Refurbishment, retrofit, renovation – all buzz words of the moment and rightly so. With energy bills rising and the UK committed to reducing overall CO2 emissions by 80% by 2050, it is critical that our existing buildings, which are among the oldest in Europe, are made more energy-efficient. According to the English House Condition Survey 2007, of the 22.2 million homes in England, 39% were built before 1945, with more than 21% built before 1919 and the introduction of cavity walls. According to Scotland’s 2009 survey, pre-1945 homes accounted for a third of all stock, of which 19% were built before 1919.

But we’re not just talking about domestic properties. Developing a lean healthcare estate is now more important than ever, with trusts having to find more affordable ways of upgrading their existing accommodation. And we await with interest the plans of the fledgling Education Funding Agency for the future of school building.

But it’s not just our houses, hospitals and schools that are in need of refurbishment. Our historic buildings are constantly in need of repair, often only achieved by the fundraising efforts of sympathetic benefactors. However, from October this year, the Treasury plans to charge VAT at 20% on approved alterations to listed buildings – work which is currently exempt from the tax. The Church of England has already warned this could lead to many planned renovations being scrapped.

This issue of FC&A features some outstanding refurb and renovation projects including the Bicton EaRTH project, The Ice Plant designer apartments in Manchester and The Grove office development in London. All of these projects address not only tougher climate change laws, but show how buildings can be revitalised to create sustainable spaces and pro-active communities.