as this differentiation demands a distinct understanding, skill set, and material solutions.

Retrofit Services

  • Assessment of the building construction, existing condition
  • Assessment of the significance of the building
  • Review of the existing thermal performance of the building envelope – EPC
  • Work with the Client and Architect on retrofit strategies appropriate to the heritage status of the building
  • Oversee retrofit works on-site

Retrofit measures may include:

  • Fabric improvements
  • Insulation using appropriate materials
  • Windows and door improvements
  • Retrofit renewables
Lime Green

Responsible retrofit – improving energy efficiency, respecting significance

There are assumptions that older and traditional buildings perform poorly thermally and require extensive interventions to improve their energy efficiency.  These assumptions are often unfounded and lead to inappropriate retrofit measures.

Improving the energy efficiency of historic buildings requires a holistic approach, an understanding of how these buildings behave and finding a balance between improvements and harm to the significance.

Queens Hotel

Quadriga take a whole building approach, considering the building’s environment, context, significance and how it is used by occupiers, resulting in appropriate retrofit measures.

The prospect of improving the thermal efficiency of a traditional building can be a daunting one, but retrofit can be unobstructive and can in some cases be mitigated by regular maintenance and carrying out small-scale repairs. With the increasing focus on achieving net zero carbon by 2050, new sympathetic retrofit measures are continuously researched and evaluated.

With over 30 years’ experience in the conservation, restoration, and repair of our built heritage, Quadriga have a wealth of knowledge to assist our clients in heritage retrofit.  We also hold the Level 3 Award in Energy Efficiency for Older and Traditional Buildings qualification in house enabling us to effectively lead commercial retrofit schemes.

Contact Us

Complete the form below to tell us about your survey requirements or call us on 01606 330 888 to discuss your project with one of our team.

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