25 Sep 2026
By Carl Dodd

The ‘Great Home Upgrade’: Why local control will boost Net Zero

2026, affordable warmth, air quality, Air Source Heat Pump (ASHP), bio-based cladding, bio-insulation, Carl Dodd, circular economy, damp, decarbonisation, draught-proofing, embodied carbon, emissions, energy efficiency, energy sufficiency, Environment, great home upgrade, green sector, heat pumps, housing, hybrid heat pumps, lifestyle transformation, low impact, low carbon living, natural insulation, Net Zero Carbon, PRL, Property Revolutions Ltd., reduce carbon footprint, Retrofit PRL, RICS, solar panel, sustainability, sustainable living, tenants, upfront carbon, ventilation, warm homes plan
The changing landscape For years, the biggest roadblock to decarbonising the UK's draughty housing stock hasn't been a lack of technology or ambition - it has been due to the bottleneck of centralised bureaucracy. Grand schemes designed in the corridors of Whitehall rarely translate perfectly to a 1920s solid-wall terrace in Cambridge, an estate in Manchester, or a listed stone cottage in the West of England. But the landscape of home energy efficiency just experienced a seismic shift. Warm Homes Plan vs. Great Home Upgrade Rt Hon Miatta Fahnbulleh, Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, officially announced…
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14 Aug 2026
By Carl Dodd

Reducing upfront (embodied) carbon in UK retrofits and new builds

2026, affordable warmth, air quality, Air Source Heat Pump (ASHP), bio-based cladding, bio-insulation, Carl Dodd, circular economy, damp, decarbonisation, draught-proofing, ecosystem, embodied carbon, emissions, energy efficiency, energy sufficiency, floor insulation, GGBS, greenwashing, heat pumps, hemp insulation, housing, hybrid heat pumps, low impact, low carbon living, natural insulation, Net Zero Carbon, new homes, PRL, Property Revolutions Ltd., reduce carbon footprint, Retrofit PRL, RICS, sheep's wool, sustainability, sustainable living, underfloor heating, upfront carbon, WheatEx, wood fibre
The Enterprise Centre at the University of East Anglia (UEA) The UK built environment is at a critical turning point For decades, the construction industry focused almost entirely on operational carbon - the energy used to heat, light, and power a building once occupied. However, as the UK grid decarbonises and heat pumps replace gas boilers, the focus must shift. Today, the immediate threat comes from upfront carbon, which is the greenhouse gas footprint generated before a property is even handed over to the occupier. For PRL, property owners, developers, and other retrofit professionals, tackling this initial carbon spike is…
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05 Jun 2026
By Carl Dodd

PRL’s comprehensive guide to setting retrofit priorities

2026, affordable warmth, air pollution, air quality, Air Source Heat Pump (ASHP), bio-insulation, Carl Dodd, damp, draught-proofing, emissions, energy efficiency, energy sufficiency, floor insulation, heat pumps, Heatwave, hemp insulation, housing, humidity, hybrid heat pumps, loft insulation, low impact, low carbon living, mould, natural insulation, Net Zero Carbon, new homes, PRL, Property Revolutions Ltd., reduce carbon footprint, Retrofit PRL, shading, sheep's wool, solar panel, sustainability, sustainable living, tenants, tiny homes, underfloor heating, warm homes plan, weatherproof
Getting the balance right With the UK's commitment to reach Net Zero, retrofitting your home has never been more vital. This Blog explores the essential factors to consider when setting your retrofit priorities. You will need to balance energy efficiency, cost-effectiveness, and environmental impact, to create a 'cool in summer/ warm in winter', more sustainable, and future-proof home. The retrofit imperative for UK householders The UK housing stock is famously characterful, yet equally notorious for its age and energy inefficiency. With millions of homes requiring substantial upgrades before the government's Net Zero targets, retrofitting can adapt a property to improve its…
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20 Feb 2026
By Carl Dodd

Underfloor heating: low-profile, low-disruption comfort

2026, affordable warmth, bio-insulation, Carl Dodd, draught-proofing, energy efficiency, energy sufficiency, green sector, housing, lifestyle transformation, low impact, low carbon living, Net Zero Carbon, new homes, PRL, Property Revolutions Ltd., reduce carbon footprint, Retrofit PRL, sustainability, sustainable living, tenants, underfloor heating, weatherproof
Retrofitting underfloor heating: a rapidly growing trend For decades, the idea of underfloor heating (UFH) in the UK was deemed a luxury reserved exclusively for new-build homes, or major extensions. Older, period properties - from Victorian terraces, to 1950s semi-detached homes - were traditionally limited to radiators, often struggling with uneven heat, limited wall space, and high energy bills. Thankfully however, the tide has turned. Retrofits of underfloor heating are in high demand, driven by advancements in technology that make it possible to install modern, high-efficiency UFH systems without ripping up existing floors or destroying the character of older homes.…
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23 Jan 2026
By Carl Dodd

UK housing: embracing insulation innovations

2026, affordable warmth, air pollution, air quality, bio-insulation, carbon sequestration, Carl Dodd, decarbonisation, draught-proofing, energy efficiency, energy sufficiency, green sector, heat pumps, hemp insulation, housing, lifestyle transformation, loft insulation, low impact, low carbon living, natural insulation, Net Zero Carbon, new homes, PRL, Property Revolutions Ltd., reduce carbon footprint, Retrofit PRL, sheep's wool, sustainability, sustainable living, tenants, warm homes plan, WheatEx, wood fibre
Why Bio-Insulation leads the way For decades, the standard approach to keeping a British home warm has involved rolls of itchy glass wool, or thick slabs of rigid plastic foam. While effective at trapping heat, these materials carry a heavy "carbon debt" from their intensive manufacturing processes. However, a new wave of Bio-Insulation Innovation is hitting the UK market. Leading the charge is WheatEx, a pioneering UK-developed insulation board made from agricultural by-products. For homeowners looking to slash energy bills while lowering their environmental footprint, these plant-based materials are a game-changer. The problem with traditional insulation Most UK homes rely on mineral wool…
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