Retrofit
Liam S Rickard, 2023
Recorded & produced in Our Lady Studio, Borth, August/November 2023 by Mike West
Released on the 29th of March 2024
Cerddorion/Musicians:
Liam Rickard - lead vocals, guitar, piano; Ffion Aynsely - backing vocals, tambourine; Michael Ekeghasi - backing vocals, bongos; Archibald Schwartz Marmaduke - bass; Rolando Bertrand Ruiz - drums; Ben MacCoed - trumpet; David Spivack - saxophone
Sheet music
Lyrics & chords
G
Retrofit, retrofit, we’ve gotta
Am
retrofit for the planet, we’re gonna
D7
retrofit our leaky house so we
G
gutted it and we had to move out, but it
G
costs so much, and it takes so long, and it goes
Am
on and on and its still not done, now it’s
D7
all gone wrong and we’re still living with your
G
parents!
Em
All our friends are flying away on
D
holiday I want to
C
go to Japan but I
G Bm
don’t think I can given current context
Em
All our friends are flying away to
D
Africa, I want to
C
go with them, but I
G. Bm
don’t think I should given the situation
Retrofit, retrofit,
we’ve gotta do our bit for the planet,
but its all gone wrong its all covered in mould
and it takes so long and we’re getting old.
We used hemp-lime here and some perlite there
we mixed straw and clay, with fine horse-hair
we’ve got to lose space on the inside or extend the eaves
When will it be done so I can go home please?!
All our friends are flying away on holiday
I want to go to Taiwan
But I don’t think I should, given the situation.
All our friends are flying away to America!
I want to go with them,
but I don’t think I ought to in the current context
[horn section]
I just want to lounge ‘round in my lounge again,
watching documentaries,
and thinking about our next holiday to Barmouth
All our friends are flying away to India, I want to go to Goa,
but I don’t think that’s appropriate right now!
[salsa breakdown]
Retrofit, retrofit, retrofit, retrofit,
retrofit, retrofit, retrofit, retrofit (loop it)
We’ve gotta retrofit the neighbourhood,
With cultivation spaces for home-grown food
Retrofit the energy system,
With closed-loop geothermal district heating
Retrofit the cars and trains,
Make garden features from old aeroplanes,
Retrofit the container ships,
And proper recycling for microchips
We used straw-clay render and sheep’s wool batts
But it got too damp, and the moths ate that
We wanted wood-fibre, but the builders said,
They didn’t know what that was, so they used plastic instead!
All our friends, are flying away on holiday,
I’d love to go to Thailand,
But I don’t think I ought to in the current climate
All our friends are flying away to Singapore,
I want to go with them,
But I don’t think I can given the current crisis
I can go wherever I want so easily,
but some people like me,
Are adrift on the sea in a crowded dingy.
Retrofit, retrofit, retrofit, retrofit,
Retrofit, retrofit, retrofit!
Retrofit, retrofit, we’ve gotta
Am
retrofit for the planet, we’re gonna
D7
retrofit our leaky house so we
G
gutted it and we had to move out, but it
G
costs so much, and it takes so long, and it goes
Am
on and on and its still not done, now it’s
D7
all gone wrong and we’re still living with your
G
parents!
Em
All our friends are flying away on
D
holiday I want to
C
go to Japan but I
G Bm
don’t think I can given current context
Em
All our friends are flying away to
D
Africa, I want to
C
go with them, but I
G. Bm
don’t think I should given the situation
Retrofit, retrofit,
we’ve gotta do our bit for the planet,
but its all gone wrong its all covered in mould
and it takes so long and we’re getting old.
We used hemp-lime here and some perlite there
we mixed straw and clay, with fine horse-hair
we’ve got to lose space on the inside or extend the eaves
When will it be done so I can go home please?!
All our friends are flying away on holiday
I want to go to Taiwan
But I don’t think I should, given the situation.
All our friends are flying away to America!
I want to go with them,
but I don’t think I ought to in the current context
[horn section]
I just want to lounge ‘round in my lounge again,
watching documentaries,
and thinking about our next holiday to Barmouth
All our friends are flying away to India, I want to go to Goa,
but I don’t think that’s appropriate right now!
[salsa breakdown]
Retrofit, retrofit, retrofit, retrofit,
retrofit, retrofit, retrofit, retrofit (loop it)
We’ve gotta retrofit the neighbourhood,
With cultivation spaces for home-grown food
Retrofit the energy system,
With closed-loop geothermal district heating
Retrofit the cars and trains,
Make garden features from old aeroplanes,
Retrofit the container ships,
And proper recycling for microchips
We used straw-clay render and sheep’s wool batts
But it got too damp, and the moths ate that
We wanted wood-fibre, but the builders said,
They didn’t know what that was, so they used plastic instead!
