Energy saving measures

We offer a range of retrofit measures that can help to improve the energy efficiency of your home, making it cosier and more affordable to heat. The following sections will provide with information on the various energy efficiency measures that we offer, as well as some educational resources to to help you get a better understanding of the improvements that you could make to your home.

What is Retrofit?

Its no secret that the UK has some of the oldest housing stock in Europe. Many of the homes we live in were simply not designed with modern energy efficiency standards in mind. A combination of leaky windows and doors, uninsulated walls and inefficient heating systems means that we are paying much more money that we should to keep our homes warm and comfortable. Additionally these homes typically have a much higher environmental impact as they produce more CO2 due to their low energy efficiency rating. So what can be done to help solve this issue that is not only effecting us financially, but also contributing the effects of climate change?

Bristol City Leap is committed to helping people improve the energy efficiency of their homes via a domestic retrofit process. To put simply retrofitting is the application of new materials, products and technologies into an existing domestic building in order to improve its energy efficiency and reduce its impact on the environment. An example of this could be installing loft insulation where there was none previously, putting solar panels on the roof of a home, or installing a modern, low carbon heating system such as an air source heat pump.

We’ve created some useful videos on the topic of domestic retrofit which will help to explain the process more thoroughly. Please take a moment to watch these and learn more.

The Benefits of a Well Insulated Home

New Ways to Heat Your Home

A properly insulated loft space is essential to reducing the heat loss within your home. Did you know, without the correct levels of loft insulation you could lose up to 30% of your homes warmth through your roof?

Some homes may have existing loft insulation but to achieve the maximum benefit, and best cost reductions on your energy bills, your loft insulation should be between 270mm-300mm in thickness. If you are interested in loft insulation or a top-up of your existing insulation, get in touch with the team today and find out if you may be eligible for funding.

If your home was built after 1930 it is likely that you have cavity walls. This means the outside walls are made up of two layers with a gap or cavity in between and without the right amount of insulation you will spend more money on heating your home. Insulating cavity walls is an excellent way of reducing costs and conserving heat; making your home feel warmer for less.

If Cavity Wall Insulation is something your house would benefit from please get in touch with the team as we are happy to provide a free no obligation quote and you may be eligible for funding towards the cost of installation.

Insulating your ground floor is a great way to keep your property warm, reduce draughts and could save you up to £40 per year on your heating bills.

Solar electricity panels, also known as photovoltaics (PV), capture the sun’s energy and convert it into electricity that you can use in your home. By installing solar panels you can generate your own renewable electricity, cutting your electricity bills, reducing your carbon footprint and even receiving payments for any extra energy that you generate.

Solar water heating systems, or solar thermal systems, use free heat from the sun to warm your hot water reducing your energy bill and cutting your carbon footprint. A conventional boiler or immersion heater can be used to make the water hotter, or to provide hot water when solar energy is unavailable.

Heat pumps are a climate friendly alternative to gas boilers for heating your home, using electricity instead of gas as the energy source. They are typically about three times more efficient than the most efficient gas boilers or electric heaters. Like a gas boiler, a heat pump circulates hot water to radiators to heat your home, and provides a more consistent and comfortable heat.

A warm home is vitally important and it’s something we can help with! You may also be eligible for funding that can help towards the cost of installing an energy efficient boiler, heat pump or solar PV. Get in touch with the team to see how we can help.

Visit our Bright Green Homes page for more information on the financial support available to you.