July saw the Institute and Thames Gateway Innovation Champion Peter Head, host a working session on financing for ‘Retrofit Regeneration'. The development of sustainable finance models to underpin retrofit programmes will be a major ingredient in ensuring their success. In response, the Institute has established a working group of leaders active in investment and redevelopment, to develop economically viable large-scale financing models for these initiatives. 

At the session the Institute brought together financial experts, representatives from the investment and regeneration communities, the London Mayor's office, regional development agencies, and research institutions to develop financing models for large scale low carbon regeneration and communities. The group assessed specific challenges, opportunities, and approaches to large scale financing models.  

Advocating a holistic model - where communities optimise resource management and consider new approaches around water, energy, waste, transport, and green infrastructure - Peter presented a visionary approach for tackling climate change on a broad scale across the UK. His vision centres on the formation of business models which successfully attract large scale private financing to create low carbon communities we need now and for the future. Broad partnerships, taking a holistic view of places and strategies, will make this a reality. 

‘Retrofit Regeneration', Peter said, could inform the traditional community regeneration agenda with the emerging opportunities for low carbon living, including the emergence of innovative energy solutions and effective retrofitting of the existing built environment. 

The Institute is continuing to work with the team to turn these ideas into action, with a focus on developing large scale demonstration projects.  

For more information on our work to date, and to participate in this effort, please contact Dennis Moynihan at the Institute Dennis.Moynihan@instituteforsustainability.co.uk.