All our friends, are flying away on holiday,
I’d love to go to Thailand,
But I don’t think I ought to in the current climate
All our friends are flying away to Singapore,
I want to go with them,
But I don’t think I can given the current crisis
I can go wherever I want so easily,
but some people like me,
Are adrift on the sea in a crowded dingy.
Retrofit, retrofit, retrofit, retrofit,
Retrofit, retrofit, retrofit!
References:
VERSE 1
"...we've got to retrofit for the planet"
People Powered Retrofit (2014). Why Retorofit?. Available at: https://retrofit.coop/guides/why-retrofit. (Accessed: 29 March 2024)
UNEP (2022). Global Status Report for Buildings And Construction. United Nations Environment Program 09 November. Available at: https://www.unep.org/resources/publication/2022-global-status-report-buildings-and-construction (Accessed: 29 March 2024)
LETI (2021) LETI Climate emergency retrofit guide. London: LETI. Available at: https://www.leti.london/retrofit (Accessed 29 March 2024)
"...it costs so much and it takes so long"
Donkin, A., & Marmot, M. (2024). Left out in the cold: the hidden health costs of cold homes: Executive summary. UCL Institure for Health Equity. Available at: https://www.instituteofhealthequity.org https://www.instituteofhealthequity.org/resources-reports/left-out-in-the-cold-the-hidden-impact-of-cold-homes/read-the-executive-summary.pdf (Accessed 21 May 2024)
CHORUS
"all our friends are flying away on holiday....but I don't think I can given the current context"
IPCC (1999) Special Report: Aviation and the Global Atmosphere - Summary for policymakers. International Governmental Panel on climate Change. Available at: https://www.ipcc.ch/site/assets/uploads/2018/03/av-en-1.pdf (Accessed: 29 March 2024)
"...but I don't think I can given the current context / don't should given the situation"
IPCC (2023) Climate Change 2023 Synthesis Report: Summary for policymakers. International Governmental Panel on climate Change. Available at: https://www.ipcc.ch/report/ar6/syr/downloads/report/IPCC_AR6_SYR_SPM.pdf (Accessed: 29 March 2024)
VERSE 2
"its all gone wrong its all covered in mould"
Selincourt, K. (2018) 'Disasterous Preston retrofit scheme remains unresoled', Passive House Plus, 08 March. Available at: https://passivehouseplus.co.uk/news/health/disastrous-preston-retrofit-scheme-remains-unresolved (Accessed: 29 March 2024)
"we used hemp-lime here...
Stanwix, W. and Sparrow, A. (2014). The Hempcrete Book. Bloomsbury.
...and perlite there"
Idea Farm (2022) Perlite floor insulation with heated concrete slab. 5 April. Available at: https://youtu.be/fvNQCn1B3Z4?si=YKXM-DlHmQRbX5J8 (Accessed: 29 March 2024)
"We mixed straw and clay with fine horse hair"
GNOOSS (2014) La Maison de Caroline présente: DIY, le torchis à l'ancienne. 3 October. Available at: https://youtu.be/e2gMKuiDxQY?si=rEYmoTmgXdXHNs-u (Accessed: 29 March 2024)
VERSE 3 [salsa breakdown]
"Retrofit the neighbourhood..."
Agile City (2023). Retrofit Reimagined: Community focused exploration of retrofit on the neighbourhood scale. Available at: https://agile-city.com/blog/retrofit-reimagined-community-focused-exploration-of-retrofit-on-the-neighbourhood-scale/ (Accessed: 07 Feb 2024)
Civic Square (2023). Retrofit Reimagined 2023. Centre for Alternative Technology, 21-22 October. Available at: https://civicsquare.notion.site/Retrofit-Reimagined-2023-7aec7fbb992f4a4a97ca7d969a48b216 (Accessed: 07 Feb 2024)
"...with cultivation spaces for home grown food"
Edmondson, J.L., Childs, D.Z., Dobson, M.C., Gaston, K.J., Warren, P.H., Leake, J.R. (2020). 'Feeding a city – Leicester as a case study of the importance of allotments for horticultural production in the UK'. Science of The Total Environment, Volume 705
"retrofit the energy system...
