About the event

One of the biggest problems in retrofit right now is that we tend to assume how a building is performing, rather than actually measure it. Without a clear picture of how a home really works before the work starts, it’s easy to make decisions based on guesses - and that can lead to disappointing results down the line. In the end, this lack of solid baseline knowledge can hurt both energy efficiency and comfort, leaving clients less happy than they should be. 

This two-hour taster session - extracted from a longer four-day course - is all about showing how a more hands-on, data driven approach can lead to better, more reliable results. Expert trainer Diane Hubbard will draw on her experience testing all kinds of existing homes and cover practical tips and real-world case studies. This session is ideal for anyone looking to move beyond theory and make sure their retrofit projects actually deliver the performance they’re meant to. 

Who should attend

This session is a great fit for a range of people working in the construction and building field, as well as anyone focused on energy efficiency and sustainability. It’s ideal for architects, building surveyors, contractors, and consultants, especially those with an interest in energy or Passivhaus design. 

Learning outcomes

By the end of this session, participants will be able to recognise: 

• How airtightness affects the performance of existing single-household dwellings. 
• Key principles for assessing a building’s current energy performance. 
• The importance of communicating initial findings clearly.

About the speakers

Diane Hubbard, Green Footsteps

With a mechanical engineering background, Diane’s interest in buildings arose several years ago with the realisation that our existing buildings are crucial to reducing our environmental impact. 

Primarily interested in building physics, she completed an MSc at the Centre for Alternative Technology and over the past few years has had a number of papers published in the field of ventilation in traditional dwellings, together with undertaking project work for organisations such as the Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings (SPAB) and Historic Environment Scotland. 

Diane is a certified Passive House Consultant and Tradesperson as well as being accredited through the iATS (Independent Airtightness Testing Scheme) to airtightness test and certify both homes and non-domestic buildings for Part L.