Does anyone brew tea in a pot any longer? And what about tea cozies, the padded and fitted covers that go over the pot to keep tea warm? With the advent of cup sized bags and microwave ovens, the whole idea might have been forgotten, were it not for their useful role in countering climate change.
The TCozy2 energy retrofit project was carried out in Great Yarmouth, UK. A ‘Tea Cozy’ layer of insulation and new cladding was installed on the outside of the building. Existing windows were replaced with ones with triple glazing. A new ventilation system was installed.
The building was constructed in the 1950’s. The renovation was a pilot project to test whether it could be undertaken on the many other similar buildings that were constructed across England at the same time.
Energy consumption is being monitored and the full results aren’t available yet. However, the anecdotal results are positive, with one tenant reporting that he’d been contacted by his energy supplier. They were concerned he wasn’t using any gas. He didn’t need to!
The renovation also included steps to give residents more protection in case of a fire. This is another central concern for local councils and housing associations, which must ensure that all of their buildings comply with the fire code.
TCozy2 and 22 other building renovations were part of a study carried out by the London School of Economics. The study report includes clear descriptions of findings from inquiries that followed the Grenfell Tower Fire.
The 23 examples in the study cover a broad range of housing types: scattered units, low rise multi-family buildings (including TCozy2) and high rise towers.
Some building residents doubted their landlords’ intentions. It is important to point out that the idea of renovation landed in a discussion that had been focussed for years on tearing down existing buildings and replacing them1. Although renovation is a much better strategy environmentally, it took time for this idea to gain acceptance. The local authorities, housing associations and renovators tried different ways to build trust with tenants. In some cases, the best results came from individual tenant engagement over a cuppa. More evidence of the power of tea!
The study’s report includes a section of advice, which will be valuable for anyone contemplating projects that have multiple goals and need to make tenants part of the team. Read more at LSE: Climate Crisis/Housing Crisis: How Can Social Landlords Reconcile Safety And Energy Saving?
Footnotes
- Try this post from neighbouring Scotland as an example: Glasgow’s Changing World, Zeal To Knock Down Existing Social Housing Continues
