shading Archives - Property Revolutions Limited

19 Jun 2026

20 tips to help beat the heatwaves this summer

2026, air quality, Air Source Heat Pump (ASHP), Carl Dodd, climate resilience, climate whips, draught-proofing, floor insulation, heat pumps, Heatwave, housing, humidity, hybrid heat pumps, lifestyle transformation, loft insulation, low impact, low carbon living, new homes, PRL, Property Revolutions Ltd., Retrofit PRL, shading, solar panel, sustainability, sustainable living, tenants, underfloor heating, Urban Heat Island, ventilation, weatherproof

Keeping healthy - no matter the weather As summer temperatures soar across the UK, keeping your property comfortable is becoming a major priority. As climate change continues to drive record-breaking summers and extreme heat warnings, the way we think about our homes is undergoing a massive shift. Historically, British homes were built to trap heat and keep out the bitter winter cold. However, in recent times, an uncomfortably hot house is no longer just a minor annoyance; it can be a serious health hazard. At PRL, we know that true energy efficiency is about year-round comfort. A well-retrofitted home is…

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…

22 May 2026

By Carl Dodd

EPC and the Renters’ Rights Act: putting retrofit in the picture

2026, affordable warmth, air quality, Carl Dodd, damp, decarbonisation, draught-proofing, emissions, energy efficiency, energy sufficiency, floor insulation, green sector, heat pumps, hemp insulation, housing, humidity, 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, solar panel, sustainability, sustainable living, tenants, tiny homes, tiny houses, Urban Heat Island, warm homes plan, wood fibre

How the Renters' Rights Act and Net Zero Targets threaten older housing stock The UK private rented sector (PRS) stands at a crossroads. This month, the dual pressures of imminent legislative reform and national decarbonisation targets converged to create unprecedented anxiety for landlords - and tenants. At the heart of this shifting landscape is a widening structural chasm. On one side sits a modern, highly efficient tier of rental properties, largely compliant with evolving standards, and cheap to run. On the other lies a vast, aging portfolio of pre-war, solid-wall housing stock that risks becoming legally unlettable or financially unviable.…

19 Dec 2025

By Carl Dodd

2025: the second-hottest year since records began

2025, affordable warmth, air quality, Air Source Heat Pump (ASHP), carbon sequestration, Carl Dodd, circular economy, climate resilience, climate whips, damp, decarbonisation, draught-proofing, energy efficiency, energy sufficiency, Environment, Floods, floor insulation, heat pumps, Heatwave, housing, humidity, hybrid heat pumps, hydroelectricity, lifestyle transformation, loft insulation, low impact, low carbon living, Lüften, Net Zero Carbon, new homes, PRL, Property Revolutions Ltd., rainwater harvesting, reduce carbon footprint, Retrofit PRL, shading, solar panel, sustainability, sustainable living, tiny homes, ventilation, weatherproof

A landmark year 2025 is shaping up to be another landmark year in the climate record. Globally it is on track to be the joint second warmest year ever measured, while the UK is likely to log its warmest year since records began. For householders, that is not an abstract statistic, but a signal to rethink how homes are heated, cooled and protected from floods and storms through intelligent retrofit. A year that confirms the trend The global climate story in 2025 is one of persistence rather than surprise. The planet is not just warming in occasional spikes; it is settling into…

17 Oct 2025

By Carl Dodd

Retrofit and decarbonisation: it’s time to rethink the route to scale

affordable warmth, air pollution, air quality, Air Source Heat Pump (ASHP), biodiversity, carbon sequestration, Carl Dodd, circular economy, decarbonisation, ecosystem, emissions, energy efficiency, energy sufficiency, Environment, green sector, heat pumps, housing, hybrid heat pumps, lifestyle transformation, low impact, low carbon living, mindfulness, Nature, Net Zero Carbon, new homes, one planet living, PRL, Property Revolutions Ltd., rechargeable, reduce carbon footprint, Retrofit PRL, rewilding, shading, sustainability, sustainable living, tenants, ventilation, water neutrality, weatherproof

Retrofit with purpose: rethinking decarbonisation and design Across the UK, the call for mass retrofit grows louder by the month. Buildings account for around 40 per cent of our carbon emissions, and if we are serious about meeting net zero targets, large-scale retrofit is non-negotiable. Yet despite the ambition, the path we are currently paving could make true scale impossible. From May 29, 2025, new rules in England require all new Air Source Heat Pump (ASHP) installations to comply with the MCS 020a standard, but the new rules will not come into effect until May 29, 2026. From this date, all air source…

15 Aug 2025

By Carl Dodd

Why the UK’s new-build towers are becoming summer ovens

2025, air quality, Carl Dodd, climate resilience, climate whips, draught-proofing, floor insulation, heat pumps, Heatwave, housing, humidity, London Climate Resilience Review, low impact, low carbon living, new homes, PRL, Property Revolutions Ltd., Retrofit PRL, shading, sustainability, sustainable living, tenants, Urban Heat Island, ventilation, weatherproof

Life inside a heat trap As we discussed in a previous Blog Post, groups of tall buildings are prone to the Urban Heat Island (UHI) effect - which happens because materials like concrete and asphalt absorb and retain heat. A recent headline caught our eye. It refers to what happened last June when a warning was stuck to the window of a flat in Leaside Lock, East London, reading: "DO NOT BUY THESE FLATS. TOO HOT." The photo has been shared over half a million times: Picture Credit: Aidan Sheehan Twelve months later, after the UK recorded its second-warmest June and…

04 Jul 2025

By Carl Dodd

On the brink: why climate resilience can’t wait

2025, affordable warmth, air pollution, air quality, Carl Dodd, climate resilience, climate whips, damp, decarbonisation, draught-proofing, Droughts, ecosystem, emissions, energy efficiency, energy sufficiency, Environment, Floods, green sector, heat pumps, Heatwave, housing, humidity, hydroelectricity, KLB – Scottish NZC, lifestyle transformation, London Climate Resilience Review, Nature, Net Zero Carbon, one planet living, PRL, Property Revolutions Ltd., rainwater harvesting, reduce carbon footprint, Retrofit PRL, rewilding, shading, solar panel, sustainability, sustainable living, tenants, Urban Heat Island, ventilation, weatherproof, wind power, wind turbine

The UK's weather is no longer just 'unpredictable' The UK's relationship with weather has long been one of mild fascination, but the days of gentle unpredictability are fading fast. We are now firmly in the age of climate disruption - and it's getting worse. From overheating cities to flash floods, droughts, wildfires, and infrastructure failures, the UK is no longer insulated from extreme weather. These events aren't 'one-off's' either - they're part of a volatile new normal. What we are seeing are climate 'whips' (hydroclimate whiplash) - sudden swings between extremes, such as torrential downpours following long dry spells, or…