 We live in some of the oldest and leakiest housing in the world. The majority of UK homes were built more than 50 years ago - and without any premonition of a world of carbon emissions and government targets to cut them by 80 per cent by 2050.  The Government has made "retrofitting" homes (improving existing properties with modern technologies such as better insulation and energy efficiency upgrades) one of its key priorities through the planned Green Deal, with ?6,500 loans to be offered to homeowners. Unfortunately, estimates from Forum for the Future (a body advising on the Green Deal) suggest that for many older properties the full costs will be closer to ?65,000.  The potentially vast cost of retrofitting is just one part of the problem. We also need to start thinking about not repeating the mistake and ensuring new buildings of all kinds are more "resilient". Not just more energy efficient but flexible and adaptable enough to deal with challenges from climate change, changes of use and ready to integrate new technologies without the need for major rebuilding and retrofitting.  at the core of the issue is the lack of reliable information and advice on what improvements will actually make a difference and how individuals and property own 