Mace Teams up with George Clarke on Retrofit Proposal Challenge for Vacant Buildings

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24 January 2023

MOBIE, Grimshaw and Mace are inviting young people to submit ideas on how to upgrade homes and re-use old or vacant buildings, to help us reduce our need for energy and our impact on the climate.

The Eco-Fix Challenge asks students to select a building or buildings they know are energy inefficient and in vital need of improvement. Entrants will then present proposals for a retrofit scheme that will update, upgrade, repurpose, and possibly extend the building.

The designs must make the building more energy and resource efficient, reduce the costs of heating and lighting, and emit little or no carbon emissions. Student must also consider how to adapt buildings to protect them against the impacts of the climate crisis, for example overheating, storms and flooding.

Involving the Younger Generation in the Retrofit Challenge

George Clarke, MOBIE founder and Trustee, said: “Home is the most important piece of architecture in our lives. It crafts the way we live, and how we grow as families and communities. A well-designed home and neighbourhood can enhance the way we live and promote good health and wellbeing.

“We need younger generations to define how they want to live now and in the future. Most of the homes in which we will live in the future exist now. That is why we are asking young people for their ideas on how we can adapt and change our homes to be more energy efficient and to reduce our climate impact. Young people are vital to the future of housing and it is important that their ideas influence home design and shape our communities of the future.”

Rachel O’Donnell, Consult Lead for Retrofit at Mace, added: “We are pleased to be part of the Eco-Fix competition and we look forward to assessing the engineering capabilities from entrants from across the UK. Decarbonising our buildings and infrastructure is essential to tackling the climate crisis, as well as creating cities and places that are resilient and fit for the future.

"We are excited to play a part in inspiring young people to tackle this vital challenge, think about what makes a place really matter and contribute towards the shaping of their local communities.”

The challenge is open to those between 12-14 years, 15-18 years and 19-plus years (including graduates and young professionals). The deadline date for entries is  Friday 28 April 2023.

Find out more about how to apply here.

Picture: a photograph of four people sitting at a table together in discussion. One person is holding an iPad, another is using a laptop and someone else is holding a coffee cup.  Image Credit: Unsplash

Article written by Ella Tansley | Published 24 January 2023

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