Central Lodge, Birkenhead Park - Passivhaus and Retrofitting

Maggie Mullan’s retrofit work on Central Lodge in Birkenhead Park aimed to create a Passivhaus-standard dwelling while respecting the building’s Grade II listing. The project followed PAS 2038’s “fabric-first” approach, which prioritises building fabric improvements before introducing energy-efficient technologies.

The retrofitting involved demolishing a poorly adapted kitchen extension and replacing it with a sympathetically designed two-storey addition. This new extension was designed to house most Passivhaus interventions, including advanced insulation and environmental controls, allowing the original building to be restored with minimal compromise.

A crucial part of this retrofit was integrating new and old materials seamlessly using reclaimed stone from the original building. Additionally, MMA e conducted Heritage Impact Assessments, a critical component of PAS 2038, to ensure that the modern interventions would not negatively affect the historic fabric. Although the project was not completed, the pre-application process demonstrated a thorough understanding of how PAS 2038 principles could be applied in a compassionate conservation context.

Retrofit