Policy Framework for Energy Retrofitting of Built Heritage: A Critical Comparison of UK and Turkey

Abstract

Energy efficiency is one of the most prominent global challenges of our era. Heritage buildings usually have a poor energy performance, not necessarily because of their intrinsic constructive features but due to their mostly dilapidated condition owed to age and previous damage, exacerbated by other factors such as the limited maintenance allowed by the restrictive legal framework and/or residents not being able to afford retrofit. On both national and international levels, energy efficiency measures are considered the key to answering the global challenge of climate change. This article aims to provide a critical discussion of the policy framework for energy retrofitting targeting built heritage in the UK and in Turkey. To this end, the development of guidance and legislation on cultural heritage, energy efficiency and climate change in both countries were thoroughly reviewed, and the retrofit incentives and constraints were determined in order to identify existing policy gaps and potential problems with implementation in the realm of energy retrofitting and climate resiliency of heritage buildings. As a result of a critical comparative analysis, the paper is concluded with suggestions on policy frames for the retrofitting of heritage buildings for improved energy efficiency.

A multidisciplinary approach to address climate-resilience, conservation and comfort in traditional architecture: The PROT3CT example

“…The retrofit of traditional buildings entails more challenges and risks than other buildings due to conservation requirements, the limited availability of reliable information on the building fabric, variability of traditional materials used, its complex heat and moisture behaviour [6] and the exemption of these buildings from policies and regulatory frameworks on buildings' energy use reduction [3]. PROT3CT addresses these challenges beyond the realm of a single discipline, which begs the need for a highly cross-disciplinary interactions from different backgrounds.…”

“…A large proportion of the building stock is composed of traditional buildings worldwide [2], which because of dilapidated condition due to age and previous damage, may demonstrate the poorest performance. This is more alarming in the case of traditional dwellings generally raised by low socioeconomic status families unable to apply regular maintenance, which are mostly left to their fate [3]. Taking into account that the consequences of the poor energy performance will be exacerbated by changing climate, improving energy performance in traditional buildings is an urge.…”

Climate change, coastal built heritage, and critical challenges facing the heritage law frameworks of the United States, United Kingdom, and France

“…One significant challenge to the UK legal framework protecting built heritage is that it suffers from terminology ambiguity; particularly the precise meaning and scope of the interlocking legal terms 'significance' and 'substantial harm. ' (Jahed et al 2020;Hewitson 2019). The NPPF defines 'significance' for heritage policy as:…”

“…Local planning authorities require developers to pay for their own building and land investigations and shoulder the costs of necessary heritage remediation or protection. Heritage assets worthy of protection are typically discovered 'within the [curtilage] or even beneath a historic building, ' areas where 'structural remediation work and often-essential development work' is necessary, posing significant threats of delay or cancellation of the entire development project (Jahed et al 2020;Mclean 2009). The resulting high costs and variable time schedules of these projects create disincentives for developers to undertake projects at all.…”

Cities and Urban Heritage in the Face of a Changing Climate

“…The paper also includes a comprehensive section on the methods which can be employed for decay monitoring of building stones, making it a complete, geologically focussed reference resource for climatic impact on urban stone-built heritage. Jahed et al [15] offers a critical review of the UK and Turkey's energy retrofitting policy frameworks aimed at built heritage. To this end, the paper makes a chronological, multisectoral analysis of regulatory and financial schemes as well as the outcomes of voluntary programmes and competitions to identify the incentives and constraints which shape the overall energy retrofitting realm in these countries.…”