AUTHOR

Karl Dickinson

159 POSTS
5 COMMENTS
Change matters. It takes courage. As a writer - and citizen - I am inspired by stories of those who challenge the 'we've always done it this way' attitude. We can do better - it's time to listen to those who go against the grain.

How to Get Started with Sustainable Construction: Developers

As professionals linking multiple agents in the construction chain, developers are essential drivers of sustainability. Working practices are well-established, so there may be some reluctance to change. But from kudos to profit, benefits are plentiful. In this guide, we share some starting points for property developers who want to...

How to Get Started with Sustainable Construction: Residents

If you’re building or renovating your own place, consider a move away from the typical concrete structures and fiberglass insulation. Natural and renewable products work equally as well – or better! Whether you hire a contractor or try your hand at a bit of DIY, our how-to guide will...

How to Get Started with Sustainable Construction: Introduction

It’ll take some work to fully shift from conventional building practices to those that are kinder to our climate but is it all that difficult? We’ve collated some helpful guides for four agents in the building ecosystem to show you how to get started with sustainable construction at whichever...

Investigating Investment: How to Pay for Retrofitting

Even knowing retrofitting will improve our standard of living and save us cash in the long run, finding the money upfront to pay for it can be a challenge. In this article, we prove that you don’t need to be self-sufficient with pots of gold to spare. There are...

Understand the Upgrade: Retrofitting Tools & Data

Navigating the ins and outs of energy efficiency can be challenging. If we are going to get the most out of fabric-first retrofits and smart technology options, we need a comfortable level of comprehension. From choosing the right appliances to ascertaining the retrofitting policies specific to your region, via...

Retrofitting Reports: Prime Publications on Policy and Practice

Retrofitting is big news. The internet is home to many academic papers and reports on the subject. Aside from providing a lot of empirical data, the impressive level of research shows us just how complex the subject is and how much we still need to discover. What follows below...

Energy Standards, Ratings, and Labelling Systems

Whether you’re retrofitting or not, here are some helpful pointers for regional energy standards, ratings, and labelling systems. Stars, numbers, and alphabetical symbols indicate the optimum energy efficiency of your building and appliances. Understanding what they mean can help occupants and building managers reduce unnecessary emissions from private and...

Geography Matters: Regional Requirements for Retrofitting

Surprisingly, geography has a big part to play in the renovations we make to our built environment. Elements around the world pose different problems. While one city experiences flooding, another is dealing with desertification. Red-hot or ice-cold – wherever there are humans craving comfort, there’s a place for retrofitting....

Decarbonisation, Energy Efficiency & Retrofitting Policies

There is a plethora of retrofitting policies out there, especially in Europe, that are guiding the move to a cleaner, greener energy scene. Here is a selection of rules and guidelines that are improving efficiency in our aging building stock and related energy use. From the European Commission European Green Deal A...

A Growing Field: Research into Retrofitting

Research into retrofitting and the energy efficiency of buildings is a growing field. Here’s a sample of some of the most interesting papers around. An Investment Allocation Approach for Building Energy Retrofits This paper introduces a decision-making methodology for allocating retrofit investment to minimise full life cycle costs. There is a...

Retrofitting Funds, Grants & Loans

So, you want to retrofit but are not sure how you’re going to finance it? Depending on where you are in the world, you might be fortunate to get some help. Some countries seem very committed to decarbonising existing building stock, putting their money where their mouth is with...

Retrofitting, Decarbonisation & Community Energy Guides

Retrofitting, decarbonisation, renewables, and the energy transition. There’s a behemoth of information out there, and it seems to be growing by the day. That’s why we’ve put together some of the choice cuts to take the sting out of finding the most reliable, factual, and up-to-date information you could...

Retrofitting and Energy Efficiency Projects

With climate change being so high on the agenda, it’s not surprising that there is a range of retrofitting projects testing out various measures, innovations, technologies, and tools for engagement to see how we can make buildings climate-friendly and future-proof. In Europe, at least, plenty is going on. Here’s...

Notable City London: The Transition to Community Energy

Widescale social housing retrofit projects led by local authorities are not uncommon. Yet many energy refits still tend to focus on changes at the microscale – in single buildings. Does it have to be that way? Is decarbonisation an easier challenge to conquer collectively? Éva Goudouneix believes so. A...

How to Make Energy Use More Efficient

Using fossil fuels emits a lot of carbon dioxide. This enters the atmosphere and traps heat, warming the climate. Unless we curb our energy use, temperatures will rise beyond the 1.5 degree-maximum we’ve set ourselves. Retrofitting is a key tool in decarbonising human activity and therefore preserving the environment....

How to Make Water Use More Efficient

Showering, cleaning, drinking, flushing, and washing clothes all use water. A lot of water! As the climate changes and populations increase, supply is struggling to keep up with demand. Making our city’s buildings more sustainable conserves vital drops. But what exactly can we do to make our water use...

The Art of Persuasion: How to Involve Residents in Retrofitting

Why aren’t we retrofitting more? There’s an unarguable case in favour, after all. Something must be holding us back. The problem is that property owners are just not that engaged in the movement. It has to change. So, what methods have been proven to work for engaging residents in...

The Challenges of Psychology in Retrofitting

At CityChangers, we value the learning we can gain from bottlenecks, problems, and conundrums. Knowing the challenges and discovering the blockages provides a ground on which we can search for solutions. We’ve noticed a bunch of barriers around psychology in retrofitting that seem to block progress. Anyone considering setting...