HHA Energy Use booklet

ENERGY USE AND RENEWABLES IN THE HISTORIC HOUSE 2012 IS NOW THE TIME? The Historic Houses Association and Smiths Gore are working together to provide historic house owners with practical advice and expertise to increase energy efficiency, install renewables and reduce the energy bills of their houses.

Much has changed since the last HHA & Smiths Gore survey in 2009, with the introduction of Feed-In Tariffs (FITs), the Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) and changes in the markets for oil, gas and wood.

This report summarises the key findings of a survey of 327 historic home owners, which were discussed at a seminar at Bowood House on 24 May 2012. We believe this is the most comprehensive survey of energy use and renewable energy in historic houses in the UK. Nick Way Director General Historic Houses Association

Rupert Clark Head of Rural Practice Smiths Gore

May 2012

Why are we doing the survey now?

Building conservation and energy efficiency are key aspects of sustainability. Heating and lighting houses produces over a quarter of the UK’s carbon dioxide emissions, which contribute to climate change. There is no reason why historic houses should not be reasonably efficient, comfortable and healthy, and it is possible to improve their energy efficiency without compromising historic character.

There are now a growing number of policies – and more to come, such as the Green Deal and the Renewable Heat Incentive for domestic properties. So the UK is moving from the ‘early adopter’ stage to a more mature, established and growing market.

2007

Last HHA seminar

Kyoto Protocol 2007

Today

Copenhagen Accord 2009

UK sets carbon emission and renewable energy targets

Energy Act 2011

Green Deal

2050

Phasing out of F and G EPC rated properties in 2018

34% reduction in greenhouse gases by 2020

Climate Change Act 2008

Energy Act 2008

2020

80% reduction in greenhouse gases by 2050 Feed-In Launch of Tariff Renewable Renewable Heat Heat Incentive Incentive for domestic properties

There is a clear hierarchy of actions that historic houses, and indeed any houses, can take:

1. Reduce energy demand 2. Improve energy efficiency 3. Switch to renewable fuels

This is the most comprehensive survey of energy use and renewable energy in historic houses in the UK 327 houses from all over the UK provided information, compared with 46 houses in 2009.

This represents over 1 in 5 of the HHA’s house members.

The sample contains a high proportion of large houses (with more than 28 rooms), which is similar to the 2009 survey.

A third of the houses are open to the public; almost half of the large houses are open compared with 11% of the smaller ones.

Houses open to the public are more likely to have installed renewables Is being green or environmentally responsible important to your visitors?

Houses which have installed renewables are much more convinced that being green is important to visitors... BUT it is hard to assess

31%

said yes

whether it was their attitude that led to this or the other way round.

18%

said yes Houses which have installed renewables

Houses which haven’t installed renewables

Analysis only includes houses regularly open to the public

Houses which are open to the public are much more likely to have installed renewables and have almost double the energy cost of those that don’t open.

Annual fuel cost (£)

Is the house regularly open to the public?

No Yes Average

More than 28 rooms & no renewables More than 28 rooms & renewable energy installed Fewer than 28 rooms & no renewables Fewer than 28 rooms & renewable energy installed

£19,500 £21,300 £16,900 £36,500 £8,900 £14,700

£20,300 £29,700 £10,000

£8,400 £16,100 £12,900 £22,000

£10,200 £16,000

Average

20-25% of houses do not have effective control of their heating systems

Results from the survey are in black text and the opportunities to save energy are in coloured text.

Heating systems 20% of boilers older than 20 years 3% of hot water tanks not insulated Replace old and inefficient boilers Insulate hot water tanks 25% of radiators not individually controlled 24% of hot water pipes not insulated Install individual radiator controls Insulate hot water pipes 10% of systems don’t have thermostatic controls Install thermostatic controls

Lighting The majority of bulbs in 80% of historic houses will be phased out Replace with low energy bulbs

Insulation and Draught proofing 28% don’t have roof insulation Insulate roofs

Little use of internal shutters Reinstate and use internal shutters

Monitoring

90% have not draught proofed most doors & windows Draught proof doors & windows

Improve energy awareness Track energy usage though smart metering

There are still opportunities to save 10-25% of energy costs Equivalent to ÂŁ1,500-4,000pa on bills and saving 8-14 tonnes of CO2 at no or low cost There are a range of energy efficiency measures that houses can take - with some quick wins and others requiring more investment.

POTENTIAL ENERGY SAVINGS Low - Medium

UPFRONT COSTS

Medium - High

High

4

33

5

MORE INVESTMENT REQUIRED

10 11 12

13

Medium

QUICK WINS 2

Low

66 7 9 SHORT 8 1 Short

PAYBACK PERIOD Medium

Long

Energy efficiency measures 1. Energy efficient Lighting 2. Draught proofing 3. Low energy appliances 4. Internal solid wall insulation 5. External solid wall insulation 6. Insulating jacket on hot water tank 7. Insulating lagging pipework 8. Better energy management 9. Better energy controls 10. Floor insulation 11. Energy efficient boiler 12. Secondary glazing 13. Loft insulation

Oil prices rising!

