Open Lecture, Retrofitting Residential Buildings to Net Zero Energy Professor Maria Kolokotroni, Research Centre Director, Resource Efficient Future Cities, Institute of Energy Futures, Brunel University London

The existing building stock is responsible for almost 40% of the total energy use and 36% of CO2 emissions. Since the existing buildings will remain the bulk of the building stock for the next 30 years at least, increasing their energy efficiency is crucial to effectively reduce the consumption of energy and resources. Residential building retrofit is also crucial to improve the quality of indoor environments, reducing health risk connected to energy poverty and unhealthy buildings as well as addressing post-COVID issues on the indoor environment. The lecture will present results from the Horizon 2020 research project ReCO2ST on the development of a residential retrofit assessment platform and demonstrations for near zero energy and CO2 emissions with optimum cost, health, comfort and environmental quality. The project includes demonstrations within a building at the Brunel campus. The tools and technologies developed can help to increase the renovation rate of existing residential buildings which will provide multiple beneficial effects to the wider community by fostering a more socially, economic and environmentally sustainable society.

Maria Kolokotroni is Professor of Energy in the Built Environment at Brunel University London. She is a Chartered Engineer (CEng) and Fellow of CIBSE (Chartered Institute of Building Services Engineers). She is a member of IEA (International Energy Agency) AIVC (Air Infiltration and Ventilation Centre) Board and currently participates in the international project ‘Annex 80 – Resilient Cooling for Buildings’ by the IEA EBC (Energy in Buildings and Communities). She has co-ordinated and participated to a number of UK, European and International projects on Energy Efficient Technologies for Buildings, Nearly Zero Energy Building (NZEB) Retrofit, Low Energy Cooling and Ventilation, Urban Heat Island (quantification for London and its impact on energy demand by buildings) and Mitigation Strategies such as cool materials and microclimatic interventions as well as the impact of climate change on the energy performance of buildings and urban areas

Join us in celebrating the world-class and challenge-led research carried out by our colleagues from across the University, in the inaugural Brunel Research Festival throughout the month of May. Showcasing the diverse impacts our research has on society, both in the UK and globally, the Festival is a celebration of our excellent disciplinary research, innovation and interdisciplinary activities across a packed programme of interesting activities.