Retrofit
Portfolio
Levitt Bernstein is an award winning architecture, landscape and urban design practice recognised for placing sustainability at the core of our design ethos. Our work consistently demonstrates that low carbon retrofit is not an add on, but an integral part of shaping resilient, future proof communities. Our approach is rooted in research, collaboration, and deep understanding of the climate emergency.
Sustainability embedded in every project
Levitt Bernstein makes sustainability a foundational principle. Our Sustainable Design strategy is informed by ongoing research and learning, ensuring every retrofit project aligns with climate protection goals and benefits from real-world learning and technical understanding.
Our work spans housing, education, public buildings, historic buildings, and mixed use developments, demonstrating our ability to retrofit buildings of all ages, scales, and grades of heritage listing.
Pioneering Retrofit Research and Policy Development
Levitt Bernstein’s leadership extends beyond practice into policy shaping research. We have produced several major retrofit focused guides that are designed to influence planning decisions, industry standards and building owners/occupiers.
Retrofit of London’s heritage homes, a four-part guidance suite for London Councils that addresses one of the capital’s most pressing challenges: how to retrofit heritage housing stock while preserving its character and significance.
Retrofit guidance for homeowners, explaining what retrofit means and how residents can start their retrofit journey - making their homes more energy efficient, less carbon intensive, comfortable and healthier.
Net Zero Carbon Toolkit, taking architects, contractors, self-builders and consultants through a range of steps for delivering retrofit measures to improve energy efficiency and begin the process of decarbonising homes in a more affordable, phased approach.
This breadth of expertise demonstrates our unique capability to align retrofit solutions with emerging policy, funding requirements, and local authority climate targets.
Retrofit guidance for residents
Retrofit of London’s Heritage Homes
Alexandra Road Estate, Camden
Holistic Retrofit Planning
We take a considered approach to retrofit, carefully enhancing existing buildings to improve energy efficiency while making them healthier and more comfortable. By upgrading insulation, reducing air leakage, and controlling ventilation, we address both performance and wellbeing, ensuring buildings work better for the people who occupy them. Our work at Alexandra Road Estate in Camden demonstrates how modest, sensitive, and well-informed interventions can extend the life of valued architecture, reduce operational energy use, and deliver tangible improvements to comfort, indoor air quality, and long-term sustainability.
Each retrofit scheme is underpinned by rigorous environmental modelling, whole life carbon thinking, and an understanding of occupant experience. Our Sustainability Studio leads numerous studies that support clients in meeting, or surpassing, net zero requirements.
Our Abbey Estate regeneration integrates targeted retrofitting of existing 1960s homes to improve energy efficiency and living conditions. Select dwellings are upgraded alongside phased redevelopment, ensuring safer streets, enhanced community facilities, and modernized housing while retaining viable structures. This hybrid approach supports long-term sustainability and neighbourhood revitalisation.
Estate, Thetford
Retrofit and Adaptive Reuse
Adaptive reuse represents our most effective carbon reduction strategy. By retaining existing structures, we preserve embodied carbon and reduce construction waste. Our approach prioritises strategic intervention to extend building lifetimes: wrapping structures with high-performance envelopes, upgrading thermal performance and airtightness, and integrating renewable technologies. This fabric-first methodology transforms redundant buildings into contemporary, high-performing spaces that meet ambitious environmental standards while respecting existing character.
Haberdashers’ Monmouth School involved a multi-site space audit, masterplan and decarbonisation strategy spanning six projects. Driven by carbon reduction, the scheme prioritised reuse, extending building life and reducing embodied carbon. A former squash court was wrapped in an insulated structural envelope and transformed into a dance studio that exceeds net zero operational energy, supported by a heat pump and PV panels. Similar upgrades to the dining hall and sixth form centre created an exemplary sustainability-led retrofit.
Haberdashers’ Monmouth School, Dining Hall
Retrofit of Historic Buildings
Levitt Bernstein is particularly experienced in navigating the complex relationship between low carbon measures and heritage conservation.
Our collaboration with Prewett Bizley and Etude to produce the ESSA Retrofit Guides for the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea exemplifies this expertise. The guides show residents how to reduce carbon emissions by over 90% while preserving historic character, one of the most challenging retrofit contexts. We offer capability to deliver sensitive retrofit strategies that provide:
• Deep carbon reductions
• Protection of heritage significance
• Practical, user focused solutions
• Clear, adaptable retrofit pathways for historic conservation areas
Our transformational retrofit of the Grade II listed Bristol Beacon into a world-class concert hall and music education hub was shortlisted for the AJ Reuse and Retrofit Awards 2024, features a 656m2 PV array and achieves 54% reduction in CO2 emissions.
At UCL Faculty of Laws (Bentham House), our £18.5m transformation of the Grade II listed building achieved BREEAM Excellent through adaptive reuse, photovoltaic panels, biodiverse roofing, and a 1,000m2 extension that offers modern, energyefficient spaces.
LSO St Luke’s is the orchestra’s Grade I listed home for rehearsal, education, and chamber performances. In 2003, we rescued this Hawksmoor church from ruin, adapting it to the orchestra’s demanding needs, including an innovative ground source heat pump. In 2025, we returned to upgrade accessibility and infrastructure, achieving a 15% reduction in energy consumption.
Why retrofit with Levitt Bernstein?
1. Deep Sector Knowledge
Decades of experience with residential, public, heritage and community buildings ensures tailor made retrofit strategies for any building type.
2. Proven Passivhaus Expertise
Our projects frequently meet or exceed Passivhaus and ultra low energy performance standards, guaranteeing comfort, reduced bills, and long term resilience.
3. Policy Aligned Approach
Our involvement in regional and national net zero guidance means our strategies anticipate regulatory changes and unlock funding opportunities.
4. Sensitivity to Occupants and Heritage
Levitt Bernstein understands that retrofit must enhance, not compromise, a building’s identity and user experience—delivering climate aligned projects that are socially and culturally sensitive.
Haberdashers’ Monmouth School, Sixth Form Centre
LSO St. Luke’s, Islington
Delivering Retrofit with Levitt Bernstein
Levitt Bernstein stands at the forefront of sustainable and low carbon retrofit in the UK. Our combination of research leadership, award winning design, policy expertise, and heritage sensitive technical skill makes us one of the most capable partners for public authorities, housing providers, developers, cultural and community organisations seeking to future proof their buildings.
Whether upgrading a single residence, retrofitting entire estates, or developing net zero strategies for complex urban areas or listed buildings, Levitt Bernstein offers the strategic, technical and creative expertise needed to achieve deep carbon reduction and deliver exceptional building performance.
Thane Studios - Levitt Bernstein’s London design studio