Carbon Neutral Cities Alliance (2016). Energy System Transformation Playbook: A step-by-step guide for municipal governments. Available at: https://carbonneutralcities.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/02-CNCA-Energy-System-Transformation-Playbook-FINAL-REVISED.pdf (Accessed: 07 Feb 2024)
...with closed loop geothermal district heating"
Just Have a Think (2023). Geothermal is going global. 23 April 2023. Available at: https://youtu.be/gV92QFDb5qQ?si=rZNhd4MbXATu9n93 (Accessed: 29 March 2024)
Yuan, W., Chen, Z., Grasby, S.E., Little, E. (2021). Closed-loop geothermal energy recovery from deep high enthalpy systems. Renewable energy 177. 976-991. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.renene.2021.06.028
"Retrofit the cars
Fully Charged Show (2023). How CHEAPLY Can You EV Convert Your Old Car? 31 March 2023. Available at: https://youtu.be/dXCTXxL5lr0?si=YjLAafcvzDC3UiBH (Accessed: 07 Feb 2024)
and trains..."
Popovich, N.D., Rajagopal, D., Tasar, E. et al. (2021). Economic, environmental and grid-resilience benefits of converting diesel trains to battery-electric. Nat Energy 6, 1017–1025. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41560-021-00915-5
...retrofit the container ships..."
Global Maritime Forum (2021). Alternative Fuels: Retrofitting ship engines. Getting to Zero Coalition, Insight Briefing Series. Available at: https://www.globalmaritimeforum.org/content/2022/03/Insight-brief_Retrofitting-ship-engines.pdf (Accessed: 07 Feb 2024)
"We used straw clay render and sheep's wool batts...
Woolley, T. (2006). Natural Building: A Guide to Materials and Techniques. Wiltshire: The Crowood Press
...but it got to damp and the moths ate that.."
Jenkins, D (20013) Renewable Energy Systems. London & New York: Routledge
..we wanted wood fibre..."
STEICO (2024) Wood fibre: nature's high-tech insulation material. Available at: https://www.steico.com/en/solutions/product-advantages/steico-insulation-materials (Accessed 25 April 2024)
VERSE 1
"...we've got to retrofit for the planet"
People Powered Retrofit (2014). Why Retorofit?. Available at: https://retrofit.coop/guides/why-retrofit. (Accessed: 29 March 2024)
UNEP (2022). Global Status Report for Buildings And Construction. United Nations Environment Program 09 November. Available at: https://www.unep.org/resources/publication/2022-global-status-report-buildings-and-construction (Accessed: 29 March 2024)
LETI (2021) LETI Climate emergency retrofit guide. London: LETI. Available at: https://www.leti.london/retrofit (Accessed 29 March 2024)
"...it costs so much and it takes so long"
Donkin, A., & Marmot, M. (2024). Left out in the cold: the hidden health costs of cold homes: Executive summary. UCL Institure for Health Equity. Available at: https://www.instituteofhealthequity.org https://www.instituteofhealthequity.org/resources-reports/left-out-in-the-cold-the-hidden-impact-of-cold-homes/read-the-executive-summary.pdf (Accessed 21 May 2024)
CHORUS
"all our friends are flying away on holiday....but I don't think I can given the current context"
IPCC (1999) Special Report: Aviation and the Global Atmosphere - Summary for policymakers. International Governmental Panel on climate Change. Available at: https://www.ipcc.ch/site/assets/uploads/2018/03/av-en-1.pdf (Accessed: 29 March 2024)
"...but I don't think I can given the current context / don't should given the situation"
IPCC (2023) Climate Change 2023 Synthesis Report: Summary for policymakers. International Governmental Panel on climate Change. Available at: https://www.ipcc.ch/report/ar6/syr/downloads/report/IPCC_AR6_SYR_SPM.pdf (Accessed: 29 March 2024)
VERSE 2
"its all gone wrong its all covered in mould"
Selincourt, K. (2018) 'Disasterous Preston retrofit scheme remains unresoled', Passive House Plus, 08 March. Available at: https://passivehouseplus.co.uk/news/health/disastrous-preston-retrofit-scheme-remains-unresolved (Accessed: 29 March 2024)
"we used hemp-lime here...
Stanwix, W. and Sparrow, A. (2014). The Hempcrete Book. Bloomsbury.
...and perlite there"
Idea Farm (2022) Perlite floor insulation with heated concrete slab. 5 April. Available at: https://youtu.be/fvNQCn1B3Z4?si=YKXM-DlHmQRbX5J8 (Accessed: 29 March 2024)
"We mixed straw and clay with fine horse hair"
GNOOSS (2014) La Maison de Caroline présente: DIY, le torchis à l'ancienne. 3 October. Available at: https://youtu.be/e2gMKuiDxQY?si=rEYmoTmgXdXHNs-u (Accessed: 29 March 2024)
VERSE 3 [salsa breakdown]
"Retrofit the neighbourhood..."
