Heritage Buildings Get Energy Efficiency Guidance

 Sorely needed. Reposted from Edie:

Sweeping guidance launched on heat pumps, solar and energy efficiency for England’s heritage buildings

Heritage England is encouraging local councils to support the owners and occupiers of historic homes and buildings in improving energy efficiency, fitting low-carbon heating systems and adding onsite renewable energy generation.

Image: Historic England.

The public body, which plays a central role in helping people conserve and promote England’s listed buildings and historic sites, has set out information on how older buildings can reduce energy consumption and emissions without harming features of historical importance.

New guidance out today (23 July) emphasises that the decarbonisation of historic buildings is non-optional, in light of the UK Government’s legally binding 2050 net-zero target and interim carbon budgets. These buildings are estimated to account for 5% of the UK’s annual carbon emissions.

Moreover, buildings need to be made resilient to climate impacts already baked in. British summers are getting drier and hotter and winters are getting warmer and wetter, posing increased risks of flooding and droughts, the Government’s climate advisors have repeatedly emphasised.

Owners and occupiers of historic buildings are struggling to understand how they can adapt and decarbonise their properties – which may well reduce energy bills and enhance comfort, too – without flouting planning rules.

The new Historic England guidance has been released to guide them through the process of “sensitive repair, maintenance and adaptation”.

It covers energy efficiency interventions including insulation; heat pumps; draft-proofing; window replacement and repair, and onsite solar. Myths are dispelled, including those around whether heat pumps would be suitable for larger, older buildings, and whether clean technologies are unsightly.

Historic England is advocating a ‘whole building approach’ which takes into account factors such as building age, location and historic importance. It also looks at whether cost and carbon savings can be maximised by installing more than one element, and how multi-phased projects can be delivered practically.

“This Advice Note provides clear advice to local planning authorities, heritage consultants and those involved in the planning process, alongside building owners and occupiers, to ensure England’s historic buildings are adapted appropriately to respond to the climate crisis,” said Historic England’s director of policy and evidence Ian Morrison.

Historic England is targeting the advice note at councils and planning authorities as a priority. Conservation officers at England’s 310+ councils have interpreted planning law in different ways in recent years, hampering efforts made to install cleantech and improve energy efficiency in some cases.

Retrofit skills

In addition to the advice note, Historic England has confirmed that it will launch a training programme for local authorities and heritage professionals this summer.

It will cover how the advice note can be applied in practice, delivering consistent decision-making which supports the low-carbon transition while maintaining historic features. These include not only those within buildings and on their exteriors, but also retaining archeology sites or land rich in biodiversity which often surround properties.

The National Retrofit Hub told the Financial Times that this upskilling is key. It is also advocating for the UK Government to come forward with a comprehensive skills strategy to tackle the shortage of builders and installers qualified to undertake energy efficiency works, retrofit heating and fit onsite solar.

The Climate Change Committee’s recent annual progress report to Parliament concluded that the UK is “significantly off track” to meet its home energy efficiency targets and roll out heat pumps. A lack of workers qualified in line with requirements to support Government-funded schemes was identified as a key sticking point during 2023.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer this week launched a new government body aimed at developing a nationwide skills strategy for England. It will also allocate levy funds for businesses to spend on training and future-proofing the workforce.