About

Redstart Projects was founded by Graeme Semple in 2025; here he explains the background to the origin of the business:

“I provide independent, evidence-based advice on the repair, retrofit and long-term care of old houses – particularly pre-1919 buildings of traditional construction – where well-intentioned energy improvements can easily cause harm if applied without care. I now work with homeowners, designers and contractors to translate conservation principles and building physics into pragmatic retrofit strategies.

Before training as a Passivhaus consultant, I had a varied career that included a five-year spell in the corporate world and the founding – and subsequent sale – of a small but award-winning decorating and refurbishment business.

In my late forties I began a second degree – an MSc in historic conservation. Like many of my classmates, I had a long-standing love of old buildings and places. But influenced by the ideas of Stewart Brand in How Buildings Learn, I was interested in more than simply distinguishing between phases of architectural style – I wanted to understand what actually makes a building succeed for its users over decades and even centuries. My generalist background also made me resistant to rigid disciplinary boundaries – I wanted to bring together conservation expertise, building physics and practical construction knowledge in a more integrated and flexible way.

As my studies progressed, I became increasingly interested in aligning the fundamentals of building conservation with the urgent practical challenges facing Britain’s housing stock – the oldest in Europe. This led to a 20,000-word dissertation which explored the tension between energy efficiency and heritage, with a particular focus on solid wall insulation in ordinary, mainly unlisted, pre-1919 houses. My research included surveys and interviews with dozens of homeowners, academics, conservation professionals and building physics experts.

Alongside my academic work, I spent several years managing a Grade I-listed, late-medieval building in Oxford, commissioning primary research that brought clarity to its five centuries of evolution. I have also learned a great deal from skilled friends and family members working as designers, cabinetmakers and builders – knowledge that continues to inform my approach.

My practical instincts were first shaped by my dad, Gordon, who ran his own electrical services business for more than 40 years. A gifted woodworker, builder and renovator, he passed on technical skill and a strong ethic of reliability and clear communication.

That approach – doing things properly, communicating clearly at every stage of a project, and respecting both buildings and people – remains central to my work today.”