Agile City (2023). Retrofit Reimagined: Community focused exploration of retrofit on the neighbourhood scale. Available at: https://agile-city.com/blog/retrofit-reimagined-community-focused-exploration-of-retrofit-on-the-neighbourhood-scale/ (Accessed: 07 Feb 2024)
Civic Square (2023). Retrofit Reimagined 2023. Centre for Alternative Technology, 21-22 October. Available at: https://civicsquare.notion.site/Retrofit-Reimagined-2023-7aec7fbb992f4a4a97ca7d969a48b216 (Accessed: 07 Feb 2024)
"...with cultivation spaces for home grown food"
Edmondson, J.L., Childs, D.Z., Dobson, M.C., Gaston, K.J., Warren, P.H., Leake, J.R. (2020). 'Feeding a city – Leicester as a case study of the importance of allotments for horticultural production in the UK'. Science of The Total Environment, Volume 705
"retrofit the energy system...
Carbon Neutral Cities Alliance (2016). Energy System Transformation Playbook: A step-by-step guide for municipal governments. Available at: https://carbonneutralcities.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/02-CNCA-Energy-System-Transformation-Playbook-FINAL-REVISED.pdf (Accessed: 07 Feb 2024)
...with closed loop geothermal district heating"
Just Have a Think (2023). Geothermal is going global. 23 April 2023. Available at: https://youtu.be/gV92QFDb5qQ?si=rZNhd4MbXATu9n93 (Accessed: 29 March 2024)
Yuan, W., Chen, Z., Grasby, S.E., Little, E. (2021). Closed-loop geothermal energy recovery from deep high enthalpy systems. Renewable energy 177. 976-991. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.renene.2021.06.028
"Retrofit the cars
Fully Charged Show (2023). How CHEAPLY Can You EV Convert Your Old Car? 31 March 2023. Available at: https://youtu.be/dXCTXxL5lr0?si=YjLAafcvzDC3UiBH (Accessed: 07 Feb 2024)
and trains..."
Popovich, N.D., Rajagopal, D., Tasar, E. et al. (2021). Economic, environmental and grid-resilience benefits of converting diesel trains to battery-electric. Nat Energy 6, 1017–1025. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41560-021-00915-5
...retrofit the container ships..."
Global Maritime Forum (2021). Alternative Fuels: Retrofitting ship engines. Getting to Zero Coalition, Insight Briefing Series. Available at: https://www.globalmaritimeforum.org/content/2022/03/Insight-brief_Retrofitting-ship-engines.pdf (Accessed: 07 Feb 2024)
"We used straw clay render and sheep's wool batts...
Woolley, T. (2006). Natural Building: A Guide to Materials and Techniques. Wiltshire: The Crowood Press
...but it got to damp and the moths ate that.."
Jenkins, D (20013) Renewable Energy Systems. London & New York: Routledge
..we wanted wood fibre..."
STEICO (2024) Wood fibre: nature's high-tech insulation material. Available at: https://www.steico.com/en/solutions/product-advantages/steico-insulation-materials (Accessed 25 April 2024)
Further information
"Retrofitting is the addition of new technology or features to older systems.[...] Retrofitting is also an important part of climate change mitigation and climate change adaptation: because society invested in built infrastructure, housing and other systems before the magnitude of changes anticipated by climate change. Retrofits to increase building efficiency, for example, both help reduce the overall negative impacts of climate change by reducing building emissions and environmental impacts while also allowing the building to be more healthy during extreme weather events. Retrofitting also is part of a circular economy, reducing the amount of newly manufactured goods, thus reducing lifecycle emissions and environmental impacts." Wikipedia, 2023
To find out more about 'retrofitting' the built environment and the transition to a 'zero-carbon', visit:
https://retrofit.coop/guides/why-retrofit
https://www.leti.uk
https://retrofit.coop/
https://aecb.net
https://retrofit2050.org.uk/
https://civicsquare.cc/
Retrofit Reimagined 2023: https://www.youtube.com/live/FVU5EVFnjyo?si=pFRUGnh0M_Vh25Cl
To find out more about the 'circular economy', visit www.ellenmacarthurfoundation.org
https://retrofit.coop/guides/why-retrofit
https://www.leti.uk
https://retrofit.coop/
https://aecb.net
https://retrofit2050.org.uk/
https://civicsquare.cc/
Retrofit Reimagined 2023: https://www.youtube.com/live/FVU5EVFnjyo?si=pFRUGnh0M_Vh25Cl
To find out more about the 'circular economy', visit www.ellenmacarthurfoundation.org
