Retrofit carbon emission reductions

The firm’s “passive house energy levels” have helped transform draughty accommodation into warmer places to live, with a series of innovative techniques.

The firm took just under a year to put in superinsulated walls, triple-glazing, a ground-to-air heat exchange system, solar thermal and solar power panels, draught-proofing and various design features meant to cut down on condensation and thermal bridging.

This comes as the Government issues its draft plan on carbon, which states: “Almost half of the UK’s greenhouse gas emissions are from the energy used to generate heat, with the vast majority of our homes still relying on fossil fuel-powered gas boilers and with much of our building stock still poorly insulated and inefficient.

“There is a huge opportunity here, not only to cut greenhouse gas emissions and emissions of harmful pollutants, but also for households and businesses to save money, with the most significant and cost-effective opportunities likely to come from better insulation and from replacing inefficient heating systems.”