Listed Buildings and the Green Deal
Many people in this small Island are lucky enough to live in listed buildings, but how can they benefit from the up-coming Green Deal? Let’s have a look at some of the options. Listed Buildings and the Green Deal.
Listed buildings are split into three different Grades; Grade I, Grade II* and II.
If you live in a cottage type dwelling and have restrictions on double glazing the windows and doors there are still things that you can do.
Internal solid wall insulation
Internal solid wall insulation, you will lose a minimal amount of floor space from doing this but the return on investment is much better than double glazing. Internal solid wall insulation can save up to £475 per year. Installation can cost £9,400 to £13,000, the Green Deal has a maximum of loan value of £10,000, but it can be used in conjunction with other finance sources to ‘top up’ funding.
Floor Insulation
You can also look at insulating the floors, many older properties have little in terms of floor insulation, and few have a damp proof course. There are a number of companies that will install a new barrier between you and the earth below your property. This will stop moisture coming up from the ground and also stop heat escaping down and out of your home or business.
Once you have a modern sealed floor you could look at switching to heated flooring which can be cheaper than gas or oil heating.
Ground source and Air source heat pumps
If your property is currently heated by Calor gas or oil you should consider switching to another source as these can cut your energy bills. These costs will be covered by the Green Deal, there will be loans of up to £10,000, with no up-front costs
Air source heat pumps use the ambient air temperature to extract heat and can covert this into hot water other indoor heating system. The only consideration with a listed property is the outdoor unit that needs to be need the building but not nessicerally attached to the building, pipe work can be buried too.
If you have some garden or land need your property you might want to consider a ‘Ground Source Heat Pump’, these units don’t have an outside element, apart from buried pipe work, so won’t effect a properties listed status.
By switching to an electrical based heating system you are opening up a number of different options that might be better suited to rural and listed properties. Oil and gas prices are open to international markets that can change easily. Electricity prices are more stable and offer more options in terms of ‘Micro Generation’.
Warm Roofing
Many listed buildings can take advantage of ‘warm roofing’ techniques, which involve removing the slates/tiles and adding insulation just below the roofline between rafters and then replacing the roof covering. This technique is a contrast to the traditional ‘loft insulation’ and offers better insulation to older buildings. By preserving the covering and using the ‘warm side’ of the roof to place insulation property owners who have a grade II listed property will be able to install this type of measure.
Draught proofing
The cheapest way to improve the insulation in an older property is by sealing draughts that come through openings in doors, windows, roofs and floors. You can by self-adhesive rubber strips that can be placed around gaps in doors and windows, a simple and effective way to save up to £150 per year off your heating bills, materials can cost between 10 and 40 pounds.
Historic buildings are part of our national heritage and it is important to understand the way that historic buildings ‘breathe’ when compared to their modern counterparts. Because most modern insulation measures have been designed for modern buildings it’s doubly important to make sure that these measures will improve your building as some measures might cause other unseen problems in the future.
In conclusion you have options even when your property is listed. Each case is different and each priority will change for your needs. Proper competent advice from historic buildings experts should be sought before any work is under taking. The main things to remember:
- Insulate first. Draught proof then: roofs and floors.
- Think about switching energy source. It will cut your bills in the long run and protect you from the changes in wholesale oil and gas prices. Electricity is more stable.
Image Credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/ell-r-brown/4489434061/
Follow Us:
