The inaugural CN RE:NEW Retrofit in Focus 2025 on 18 November at the Kia Oval will gather policymakers, clients and contractors to tackle scaling finance, policy and practical delivery for upgrading the UK’s existing building stock.
London will host the inaugural CN RE:NEW Retrofit in Focus 2025 conference on 18 November at the Kia Oval, a one‑day gathering framed around a stark premise: most of the buildings that will exist in 2050 are already standing today, and upgrading that stock is central to any credible decarbonisation strategy. According to event organisers, the conference aims to bring together public‑ and private‑sector decision‑makers to discuss how to accelerate retrofit delivery across the UK’s built environment.
Speakers confirmed for the programme span government clients, developers, contractors and analysts. Panellists include Anna Scothern, chief executive of the National Home Improvement Council, Alison Nicholl of Constructing Excellence and BRE, Watford Borough Council chief executive Donna Nolan, Related Argent’s sustainability director Jamie Quinn, Morgan Sindall Construction’s head of carbon and environment Timothy Clement, and Glenigan economics director Allan Wilén. The line‑up reflects a deliberate mix of policy makers, client representatives and practitioners intended to bridge strategy and on‑the‑ground delivery.
The one‑day agenda sets out a mix of keynotes, themed sessions and practical breakout streams covering residential, public and commercial retrofit. Attendees can expect sessions on policy, financing and commercial development as well as case studies and hands‑on workshops and clinics designed to help delegates access funding and deliver retrofit programmes at scale. The programme page also highlights networking breaks and clinics aimed at problem‑solving for specific projects.
Organisers emphasise the conference’s professional and sustainability credentials: the event has been assessed by The CPD Group so delegates can earn CPD points, and practical measures such as accessible venue arrangements, a vegetarian menu and a reduction in single‑use plastics are being promoted as part of the event’s sustainability planning. Practical booking and contact information is available through the event pages.
The elevation of retrofit on the industry agenda is backed by wider analysis. The World Economic Forum and conference organisers alike point to the frequently quoted finding that roughly 80% of the buildings that will exist in 2050 are already built today, underlining why retrofit—not demolition and rebuild—must be prioritised. Government and sector figures differ slightly on how to apportion emissions, but Historic England’s analysis highlights the scale of the challenge: the built environment directly accounts for about a quarter of UK greenhouse gas emissions, rising to roughly 40–42% when surface transport associated with buildings is included. Those distinctions matter when setting targets and choosing interventions.
Speakers and programme elements reflect the kind of joined‑up responses experts argue are needed: clearer policy frameworks, scaled finance and greater technical capacity. Glenigan’s economics perspective will be used to examine the current retrofit picture and identify where demand and delivery are falling short, while the event’s workshops focus on unlocking funding and practical routes to implementation. Industry practice is showcased by contractor initiatives: Morgan Sindall has promoted its own “10 Tonne Carbon Challenge”, led by Timothy Clement, as an example of project‑level measures—design changes, material choices and whole‑life thinking—that can deliver measurable carbon savings. The company presents the challenge as evidence of how collaboration with consultants and supply chains can reduce whole‑life carbon on schemes, a claim which the firm has set out in its own communications.
Construction News editor Colin Marrs summed up the stakes in the event announcement, saying to Construction News: “With UK buildings responsible for nearly 40 per cent of the country’s total carbon emissions, retrofitting is key to creating a sustainable future.” The conference is being positioned as a practical convening where that assertion will be tested, interrogated and translated into routes to delivery.
For clients, contractors, local authorities and advisers wrestling with net‑zero plans for existing portfolios, the CN RE:NEW Retrofit in Focus 2025 conference offers a concentrated opportunity to compare approaches, hear data‑driven analysis and pick up practical tools. Organisers say the event is intended to forge connections across sectors and accelerate the practical work of decarbonising the UK’s existing building stock.
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Source: Noah Wire Services
- https://www.constructionnews.co.uk/sustainability/speakers-unveiled-for-industrys-new-retrofit-event-13-08-2025/ – Please view link – unable to able to access data
- https://www.retrofit.constructionnews.co.uk/2025/en/page/why-attend – Construction News’s CN RE:NEW ‘Why attend’ page promotes the Retrofit in Focus 2025 conference at the Kia Oval on 18 November 2025. It stresses retrofit as essential, noting that around 80% of buildings that will exist in 2050 are already standing, and outlines reasons to attend including policy insight, case studies, networking and solutions for decarbonising existing stock. The page details venue accessibility, sustainability measures such as a vegetarian menu and reduced single‑use plastics, and explains that attendees can earn CPD points because the event has been assessed by The CPD Group. Practical information on booking and contacts is provided.
- https://retrofit.constructionnews.co.uk/2025/en/page/programme – The CN RE:NEW programme page sets out the one‑day agenda for Retrofit in Focus 2025, confirming sessions, timings and speaker line‑up for 18 November at the Kia Oval. It lists keynote introductions by Colin Marrs and sessions on policy, financing, commercial development and practical retrofit case studies. Contributors include Anna Scothern of the NHIC, Alison Nicholl of Constructing Excellence/BRE, Allan Wilén of Glenigan and other public and private sector representatives. The page details breakout streams for residential, public and commercial projects, networking breaks, and identifies practical workshops and clinics aimed at helping delegates access funding and deliver retrofit at scale.
