The Retrofit for the Future programme, sponsored by UK Government's Technology Strategy Board from 2009-13, demonstrated innovative approaches to deep retrofitting of social housing, using a whole-house approach for achieving an 80% CO 2 reduction target. This paper critically examines the intent and outcomes of this programme (in which all authors participated) through a cross-project meta-study of the primary data, substantiated by insights from secondary sources. Given that only three (out of 45) projects met the expected CO 2 target in reality, despite generous funding and professional expertise, it suggests that decarbonizing existing housing will not be particularly easy. Important lessons are learnt from the formulation, target-setting, monitoring and evaluation procedures and feedback mechanisms of this initiative, which can inform the delivery and effectiveness of future national energy retrofit programmes. Furthermore, to support 'scaling up' of effective retrofit programmes and reduce the gap between intent and outcome, it is recommended that attention be moved from what level of CO 2 reductions are to be achieved, to how (delivery models) these radical reductions can be achieved, and by whom (supply chain). Such alternative delivery models to the 'whole-house' approach include, retrofit over time, city-scale retrofit and community-based energy retrofits.

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The ATLAS Transition Radiation Tracker (TRT) performance depends critically on the choice of the active gas and on its properties. The most important operational aspects, which have led to the final choice of the active gas for the operation of the TRT at the LHC design luminosity, are presented. The TRT performance expected at these conditions is reviewed, including pile-up effects at high luminosity. r

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It is critical for reliable infrastructure planning to address the Food-Energy-Water-Waste (FEW2) nexus at system level. This paper presents the applicability of resilience.io platform across water, energy and waste sectors (including food and agricultural waste) with focus on waste-to-energy pathway, aiming to establish the optimal FEW2 nexus based on economic and environmental indicators. A rich array of technology options, including water production facilities, clean energy technologies and waste-to-energy conversions are evaluated to meet the demand of water and energy (mainly gas and electricity), and the treatment requirement of waste and wastewater. A case study of Hunter Region, the largest region in Australia, is presented in this study, featuring the supply and demand context of developed countries. A full set of scenarios, including business-as-usual (BAU), water and wastewater, power plant decommission, waste-to-energy and policy intervention, is created to present FEW2 nexus from the perspective of individual nodes and the whole system. The results signal the benefits of biogas and syngas generation from anaerobic digestion and gasification for waste-to-energy pathway, alongside findings in water and energy sectors. The outcome of this analysis can then form the foundation of regional planning involving relevant stakeholders, with the modelling tools supporting scenario evaluation and collaborative learning to reach consensus in view of different performance indicators including financial and environmental metrics.