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Cost of living support

Advice and support to help manage the rising cost of living.

Energy efficiency and historic buildings

Advice on the measures that you can take to improve the energy efficiency and sustainability of a historic building.

Historic England have put together a number of guides on how to retrofit historic buildings to improve their sustainability. These provide advice on both small and large changes you can make to reduce the carbon footprint of many historic buildings.
 

Why improve energy efficiency

Improving the energy efficiency of a historic building can lead to:

  • reduced carbon emissions and fuel bills
  • improved comfort levels
  • complying with statutory requirements such as Part L of the Building Regulations or the Private Rented Sector Regulations
     

General guidance

Historic England has put together some overarching guidance on How to Improve Energy Efficiency. This sets out their 'whole building approach' which considers:

  • context
  • construction
  • condition
  • historic significance
  • an understanding of all the factors that affect energy use, and
  • how to devise an energy efficiency strategy for any building

The Planning Portal also has general advice on how you can save energy in your home.
 

Targeted guides

Historic England have a number of free to download publications.

Energy efficiency and historic buildings

The energy efficiency and historic buildings guides on the Historic England site include focussed technical advice and guidance on improving the energy efficiency of historic buildings.

Traditional windows

Historic England's Traditional windows: their care, repair and upgrading guidance covers both timber and metal windows and is aimed at building professionals and property owners.

Saving energy

Improving the energy efficiency of your home, whether it's listed, in a conservation area or built before 1919, can be done sympathetically and without compromising its historic character. Historic England's resource pages offer advice on how you can go about saving energy in your home.