Introduction The goal of Manchester-based Carbon Co-op is to radically reduce domestic carbon emissions for people and communities using approaches such as ‘retrofit’ works (domestic upgrades or installations that improve energy efficiency). Carbon Co-op have recently coordinated an Area-Based Retrofit scheme in Levenshulme, South Manchester, making use of the efficiencies gained by working on multiple … Read more
In September we held our first event for the Retrofit For All project with London School of Economics Housing and Communities at the National Communities Resource Centre at Trafford Hall. The event brought together housing providers, contractors, policy makers, and tenants to gain insights about their experience of people-centred approaches to retrofit through publicly funded … Read more
Carbon Co-op’s area-based retrofit project is upgrading a group of homes in Levenshulme, South Manchester, aiming to improve energy efficiency, keep bills low and reduce carbon emissions. The initiative is also upskilling the local workforce. This article will explore the innovative training involved in this whole-house retrofit scheme. Onsite Training The key contractor for the … Read more
We all want warmer, comfier, greener homes with lower bills but sometimes it seems the options are either to stump up a load of cash for an expensive consultant and builder or go with a retrofit council scheme where you get little choice on how it turns out – but might there be a third … Read more
A new Carbon Co-op report shares findings from a research project undertaken in Oldham. The work seeks to better understand culturally specific issues relevant to Westwood’s predominately Bangladeshi community, and what an effective energy advice service could look like. This community, like many others in the UK, are often considered ‘hard to reach’. There is … Read more
On Wednesday 19th of April we gathered at Todmorden College for the third workshop in this series to talk about the relationship between retrofit and making our homes more able to withstand and recover from flooding events. Our colleague Helen took the group of attendees through the various building-level impacts of flooding, in particular the … Read more