Improving energy efficiency
Find ways to save energy in your home
Improving energy efficiency helps to increases the comfort of your home and keeps costs down. A good way to start is to only use the energy you need, by switching to LED lights for example, and by making sure the heat you pay for is not escaping from your home. Fitting draught excluders around doors, letter boxes, and closing curtains can help to keep the cold air out and warm air in. Moving furniture away from radiators, will allow heat to circulate too.
The government GOV.UK offers information to help you energy retrofit your home. You can get recommendations for home improvements that could make your property cheaper to heat and keep warm.
For each recommendation you can see:
- an estimated cost of making the improvement
- how much you could save on your bills
- next steps if you want to make the improvement
See Find ways to save energy in your home
What is retrofit?
Retrofit means introducing new materials, products or technologies to an existing building that will lower its energy use or change how the energy it uses is generated. Retrofit covers a wide range of measures from loft, floor and wall insulation to solar panels.
The Energy Saving Trust is a well-established independent organisation that offers information and advice on:
- heating your home
- reducing home heat loss
- generating renewable electricity
- buying energy efficient products.
Is there funding to support energy efficiency and retrofitting?
A number of schemes are available to support retrofit and energy efficiency at home:
|
Scheme |
Who is it for? |
Private renters |
Home owners |
Social housing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Energy Company Obligation (ECO) Obliges energy suppliers to support energy efficiency measures to help improve low energy efficient homes occupied by low income, fuel-poor and vulnerable households. |
Low-income households who live in a low energy efficient home with an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating of Band D to G. |
yes |
yes |
yes |
|
The Great British Insulation Scheme Obliges energy suppliers to support home insulation measures. |
Homes in Council Tax band A to D with an EPC rating Band D-G. |
yes |
yes |
yes |
|
Grant to help with costs of replacing a fossil fuel (e.g. gas) boiler with a heat pump. |
Property owners who are looking to upgrade or replace an existing boiler. |
|
yes |
|
|
Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund Funding to install energy performance measures in homes owned by social housing landlords. |
Homes which have EPC rating Band D or below. |
|
|
yes |
|
Grant funding offering home energy upgrades |
Low-income, low energy efficient homes that are off gas grid. |
yes |
yes |
|
|
Financial help with ensuring your home is adequately heated and insulated. |
Open to homeowners and private renters under the conditions listed within the link. |
yes |
yes |
|
|
A group buying scheme for solar panels. |
All residents who own their own house. |
|
yes |
|
Find out where my home is losing energy
Thermal imaging cameras can show where your home is losing energy. The colour-coded pictures on screen show temperature differences that identify where to improve insulation, block draughts and keep warm.
The Council is making a thermal imaging camera available for residents to borrow for free. Find out more and access the booking form
I live in a Listed or historic building or Conservation Area, is there anything I can do?
Successful energy efficiency and retrofit in historic buildings is possible by taking account of the age, materials and character of the building. Historic England provides a wealth of free resources, information and advice on draught-proofing, energy efficiency and renewable energy in historical buildings.
It is likely that works to Listed Buildings or unlisted buildings in Conservation Areas would require permission it is advisable to contact the our Planning Department's pre application service, who will be able to advise if permission is required. Please be aware that there is a charge for this service.
Can I install solar panels on my home in a Conservation Area?
Class A of Part 14 of the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) (England) Order 2015 enables the installation of microgeneration solar PV or solar thermal equipment on most domestic properties without requiring planning permission provided that the installation is no higher than the highest part of the original roof and would not protrude more than 0.2 metres above the existing roof slope.
If a property is located within a Conservation Area the above rules would only apply if the equipment was to be sited on a roof slope that does not front onto a highway.
Further information
Consumer guidance can help you with buying green heating and insulation products and to understand your key rights and protections under consumer law. The guide covers:
- before you buy
- when you’ve decided to buy
- installation
- post-installation
- what to do if something goes wrong.