Nottingham Climate Emergency Design Initiative (CEDI)
Enabling the attainment of carbon neutral targets in Nottingham's built environment
The Nottingham Climate Emergency Design Initiative (CEDI) is a network of built environment professionals working together to help Nottingham on its path to a zero-carbon future.
The voluntary group, made up of academics from both universities, developers, engineers, architects, planners, sustainability professionals and others, was initiated by the University of Nottingham prompted by Nottingham City Council’s Planning & Regeneration Department and the Carbon Reduction, Energy & Sustainability Division, and supported by the Nottingham Growth Board.
The purpose is to provide evidence-based technical advice and support to enable the delivery of buildings and developments aligned with the City’s carbon neutrality targets.
Background
The built environment accounts for nearly half of total energy used in the UK, with the domestic sector accounting for 30% of the total electricity demand. Also, around 21% of national greenhouse gas emissions are produced by buildings with the majority of emissions coming from space heating. In 2019, fossil fuel-based heating systems accounted for about 1.7 million or 57% of newly installed heating systems. Further, over the last decade, energy consumed by space cooling has increased sharply by approximately 40% and created significant impacts on peak power demands in some areas, and especially during heatwaves.
The aforementioned trends point to the urgent need to enhance the energy performance of residential buildings as a means to curb carbon emissions. As with other cities in the UK, the biggest obstacle to achieving carbon neutrality in Nottingham is the impact of its built environment. In keeping with the UK’s commitment to achieve net zero emissions by 2050, Nottingham City Council (NCC) has responded to the climate crisis by making one of its key policies in its Council Plan 2019-2023 to become the first carbon neutral city in the UK by 2028. In support of this, NCC has actioned the retrofit of a significant number of local domestic properties. In addition to tackling energy efficiency measures in existing properties, NCC recognises the need for improve energy efficiency measures in new-build homes.
Due to the complexity of the issue, Nottingham Climate Emergency Design Initiative (CEDI) is hoping to help accelerate this by producing guidance that can be used in planning immediately, and that can be used to inform Local Plans through Supplementary Planning Documents.
Nottingham Retrofit Roadmap
How much carbon and money could be saved through housing retrofit?
Reducing #carbonemissions from existing homes represents one of the biggest challenges facing the UK in our transition to #netzero by 2050.
The findings of the Nottingham Carbon Neutral Housing: Cost vs Carbon Retrofit Roadmap, a project funded by the UK Government through the flagship Community Renewal Fund 2021/22, were shared at an event held at the University of Nottingham.
The project explored the energy and carbon reduction benefits of a series of retrofit strategies to improve typical existing housing, identified from a stock analysis, taking a sequential approach based on likelihood and feasibility.
Prof. Lucelia Rodrigues kicked off the event by sharing the national perspective and Nottingham’s positioning before looking at a detailed analysis of carbon reductions from retrofit for the various dwelling archetypes that make up Nottingham’s housing stock. It was noted that this assessment of cost-effectiveness and carbon-effectiveness of the retrofit interventions will lead to a discussion around a proposed roadmap for carbon neutral housing in Nottingham.
For more on what was presented, please review the presentation here: Nottingham-Retrofit-Roadmap-Dissemination-Event-26_10_22-1.
Downloads
Download our guidance factsheets which cover specific aspects of zero-carbon design.
Retrofit Fact Sheets: Introduction
An introduction to Nottingham Carbon Neutral Housing (Cost vs Carbon Retrofit Roadmap)
Retrofit Fact Sheets: End-Terrace
This design fact sheet will provide visual guidance relevant to a typical end-terrace house
Retrofit Fact Sheets: Semi-Detached
This design fact sheet will provide visual guidance relevant to a typical semi-detached house
Retrofit Fact Sheets: Mid-Terrace
This design fact sheet will provide visual guidance relevant to a typical mid-terrace house
Retrofit Fact Sheets: Detached
This design fact sheet will provide visual guidance relevant to a typical detached house
Retrofit Fact Sheets: All Typologies
These design fact sheets provide visual guidance relevant to a variety of typical housing typologies