ABSTRACT
This chapter investigates how an "A" energy performance rating can be reached in a retrofit, considering energy efficiency measures, the use of solar energy and the characteristics of household energy use behaviour. It draws on real data from the winning entry to the "Retrofit for the Future", an on-going project funded by Technology Strategy Board (TSB). The team consisted of PRP Architects, Hill Partnerships and the Cambridge City Council and Cambridge University. The retrofit strategy provided substantial improvements to the thermal performance of the external fabric of the house, changes to the building services and the introduction of micro-renewables. The results support the research of Guerra Santn that the quality of building construction plays only a limited role in determining an actual energy performance in domestic buildings. The survey of households living in a social housing identical to the case study exhibited a large variety of heating patterns.
