How does the net zero transition affect the health of our homes? Panel discussion at Oxford Brookes

Date: Monday 19th October 2026 from 5.30 pm

Speakers:

Professor Rajat Gupta at Oxford Brookes, Professor of Sustainable Architecture and Climate Change, Director of OIS

Jason Ratcliffe, The Wellbeing Surveyor

Richard Williams, Senior Architectural Development Manager, VELUX

Christina Higgins, Senior Consultant, Acoustics and Building Physics, Rimkus

Title: 'Healthy Homes in a Net Zero Transition' : Panel Discussion with 4 speakers and Q&A

Venue: John Henry Brookes Building, Oxford Brookes University Headington Campus

Refreshments will be available from 5.30pm

Organizers: RIBA Oxfordshire with OxArch Student Architecture Society of Oxford Brookes University School of Architecture

Overview

As the UK accelerates towards net zero, millions of homes are being upgraded with improved insulation, airtightness, and low-carbon technologies. But how do these changes affect the people living inside them?

This evening brings together leading researchers and practitioners to explore the relationship between energy retrofit, indoor environmental quality, and human health. Through short presentations and an open panel discussion, speakers will examine the real-world implications of the net zero transition for housing, drawing on empirical research, building performance evaluation, and frontline surveying practice.

From the retrofit paradox to thermal comfort in historic buildings, the evening will offer practical insight for architects, sustainability specialists, surveyors, and anyone involved in shaping the homes of tomorrow.

Following the presentations, speakers will be joined by a representative from VELUX for a facilitated panel discussion exploring the intersection of healthy buildings, retrofit, and net zero design. The audience will be invited to put questions to the panel.

Supported by VELUX. Organised by the Oxfordshire RIBA Committee.

Panellists

Professor Rajat Gupta

Professor of Sustainable Architecture and Climate Change, Oxford Brookes University

Professor Rajat Gupta is Professor of Sustainable Architecture and Climate Change and Director of the Oxford Institute for Sustainable Development at Oxford Brookes University.

He leads major UK research on low-carbon buildings, indoor environmental quality and climate resilience, including the UKRI-funded HEARTH programme and the Indoor Habitability during the Transition to Net Zero Housing Hub. His work focuses on evaluating real-world building performance, heat resilience and the health impacts of retrofit.

Professor Gupta’s presentation will explore indoor air quality in retrofitted UK housing, considering how the transition to low-carbon homes can affect the people living inside them.

Jason Ratcliffe

The Wellbeing Surveyor

Jason Ratcliffe is The Wellbeing Surveyor, bringing a practical perspective on the relationship between homes, health, comfort and wellbeing.

His work explores how buildings affect the people who occupy them, with a focus on housing, building condition, indoor environmental quality and the lived experience of domestic spaces. Jason will also briefly discuss his PhD research, which he is due to complete in 2026.

Richard Williams

Senior Architectural Development Manager, VELUX

Richard Williams is Senior Architectural Development Manager at VELUX.

With a background in architecture and over 32 years at The VELUX Company Ltd, Richard works closely with architectural practices and colleagues across the industry to support design, specification and project development. He is also currently a judge for the Housing Design Awards.

Richard’s contribution will explore how daylight, fresh air and ventilation can support healthier homes, and how these considerations sit within the wider net zero transition.

Christina Higgins

Christina Higgins is a building physics, acoustics, and ventilation expert at Rimkus, an expert witness firm specialising in construction claims and disputes.

Christina has 14 years of experience working as an engineer in the building industry, both as part of design teams and investigating building performance failures. She has a PhD in Civil and Environmental Engineering, in which she developed a novel method of assessing natural ventilation for lower carbon buildings.

Building issues and their associated effects on health can be a result of design flaw, construction failure, or a lack of knowledge on how to effectively operate building systems. In her presentation, Christina will discuss ways of identifying the cause of building issues and how to remedy them for healthier homes.

Links

tps://www.brookes.ac.uk/about-brookes/news/news-from-2025/06/ends-power-list

tps://www.velux.co.uk

tps://www.homehealthexpert.co.uk

https://rimkus.com/expert/christina-higgins/

Supported by VELUX. Organised by the Oxfordshire Society of Architects

The event will be introduced by Izabela Zoryk‑Tuvey Healthy Homes Consultant at Emerald Grey and RIBA Oxfo

Description supplied by the event organiser.