The built environment plays a crucial role in the climate crisis - both as a major source of carbon emissions and as an area with significant potential for sustainable solutions.

As concerns around climate change grow, debates around integrating environmentally conscious interventions into listed buildings have become more prominent. These buildings often hold strong historical and cultural value, making any proposed changes a point of contention. This study focuses on the installation of photovoltaic panels on York Minster as a case study to explore conflicting views on balancing sustainability with heritage preservation.

By examining the building’s past interventions and assessing the visual impact of the panels, it becomes evident that cultural significance is a subjective concept shaped by individual and societal values. The shift towards sustainable adaptations in heritage contexts suggests a changing mindset, highlighting the urgency of the climate crisis and the need to rethink traditional approaches to preservation.

Eve Sarah Balding

Read the article here: Balding | Evaluating the addition of photovoltaic panels on a listed building | Fields: journal of Huddersfield student research

Student research FIELDS Climate change Sustainable intervention Built environment Listed buildings Heritage preservation Cultural significance Photovoltaic panels York Minster