The need for extensive retrofit of much of our existing building stock is undeniable. The

current government target is for all buildings in the UK to be near zero carbon by 2050,1

and 75 per cent of those will be made up of already existing stock.2 So far, architectural

education, research and practice appear to have been only marginally concerned

with this enormous task ahead. The work ahead will be to shape this comprehensive

transformation of our built environment with the right expertise, skills and architectural

imagination. The retrofit challenge is a unique opportunity for the construction industry

and will require a significant shift in current priorities in teaching and practice.