Our 'Old House to Eco-house’ course series is aimed at those eager to gain the specific expertise required to design and implement sensitive retrofit strategies appropriate to older buildings.
A series of three standalone one-day courses, we also offer a condensed, two-day intensive version.
Who is the course series suitable for?
- Conservation officers and heritage planners
- Architects, surveyors and engineers
- Retrofit coordinators and assessors
- Contractors and builders
- Specialist consultants
- Local authority and housing association staff
- Owners, custodians and managers of historic buildings
What you’ll achieve at the end of the course series
Delegates will learn how to:
- identify appropriate insulation strategies for walls, floors and roofs
- evaluate glazing upgrade options for historic windows
- assess renewable energy technologies in heritage contexts
- utilise case studies illustrating successful retrofit interventions
- deliver moisture-safe, effective retrofit schemes, appropriate to the physics of the building
A CPD Certificate of Completion
Delegates, on completion, will receive a CPD Certificate of Completion endorsed by the RAU.
How is the course series delivered?
We offer the three standalone courses face-to-face over one day.
We adopt a blended learning approach, combining lecture-delivered theory with discussion of real-life case studies, to promote understanding of and engagement with course content amongst delegates.
If you would prefer to undertake all three courses over two consecutive days, we offer a two-day intensive, delivered in person at our Cirencester campus.
About the Course Leaders
The courses are designed by Marianne Suhr, Chartered Building Surveyor and co author of the Old House Eco Handbook.
She will be lecturing alongside a host of nationally-recognised experts in retrofit and conservation, including Nick Heath, Bob Prewett and James Ayres who will bring real life case studies to illustrate a practical approach to decision making.
Book now
Book now on our online shop here.
Two-Day Autumn Intensive - Wednesday 18 - Thursday 19 November 2026
Our residential price for this course is £425+VAT person, which will include one night of accommodation on our RAU campus and catering.
Our non-residential price for this course is £355+VAT, which will include lunch on both days and an evening meal on the Wednesday, ahead of an after-dinner lecture.
Please scroll down to view course content.
If you have any queries, please get in touch via our continuing professional development enquiry form or call +44(0)1285 889850.
Bespoke course options
We understand that organisations have unique needs when it comes to continuing professional development.
For more information, visit our Bespoke Continuing Professional Courses webpage here.
Ready to upskill your staff?
Please get in touch via our continuing professional development enquiry form or call +44(0)1285 889850 to discuss your bespoke continuing development course requirements with our CPD team.
Funding options
If you are looking at grants to cover the cost of attending our courses, you may meet the requirements for the UK Government's Community Hub Bursaries. These provide grants of up to £1000 for people seeking to grow their expertise in community heritage work and can be used for professional development activities. For more information, visit the GOV.UK webpage here.
Additionally, you may meet the requirements for Gloucestershire Disability Fund's well-being grants which can fund education and training for adults. For more information, visit the Gloucestershire Disability Fund website here.
Stay with us
Located in the heart of the Cotswolds - we offer comfortable accommodation at our Cirencester campus, with free on-site parking and sustainable catering using local suppliers. Find out more about our accommodation and book here.
Terms and conditions
Read our terms and conditions for short courses and CPD training here.
Please read these carefully before booking.
This course focuses on the scientific and practical aspects of insulating solid walls, floors, and roofs in older buildings.
|
9.00 am |
Registration and coffee |
|
9.20 am |
Welcome |
|
9.30 am |
Basic building physics
Speaker: Nick Heath, NDM Heath |
|
11.00 am |
Questions and discussion |
|
11.30 am |
Break |
|
11.45 am |
Insulating walls - the options Practical installation of IWI and EWI and insulating renders Speaker: James Ayres, Lime Green |
|
12.30 pm |
Insulating timber framed buildings Speaker: Marianne Suhr, Old House Consultancy |
|
1.15 pm |
Questions and discussion |
|
1.30 pm |
Lunch |
|
2.15 pm |
Roof insulation Insulating from above, insulating from below, bats, membranes and solar gain Speaker: Bob Prewett, Prewett Bizley Architects |
|
2.45 pm |
Insulating floors Laying limecrete floors and insulating suspended timber floors Speaker: Marianne Suhr, Old House Consultancy |
|
3.30 pm |
Questions and discussion |
|
3.45 pm |
Break |
|
4.00 pm |
Case study: Retrofitting a Victorian Terrace House Speaker: Bob Prewett, Prewett Bizley Architects |
|
4.30 pm |
Case study: TBC |
|
5.00 pm |
Discussion |
|
5.30 pm |
End of course |
Please note, this course schedule may be subject to change.
