Dr. Caroline Engel Purcell:

I do not have the exact figures to hand but I can get those from our study and send them to the clerk or directly to the Deputy. In general, refurbishment would have much lower embodied carbon because one is using fewer materials. One is improving what is already there. There would be great embodied carbon savings, especially with traditional buildings, if one was using more natural materials which tend to be vapour open and more appropriate for the buildings. Wood fibre is technically considered carbon neutral. If one is using wood fibre insulation throughout, then the embodied carbon uplift will be minimal, but I was not primary researcher on that study. I will contact the primary researcher and get back to the Deputy with more details.