Green retrofit

With climate targets to tackle, the worsening global warming crisis, and spiralling fuel costs, it has never been more important, ethically or financially, to improve your home’s energy efficiency.

Whatever building works you plan to carry out, we will work with you and your architect and/or designer to identify and incorporate any appropriate green improvements to make your property more energy efficient. We evaluate properties as a whole, advising on immediate improvements, as well as the best ways of future-proofing to enable the installation of green technologies at a later date.

Green retrofit works we can carry out include:

Insulation - A renovation provides the unique opportunity to make insulation improvements cost effectively, as they can be very disruptive and costly to make on a finished property. Better levels of insulation can be achieved if carried out in tandem with replacement works, such as roofing, rather than being fitted retrospectively to an existing roof. We will always advise on fitting the highest levels of insulation possible, and give options regarding types and cost. Good insulation will keep your home warmer in the winter and cooler in the summer, and can dramatically reduce energy usage and fuel bills. In older properties, good insulation is essential if an air or ground-source heat pump is used without electric back up.

Ventilation - Better insulation reduces cold drafts, meaning that a controlled ventilation system is usually required. Heat recovery ventilation systems use the warm air being extracted to heat up the fresh, cold air being pumped in. The added advantages of these systems include the dust and pollen filters, which make rooms more comfortable for allergy sufferers, and the fan setting, allowing for improved fresh-air circulation in the summer.

Glazing Improvements - Old timber windows can be carefully refurbished to reduce heat loss, using draft seals and double glazing upgrades to do so. They can also be fitted with new window panes with better thermal performance. Triple glazing and solar reflective glass can also be considered.

Power Source - The government is planning to phase out the installation of natural gas and oil boilers over the next decade or so. We can advise on how best to adapt your property, and which solutions are most practical and viable. These include:

• Ground or air-source heat pumps

• Electricity generation from solar panels

• Battery storage of solar generated electricity. (This also allows you to take advantage of cheaper nighttime rates, and incentive payments for not using electricity at peak times.)

• Solar water heating

• Electric boilers