Special Issue: Volume 38, Issue 1, 2010
Guest Edited by K. J. Lomas

Clear policy mandates as a response to climate change are emerging in many countries around the world. The UK is one of many that are actively pursuing a national policy of substantial carbon emissions reduction. Given the large percentage of energy consumed by existing buildings (for space and water heating as well as for lighting and appliances), the existing building stock is becoming one of the key targets for public policy, and research has shown that interventions in existing building stocks can substantially reduce carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions (e.g. Urge-Vorsatz et al. 2007). It has become increasingly clear to policy-makers that both significant reductions in the energy demand of buildings and significant increases in their energy efficiency will be needed. Although each country has a different composition of building stock (differences in age, construction, density, scale and composition, quality, climate, etc.), there are lessons and strategic approaches that can be shared between different countries.

This special issue features seven papers and a commentary concerned with reducing the carbon emissions of existing buildings. All but one of these articles are by UK academics who were partners in a UK research consortium called 'Carbon Reduction in Buildings: A Socio-technical, Longitudinal Study of Carbon Use in Buildings' (CaRB).

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