A conversation with Peter Rickaby
I had the great pleasure of talking to Peter Rickaby in the second episode of the Air Quality Matters Podcast.
Now living in South Africa, he is an Independent Energy and Sustainability Consultant working for the UK housing and building industries, an Honorary Senior Research Fellow at University College London (UCL) and a member of the management team of the UK Centre for Moisture in Buildings.
A registered architect since 1979 and completing his PHD in Energy studies, Peter's influence on how we view energy in buildings, risk, retrofit and standards in the UK is wide-ranging and profound.
He led the development and delivery of the acclaimed Retrofit Coordinator training for the Centre of Refurbishment Excellence (CoRE). Contributed extensively to the industry-led Each Home Counts Review, where he was also a member of the Implementation Board
He chaired the BSI Retrofit Standards Task Group and was the Technical Author of PAS 2035:2019 Retrofitting Dwellings for Improved Energy Efficiency: and PAS 2038 Retrofitting Non-Domestic Buildings for Energy Efficiency:
Peters knowledge of how we understand risk in the built environment intrigues me, and I have seen first-hand how this has had profound effects on outcomes in the most challenging environments.
The Podcast
In the latest podcast episodes, we dove into the technicalities of building retrofits. We looked back at historical retrofit projects, including Neil May's contributions to our understanding of the risks associated with moisture in buildings, and the Each Home Counts and Bonfield reviews, which Peter helped shape, resulted in 27 recommendations for the industry.
A major part of our conversation was about the importance of ventilation, which has often been overlooked by the insulation industry. Thanks to the work of experts like Peter, the industry now takes the risks associated with poor ventilation more seriously.
Regarding social housing, we explored the challenge of mould and damp with Peter, especially in over-occupied homes. His work on the Thamesmead estate in South East London provided a real-world example of how these issues can be tackled. The estate's outdated heating system led to mould problems due to residents being unable to afford the rising fuel costs.
Peter described Peabody's strategy when they took over Thamesmead. With a limited budget, they developed a risk assessment to score each flat based on various factors. This allowed them to allocate resources strategically, offering heating improvements for some and more advanced interventions, like demand-controlled ventilation systems, for the highest-risk homes.
“We found that over-occupancy was closely linked to mould issues in social housing. Recognising this helped target interventions more effectively. Education was also key; residents were given advice by specialist energy advisors to help them understand and mitigate the risks of mould.
One of the takeaways from our discussion is that addressing housing issues like mould requires a change in policy, better training, improved supply chains, and an understanding of the role of ventilation. Occupants must be seen as part of the solution, and educating them is essential to creating healthier living environments.
For the broader UK owner-occupied housing stock, education is also crucial to persuade individuals to improve their conditions. Peter's work at Thamesmead proves that a data-driven approach combined with education and targeted solutions can make a substantial difference in improving the state of social housing.
The insights from our conversations with Peter Rickaby show that technical and data-driven strategies, combined with resident education and proper ventilation, can address the persistent issues of mould and dampness in housing. This approach is not just a set of recommendations but a roadmap for the future of housing retrofits.