This course focuses on how renewable energy technologies can be incorporated into older properties.
|
9.20 am |
Welcome |
|
9.30 am |
The challenge of space and water heating - insights from the National Trust Speaker: Jo Lugg, Project Manager, Low Carbon Estates, National Trust |
|
10.00 am |
The science of space heating Thermal mass, conduction, convection, radiation, heat loss calculations, radiators v UFH Speaker: Chris Worboys, Etude |
|
10.30 am |
Adopting a fabric first approach Speaker: Bob Prewett, Prewett Bizley Architects |
|
11.00 am |
Questions and discussion |
|
11.15 am |
Break |
|
11.30 am |
Heat pumps and older buildings Ground, water and air source Speaker: Dan McNaughton, Historic England |
|
12.15 pm |
Questions and discussion |
| 12.30 pm |
Solar panels and historic settings Speaker: Chris Worboys, Etude |
|
1.00 pm |
Questions and discussion |
|
1.15 pm |
Lunch |
|
2.00 pm |
Biomass, wood burning stoves and real fires Speaker: Dan McNaughton, Historic England |
|
2.30 pm |
Infra red heaters Guest speaker: Rod Davies, Energy Carbon |
| 3.00 pm | Questions |
|
3.15 pm |
Break |
|
3.30 pm |
Case Study 1: Athelhampton House Speaker: Stefan Pitman, SPASE |
|
4.15 pm |
Case Study 2: Victorian Terrace Speaker: Bob Prewett, Prewett Bizley Architects |
|
5.00 pm |
Questions and discussion |
|
5.15 pm |
End of course |
Please note, this course schedule may be subject to change
This course focuses on upgrading and repairing historic window assemblies while preserving character and ensuring energy efficiency.
|
9.20 am |
Welcome |
|
9.30 am |
Old windows - why bother? Assessing significance Speaker: Hilton Marlton |
|
10.15 am |
Old Windows - mechanisms of heat loss Speaker: Marianne Suhr, Old House Consultancy |
|
10.30 am |
Window repair Speaker: Callum McCaffery, Owlsworth |
|
11.15 am |
Questions |
| 11.30 am | Break |
| 11.45 am |
Upgrading old windows with replacement panes - pros and cons Speaker: Laura Millbourn, Period Home Projects |
| 12.15 pm |
Tailoring solutions based on use Speaker: Marianne Suhr, Old House Consultancy |
|
12.45 pm |
Secondary glazing systems - showcase by manufacturers Speakers: Dan Raymond Barker, Mitchell and Dickinson, and Gareth Claase, Gecko Glazing |
|
1.30 pm |
Lunch |
|
2.30 pm |
Case Study Speaker: Bob Prewett, Prewett Bizley Architects |
| 3.00 pm |
Detailing new windows in historic buildings Speaker: Simon Pavey, The London Sash Window Co. |
|
3.30 pm |
Questions |
|
3.45 pm |
Break |
|
4.00 pm |
Applied glazing bars versus integral glazing bars Speaker: Marianne Suhr, Old House Consultancy |
|
4.15 pm |
Justifying change and applying for Listed Building Consent Speaker: Laura Milbourn, Period Home Projects |
|
4.45 pm |
Questions and discussion |
|
5.00 pm |
End of course |
Please note, this course schedule may be subject to change.
This two-day course is a condensed, intensive version of the course content covered in our above standalone one-day courses. It will focus on:
- the scientific and practical aspects of insulating solid walls, floors, and roofs in older buildings.
- how renewable energy technologies can be incorporated into older properties.
- upgrading and repairing historic window assemblies while preserving character and ensuring energy efficiency
Nationally-recognised experts in retrofit and conservation Nick Heath and Bob Prewett will bring real life case studies to illustrate a practical approach to decision making.
Wednesday 18 November 2026*
| 9.00 am | Welcome |
| 9.10 am | First lecture |
| 10.30 am | Break (tea and coffee) |
| 10.45 am | Second lecture |
| 12.15 pm | Lunch (your group will eat privately in the RAU Dining Room) |
| 1.20 pm | Third lecture |
| 2.45 pm | Break (tea and coffee) |
| 3.00 pm | Fourth lecture |
| 4.30 pm | Free time |
| 5.30 pm | Dinner (your group will eat privately in the RAU Dining Room) |
| 6.30 pm | Free time |
| 7.00 pm | Fifth lecture |
| 8.00 pm | End of lectures |
Thursday 19 November 2026*
| 8.00 am | Breakfast (your group will eat privately in the RAU Dining Room) |
| 8.45 am | Free time |
| 9.15 am | First lecture |
| 10.45 am | Break |
| 11.00 am | Second lecture |
| 12.30 pm | Lunch (your group will eat privately in the RAU Dining Room) |
| 1.20 pm | Third lecture |
| 2.45 pm | Break (tea and coffee) |
| 3.00 pm | Fourth lecture |
| 4.30 pm | End of course |
*Please note, this course schedule may be subject to change. Lecture titles to be confirmed nearer the time.