As we know, issues of disrepair in older tenement buildings are widespread, presenting challenges for owners as well as upcoming energy efficiency targets. But is the solution really to demolish them? Scottish Housing News recently published an article written by graduate architect, Quita Hynd, entitled ‘Long live the tenements’, describing her final-year project.
Your tenement may have a basement, sometimes used for living accommodation or sometimes used for storage, cellars or wash-houses. These buildings will often also have a 'dunny' between the basement…
Do you want to use clean heating in your tenement building, but don't know where to start? On 30th March 2026, we held a webinar with
Where is the cold coming from? Draughty windows seals at joint could be damaged, missing, or painted over badly fitting wooden window frames will need regular maintenance lack of sealing…
Scottish tenements can be made more energy-efficient, however, it will take owners being informed and working together to make this change. In this webinar, we discuss energy-efficient tenements and what changes you can make today for the future.
What is fabric-first, and how can you retrofit an older tenement building? What should you prioritise? We answer these questions and more in this webinar. Learn about sustainable maintenance and retrofit from tenement experts, and ask our live panel about how you can organise and perform retrofit in your property.
Repairing or retrofitting tenement buildings can be an expensive and complicated process. Many of Scotland’s tenement owners want to carry out repairs, or retrofit their building to make it more energy-efficient, but…
This article has been reposted with permission from Duncan Smith, CIHCM, AMEI, RICS. Duncan is currently the Head of Energy and Sustainability at River Clyde Homes, and has over 30…
The University of Edinburgh and
Insulation, draught-proofing and improved glazing can save money, improve comfort and reduce greenhouse gas emissions, but this needs to be tackled with care to avoid creating damp problems in your…
Most flats in Scotland are heated with gas boilers and a significant minority are heated with resistive electric systems such as storage heaters. A small but growing number are heated…
If you own a property in a pre-1919 tenement building, and wish to carry out energy efficiency improvements, you may find this guide from Historic Environment Scotland useful.Historic Environment Scotland…
Under One Roof CEO Mike Heffron joined Josiah Lockhart, Chief Executive of Changeworks, and Chris Carus, co-founder of Loco Homes Retrofit CIC, to demystify retrofit on the Scottish Housing News Podcast.
In a recent episode of the Zero Ambitions Podcast, Gillian Campbell, joined the hosts to discuss her recent work with the EHA on retrofit policy and what’s needed to make it work. Retrofit entails making changes to an existing building with new materials, technology, or features that may not have necessarily been available previously.
Recent research suggests that traditional solid stone or brick walls provide better insulation than was once thought. Given the decorative disruption caused in insulating walls and the need to treat…
EdinBRIC recently held a well-attended hybrid event on insulation and ventilation, with expert speaker Jon Stinson of Building Research Solutions. His presentation discussed the principles of building physics in relation to domestic energy efficiency and retrofit.Â
Retrofitting common areas of your tenement building to meet new energy efficiency standards can be beneficial for the planet- and for your wallet. A case study included in new guidance…
Making homes more energy efficient through insulation and air tightness can make them more comfortable while also cutting carbon and bills. However, traditional solid-walled buildings present unique challenges. In this…
25% of heat loss is through the roof, however, before starting to lay insulation, make sure your slates, roof tiles, flashings, and chimneyheads aren't leaking before you start as wet…
Energy efficiency and retrofit pose a significant obstacle for owners living in traditional tenement buildings. How can Scotland overcome these obstacles? Professor in Housing Economics (Urban Studies) at the University of Glasgow, Kenneth Gibb, writing in People, Place and Policy (PPP), has looked closely at the issues of delivering retrofit in the context of Scotland’s traditional housing stock and its targets for net zero.
The 16% of national carbon emissions due to the use of gas and oil for heating and hot water. The UK also has some of the oldest and leakiest housing stock in…
The first short talk of the day was delivered by architect Ingvar Maxwell, who explored the history of stone in Scottish buildings from the prehistoric age until the 20th century. He explained how…
Mortgage lenders now require that those buying flats with cladding to provide…
Your tenement may have a basement, sometimes used for living accommodation or…
Insulation, draught-proofing and improved glazing can save money, improve comfort and reduce…
Recent research suggests that traditional solid stone or brick walls provide better…
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