Saving Energy in Older Homes and Off-gas Homes

• Lack of access to mains gas
• Uninsulated sloping ceilings or rooms in the roof
• Solid walls

These are all things which make a home hard to heat for the people who live in it and hard to treat with cost-effective energy efficiency measures.

At least a third of homes in the Stroud District have one or more of these features, some have all three.

If you have a low income and limited savings and live in a home like this it can be particularly difficult to stay warm, avoid condensation dampness and mould, and keep up with fuel bills.

Whether you own your home or rent it from a private landlord the following steps may help:

1. Find out about the costs and benefits of different types of improvements to heating, insulation, ventilation, renewable energy use, lighting and electrical appliances. If you already have an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) this is unlikely to cover these things in any depth (though the certificate is being improved sometime during 2012). It may be useful to have a fuller energy survey carried out. The council sometimes offers a service of this type directly or in partnership with other organisations. See our Target 2050 website for how to book (subject to funding / staff being available).
2. Find out about local installers who can design, price for and carry out non-standard insulation and heating work, and at the same time seek advice from planning and building control officers at the council in case any of the work you wish to do requires the permission of the council (energy efficiency work is often subject to building regulations)
3. Find out about financing the improvements, including national grant schemes for those on low incomes, local loan and “pay as you save” schemes, and the national payments offered for the renewable electricity and heat that you generate at home.

To find out more about taking each of these steps contact the Gloucestershire Energy Saving Trust Advice Centre on 0800 512012, or contact the council directly on energy@stroud.gov.uk or 01453 754464.

Please visit www.target2050.org.uk to find out about how we have been working with a group of local households to radically improve the energy efficiency of homes of all types and ages, with the aim of cutting carbon emissions by 60%.

These households have used local companies from our energy efficiency installers list and our renewable energy installer list. These are available at http://www.target2050.org.uk/advice/find-a-local-installer .

If your home is “hard to treat” it is worth seeking advice about the following measures (amongst others):

- Sloping ceiling insulation by underdrawing with insulation-backed plasterboard

- Solid wall insulation by dry-lining with insulation-backed plasterboard

- Solid wall insulation by cladding with insulation or by applying insulated render

- Renewable heat technologies including heat pumps, solar water heating systems, wood pellet and log boilers. From mid-2011 it will be possible to receive a Government-set payment for the renewable heat that you generate at home (Renewable Heat Incentive). It is already possible to receive a payment for electricity that you generate at home using renewable energy systems (Feed in Tariff scheme).