Breathing New Life into Old Walls: Sustainable Refurbishment of Listed Buildings

There’s something deeply grounding about working on a listed building. You’re not just altering a structure - you’re continuing a story. A story etched in hand-forged nails, lime-washed walls, and timber beams that have withstood centuries. But let’s be honest - these buildings were never designed with thermal performance in mind.

A thoughtfully refurbished interior of a listed Georgian home, where natural materials, restored sash windows, and minimalist detailing embody sustainable heritage design.

At RISE Design Studio, we don’t see this as a problem. We see it as an invitation. To be imaginative. To be thoughtful. To prove that sustainability and heritage don’t just coexist - they can thrive together.

☉ The Fabric-First Mindset

→ Building from what already exists

We start with what’s already there. This is not just a sustainability strategy - it’s an ethic. A commitment to reduce embodied carbon, avoid unnecessary demolition, and elevate the integrity of what’s already beautiful.

Breathable, natural materials - wood fibre insulation, lime plaster, hempcrete - allow older buildings to function as they were meant to. No plastic membranes, no suffocation. Just material intelligence and respect for history.

☉ When buildings breathe, people breathe easier, too.

☉ The Retrofit Conundrum

→ Why it’s hard, and why we do it anyway

Retrofitting listed buildings isn’t easy. Planning policies can be rigid. Guidance is often vague. And every sash window feels like a battleground.

But with around 28 million UK homes needing retrofit by 2050 - and many of them built before 1930 - the stakes couldn’t be higher. We don’t have time for inaction.

→ Our view? Aim high. Think Passivhaus. Work with the grain of the building, not against it.

We’re not suggesting one-size-fits-all. But unless we aim for excellence - airtightness, thermal bridges resolved, low operational carbon - we’ll fall short of the climate goals we all share.

☉ The Problem with ‘Guidance’

→ What the draft HEAN gets right - and what it misses

The Historic England Advice Note (HEAN) on adapting historic buildings has been a long time coming. It’s thoughtful in parts, especially its push for breathable materials and better glazing.

But it still feels... tentative. Too cautious. Especially in the face of a climate emergency that demands bold action.

→ Vacuum glazing? Not mentioned. External insulation on non-principal façades? Still a whisper.
→ Airtightness? Ventilation? Whole-house strategies? Barely touched.

If guidance is going to serve both the planet and our heritage, it needs more than caution. It needs courage.

☉ Permission, Precedent, and Progress

→ The role of local authorities

The gap between ambition and permission is often where good ideas go to die. But things are shifting.

Some forward-thinking councils (yes, Kensington & Chelsea, we see you) are beginning to allow solar PVs on listed buildings — quietly rewriting what’s possible.

☉ If planners, conservation officers, and architects can move together, not in opposition, we’ll open up extraordinary potential.

We need frameworks that empower rather than inhibit. Guidance that encourages case-by-case thinking. Officers who are trained to see retrofitting not as a threat, but as an act of preservation through performance.

☉ Beyond the Building

→ What sustainability really means in heritage projects

Retrofitting isn't about ticking boxes. It’s about aligning energy, health, and heritage into a single narrative.

That means:

• Prioritising airtightness as much as aesthetics

• Installing MVHR where natural ventilation no longer works

• Using low-VOC materials to promote indoor air quality

• Designing energy systems that are future-ready — from heat pumps to solar slates

☉ Sustainability isn’t an add-on. It’s the foundation of everything we do.

☉ A Call to Architects

→ Let’s lead, not follow

At RISE, we believe listed buildings shouldn’t be locked in time. They should evolve slowly, sensitively, purposefully. That means pushing for bolder standards, challenging outdated interpretations, and engaging communities in the process.

→ Our role is part archaeologist, part futurist.
→ Our purpose? To leave buildings better for the next hundred years.

Final Thought

Old buildings have always adapted. Over centuries, they’ve survived wars, weather, and wear. The climate crisis is just the next chapter - and perhaps the most critical.

If you’re working with a listed building, or dreaming of restoring one, we’d love to hear from you. At RISE Design Studio, we don’t just design sustainably - we design with purpose.

Let’s make history - responsibly.

→ Get in touch and discover how we bring the past forward ⤶

If you would like to talk through your project with the team, please do get in touch at architects@risedesignstudio.co.uk or give us a call on 020 3947 5886

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