Co-Designing Net Zero in Historic Communities: Lessons from Sea Mills

by Katy Karampour

How can historic communities transition to net zero without losing their heritage identity?
This question guided our recent pilot project in Sea Mills, a garden suburb in Bristol, where we explored community-led approaches to sustainability in a conservation area. The project aimed to understand how residents, planners, and heritage professionals can work together to achieve climate goals while preserving the character of historic places.

The project was funded by The British Academy and UWE Bristol’s CATE Public/Community Engagement and Knowledge Exchange Fund.

Why Sea Mills?

Historic environments present unique challenges for decarbonisation. Many homes were built before modern energy standards, making retrofitting complex and costly. Sea Mills, designated as a conservation area, exemplifies these tensions: its urban heritage as an intact example of a Garden Suburb and Bristol’s finest example of planned post-WWI municipal housing (Bristol City Council, 2011) is highly valued. Yet residents face rising energy costs and the urgent need to reduce carbon emissions.

While national policy sets a target for net zero by 2050, Bristol’s local pledge is even more ambitious: net zero by 2030. However, practical solutions for historic communities remain underdeveloped.

What we did?

The project adopted a co-design approach, placing residents at the heart of decision-making. Through two community workshops, we mapped barriers and opportunities for retrofitting in a historic environment where individual homes are not listed, but the neighbourhood’s character is protected under conservation area status.

We explored questions such as:

• What measures are feasible without harming heritage?
• How do residents perceive sustainability and conservation priorities?
• What support do communities need from local authorities and policymakers?

Our participatory methods aimed to ensure inclusivity, capturing diverse voices and lived experiences. This approach fostered trust and generated ideas grounded in local realities rather than top-down assumptions.

Key insights

The Sea Mills Net Zero pilot revealed strong community appetite for sustainability, provided it aligns with heritage values and is supported by clear guidance and resources. Several themes emerged:

Community appetite and engagement: Sea Mills has a strong sense of community and a clear appetite for collective action. Residents are eager to participate in sustainability initiatives, especially when these are locally coordinated and inclusive.

Balancing heritage and sustainability: Residents value the area’s historic character but also want affordable, practical solutions for energy efficiency. This calls for flexible guidance that respects heritage while enabling innovation.

Policy and technical gaps: Current planning frameworks often lack clarity on retrofitting in conservation areas. Residents need clearer advice and support to navigate complex regulations.

Community knowledge matters: Local expertise and social networks are powerful assets. Engaging communities early can uncover creative solutions and build momentum for change.

Trust and collaboration are crucial: Successful transitions depend on strong partnerships between residents, planners, and heritage bodies. Co-design fosters shared ownership and reduces resistance to change.

Looking Ahead

The Sea Mills pilot demonstrates that net zero in historic environments should be approached through collaborative and context-sensitive methods. Our findings will inform future research and policy, with potential to scale up to other conservation areas across the UK. We are now exploring opportunities to deepen this work and invite partners interested in heritage-led climate action to join the conversation.

Read the full report here: Co-designing net zero strategy in historic settings: Pilot study of Sea Mills conservation area in Bristol

Acknowledgements:

Special thanks to Dr Katie McClymont for her mentorship and support throughout this project, and to our passionate research team: Joe Browne, Agnes Atare, Tom O’Keefe, and Thiladhavathy Mylapore Sivakumar.

Thanks also to students in the Grassroots Planning module for helping brainstorm workshop content and format ideas, Pete Insole at Bristol City Council, Sea Mills Community Initiatives, Sea Mills and Coombe Dingle Climate Action Group, and all those who attended our workshops and generously shared their experiences.