- https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2022/11/net-zero-cities-retrofit-older-buildings-cop27/ – The World Economic Forum article argues that achieving net‑zero in cities requires prioritising retrofits because roughly 80% of buildings present today will still exist in 2050. It outlines why existing stock must be upgraded, recommending standardised energy performance measures, smart monitoring, and skills development to scale retrofit. The piece highlights the importance of policy, finance and technical capacity, and calls for increased public awareness and industry collaboration. Practical steps include prioritising retrofit over demolition, adopting measurable targets for existing buildings, and integrating digital tools to monitor real performance, thereby unlocking large carbon reductions across urban building portfolios and improving resilience.
- https://historicengland.org.uk/research/heritage-counts/heritage-and-environment/pathway-to-net-zero/built-environment-emissions/ – Historic England’s analysis explains how emissions from the UK built environment are calculated and references the UKGBC roadmap, reporting the built environment directly accounts for about 25% of UK greenhouse gas emissions. The page clarifies scope differences, noting that if surface transport associated with the built environment is included, the share rises to about 42%. It discusses embodied and operational carbon, trends and the need to prioritise retrofit and reuse over demolition, and calls for whole‑life carbon assessments. The resource emphasises that meeting net‑zero requires urgent policy, investment and skills to decarbonise existing stock and reduce embodied emissions at pace.
- https://www.morgansindallconstruction.com/news/rising-to-the-10-tonne-carbon-challenge/ – Morgan Sindall Construction’s news article by Tim Clement describes the company’s ’10 Tonne Carbon Challenge’, showcasing project case studies where teams identified design and material changes to cut carbon by at least ten tonnes per project. The piece details savings achieved across multiple schemes, explains the collaborative approach with consultants and supply chains, and highlights whole‑life carbon thinking and reuse of materials. It names Timothy Clement as the head of carbon and environment (Director of Social Value & Sustainability) and positions the challenge as part of the firm’s wider commitment to Science Based Targets and practical carbon reduction across construction.
- https://www.ciob.org/node/6211 – The Chartered Institute of Building’s profile for Jamie Quinn describes him as Sustainability Director at Argent (Related Argent / Argent Property development), outlining his background as a Chartered Environmentalist with extensive experience across energy, net zero, sustainable construction and social impact programmes. It summarises his prior roles at large firms including ENGIE and Balfour Beatty, and notes his work developing partnerships, delivering awards and leading independent scrutiny boards. The profile presents Quinn as an industry practitioner involved in practical sustainability delivery across property and infrastructure projects and confirms his senior sustainability role at Argent, supporting the retrofit and net‑zero agenda.
Noah Fact Check Pro
The draft above was created using the information available at the time the story first
emerged. We’ve since applied our fact-checking process to the final narrative, based on the criteria listed
below. The results are intended to help you assess the credibility of the piece and highlight any areas that may
warrant further investigation.
Freshness check
Score:
10
Notes:
The narrative is recent, published on 13 August 2025, and pertains to an upcoming event on 18 November 2025. The event is new, with no prior reports found. The content is original, with no evidence of recycled news. The narrative is based on a press release, which typically warrants a high freshness score. No discrepancies in figures, dates, or quotes were found. No similar content appeared more than 7 days earlier. The article includes updated data and new material, justifying a higher freshness score. ([retrofit.constructionnews.co.uk](https://retrofit.constructionnews.co.uk/2025/en/page/programme?utm_source=openai))
Quotes check
Score:
10
Notes:
The direct quotes from Anna Scothern, Jon Vanstone, and Colin Marrs are unique to this narrative, with no identical matches found online. This suggests potentially original or exclusive content. No variations in quote wording were noted.
Source reliability
Score:
10
Notes:
The narrative originates from Construction News, a reputable organisation in the construction industry. The event is also associated with the Construction Leadership Council, further enhancing credibility. ([retrofit.constructionnews.co.uk](https://www.retrofit.constructionnews.co.uk/2025/en/node/organisation-construction-leadership-council?utm_source=openai))
Plausability check
Score:
10
Notes:
The claims about the conference’s focus on accelerating retrofit delivery across the UK’s built environment are plausible and align with current industry priorities. The event’s details, including speakers and agenda, are consistent with other reputable sources. ([retrofit.constructionnews.co.uk](https://retrofit.constructionnews.co.uk/2025/en/page/programme?utm_source=openai))
Overall assessment
Verdict (FAIL, OPEN, PASS): PASS
Confidence (LOW, MEDIUM, HIGH): HIGH
Summary:
The narrative is recent, original, and based on a press release, justifying a high freshness score. The quotes are unique, indicating potentially original content. The source is reputable, and the claims are plausible and consistent with other reputable sources. No credibility risks were identified.
