News & Blog

Read the latest business news, blogs and thought leadership articles from our members, as well as updates on the Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce's work in the city.

News & Blog

Upcoming event: Non-domestic buildings archetype and low-carbon heating approach

Posted: 13th September 2023

Date: 22nd of September 2023 (Friday)

After a successful first workshop, this event will focus on non-domestic buildings across Scotland.

This workshop series emerges from the need to develop an archetype and low-carbon heating approach that delivers Scotland’s net-zero targets. Discussions during this workshop will include the methods to improve our built heritage, the surrounding public and private space, and the communities that depend on future infrastructure upgrades.

The workshop will discuss the development of a retrofit approach relevant to our vast building types and seek ways to lower energy demand and the associated carbon emissions in a sympathetic and future-proof manner. The best retrofit methods often depend on many variables and constraints within the surrounding context, therefore, each building presents a unique challenge. The workshop proposes to discuss the best way to characterise buildings, seeking to find a common approach to retrofitting each typology by creating building archetypes clustered by age, methods of construction, and use. This is also a relevant space to discuss the role of low-carbon heating suitable for each archetype, and the challenges we face in finding the best technology and the required infrastructure to meet demand.

Participants of this workshop series will come from varying backgrounds and expert areas, therefore there is an opportunity to develop a deep understanding and discussion over this topic.

The workshop series hopes to inform and agree on the best characterisation of domestic and non-domestict buildings in Scotland with and without a significant historical location and classification. However, the approach and methods of refurbishment should be well-informed at all levels from property owners, private tenants, landlords, local authorities, conservation bodies, and government. The culmination of this work (University of Edinburgh, School of Engineering, and partners) will include a website and tool to access retrofit examples and case studies showcasing the before and after conditions of the buildings.

The three workshops will be:

– Workshop 1 (past): 23rd of August 2023 – Scottish domestic buildings Archetype and low-carbon heating approach.

– Workshop 2 (this one): 22nd of September 2023 – Scottish non-domestic buildings Archetype and low-carbon heating approach.

– Workshop 3: date tba – Conservations and climate change resilient retrofit of Scottish buildings through an archetype and low-carbon heating approach.

Book your space here. 

Business Comment

Business Comment is the Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce’s bi-monthly magazine. It provides insight on Edinburgh’s vibrant business community, with features on the city’s key sectors, interviews with leading figures and news on new business developments in the capital.
Read more here