We're working with
English Heritage to improve the energy efficiency of some of England's historic buildings.
Although it is often assumed that the older a building is the less energy efficient it must be, this is really not the case. Before the 20th-century fuel was expensive and awkward to handle. Buildings were consequently designed to use as little as possible; by contrast the buildings of the later 20th-century were designed for cheap supplies of energy ‘on tap’, and can be spectacularly power-hungry.
About a quarter of all existing dwellings are traditionally constructed, built using traditional materials and techniques such as thick solid walls and with plenty of natural ventilation. The results were not always best practice but it should not surprise us that they are often found to be very energy–efficient when actually measured. Thick solid construction acts as an excellent thermal buffer stopping the building gaining or losing too much heat. Another fundamental difference between modern and traditional buildings is that the modern versions are designed to keep moisture out with layers of impervious materials, whereas traditional buildings work by using solid permeable materials that can absorb a great deal of moisture without damage, and release it slowly back in to the environment as conditions become dryer.
Traditional building materials are often more durable than their modern replacements. They can also be more cost-effective in energy terms. In the past, the investment in materials was high, but labour costs were relatively low. Today, by contrast, we place a premium on time-saving. For example, traditional softwood window frames have an almost indefinite life if regularly repainted, but plastic window frames, which do not require painting, may need to be replaced after 10 or 15 years. Traditional buildings can lend themselves to energy-efficiency strategies that are also sympathetic to their historic character-for example bringing internal shutters back into use.
English Heritage has created a new site called
Climate Change and Your Home. Take a look and you can find information and advice about the potential effects of climate change on your home and ways to save energy.