The Zero-Carbon Fallacy
I think I’ve mentioned before that when we first moved here, the indoor temperature levelled out at a cool...
Lois Hurst
LUNE RETROFIT
Welcome to Lune Retrofit. The focus here is on reducing the space heating energy demand through Fabric First Retrofit to achieve really comfortable, healthy, low-energy homes, guided by standards such as PassivHaus and AECB. You'll find content from my academic research, as well as my blog, the Retrospective Retrofit, about my own self-build conversion and low-energy retrofit project in the Lune Valley. If you have any questions, contact me using the form below.
The Retrospective Retrofit
Read my blog about our self-build retrofit journey. Find out about products, approaches and technical detailing for our low-energy home, as well as the experience of living in a building project.
Life-cycle Energy Research
I've recently completed my PhD on energy use in domestic retrofits. There is an urgent need to reduce energy consumption in order to mitigate climate change. I've been looking at the life-cycle energy associated with domestic retrofits. I hope to continue my research with some post-doc funding.
Volo Building Performance & Retrofit
I'm now offering Consultancy Services to support you with your own low energy project or retrofit.
About Me
I'm Lois. I am a self-build retrofitter, and I've recently completed my PhD in low-energy retrofit. I live near Lancaster, in Northwest England with my husband Tom. After a long ten years working on our retrofit, we've reached a point of practical completion, albeit with some finishing touches remaining.
I try to live a low-impact lifestyle, so reducing energy use for heating the home is really important to me, which is why we've done a low-energy retrofit. Plus, it means we will have a really healthy and comfortable living environment for years to come.
My retrofit experience led me towards a shift in career direction. I have an environmental science education and I used to work as an environmental consultant, so my background and experience enhanced my retrofit learning. I wanted to learn more, so I began my PhD as a way to explore this topic more deeply, and facilitate the beginnings of a career where I can help other people reduce their energy consumption and improve their living conditions.
Latest News
PhD Graduation - Summer 2025
Summer 2025 - I'm so pleased to announce that I have completed my PhD at Heriot Watt University. Click here for information on my research or to read my research papers or download my thesis.
Recent posts from the Retrospective Retrofit Blog
The Premise of the Design
Having given only a brief introduction to the building in Where it all Began, this post outlines in more...
The Internal Layout and Moving In: January 2015
When we first started moving things into the building, it was early January 2015. The internal temperature registered at...