Data from the houses’ energy bills is that an average of 61p per litre was paid, a 21% increase on the 49p average paid in 2009.

The difference between the highest and lowest prices paid has fallen to a 16% difference, from 29% in 2009.

Oil prices paid by historic houses 100 90

Price per litre

80 70 60 50 40 30 20

Renewable energy

1 in 5 houses have installed it

1 in 2 houses have considered installing it

19% of houses have installed at least one form of renewable energy – with similar proportions of large and smaller houses.

Houses with larger energy bills have installed renewables but what is the decision making process? It might be: I have large energy bills, which is possibly linked to being open to the public I think that being green is important to my visitors I will either install renewables or change my energy supplier or test the market

What has been installed?

Biomass

Solar PV

Hydro

Solar thermal

28

19

6

7

Predicted

7

9

9

9

Actual

8

8

8

7

Projected in the pipeline

37

28

11

7

Number installed Payback period (years)

Most houses, whether they have installed it or not, expect a payback in 6 to 12 years which broadly matches the information from houses that have installed renewables, where target is 8-9 years typically and actual payback is 4 to 10 years.

Houses which have installed renewables expected a shorter payback – does this show more realistic or aggressive budgeting or that those who are not committed use poor payback as a reason for not investing?

IHT and CGT reliefs and the ability to pass on the project to a successor appear to be important factors in deciding whether to undertake a renewable energy project, especially for smaller houses.

The two most significant hurdles to installing renewables are: consents (planning and Listed Building consent) and returns (uncertainty of returns due to changing government incentives and up front costs).

Key issues when considering renewable energy for your home Stage 1 – Feasibility Financial Technical - Energy demand (electricity / space heating / hot water) - Resource availability - Technical compatibility - Energy efficiency

- Invest v lease - Upfront cost - Current financial incentives - Reduction in energy bills - Sale of energy - Payback period

Planning -Visibility and reversibility of scheme -Local precedent?

-Planning permission or permitted development -Listed building consent -Early consultation with relevant bodies -EIA required?

Selecting the installer and product

Stage 2 – System specification and installation

• • • •

Where can I get independent advice?

How do I get the most competitive price?

What warranties are being offered - on the product and workmanship?

What is the track record of the installer and the product?

Future financial incentives - is now the time?

Incentives and policies for energy efficiency and renewable energy are constantly changing and the introduction of the Renewable Heat Incentive could significantly change markets for woodfuel and demand for woodfuel boilers.

Next review for PV is July

May 2012

July 2012

Next review for wind is October

October 2012

Hydro expected to remain broadly the same at least until 2013

January 2013

Green Deal – consultation in progress, due to be launched this Autumn, but how will it work for older buildings?

RHI – delayed for domestic schemes until next year but launched for non-domestic FIT reviewed every 6 months

April 2013

July 2013

Funding options - Rural Community Renewable Energy Fund in England to be launched this year, Community and Energy Scheme (CARES) in Scotland is already live.

Authors

Dr Jason Beedell Head of Research t 01733 866562 jason.beedell @smithsgore.co.uk

Lucy Morgans Sustainability & renewable energy t 0207 409 9498 lucy.morgans @smithsgore.co.uk

Thomas McMillan Sustainability & renewable energy t 0131 561 7100 thomas.mcmillian @smithsgore.co.uk

Advice when you need it

Marc Liebrecht Forestry - England t 01543 261999 marc.liebrecht @smithsgore.co.uk

Andy Greathead Forestry - Scotland t 01620 828979 andy.greathead @smithsgore.co.uk

Ian Smith Planning - England t 01733 559320 ian.smith @smithsgore.co.uk

Debbie Mackay Planning - Scotland t 0131 561 7117 debbie.mackay @smithsgore.co.uk

Terry Adsett Architecture and Building Services - England t 01798 342642 terry.adsett @smithsgore.co.uk

Richard Henderson Architecture and Building Services - Scotland t 01387 274397 richard.henderson @smithsgore.co.uk

Useful links 1. Changeworks website - http://www.changeworks.org.uk/householders/technical-guides-for-energy-improvements/475/ This provides links to the Energy Heritage project, the Renewable Heritage Guide and a number of technical fact sheets on various energy efficiency measures and renewable energy schemes in historic buildings.

2. Warmer Bath – A Guide to improving the energy efficiency of traditional homes in the city of Bath (Bath Preservation Trust and the Centre for Sustainable Energy 2011) - http://www.cse.org.uk/downloads/file/warmer_bath_june2011.pdf

3. Energy Conservation in Traditional Buildings - http://www.climatechangeandyourhome.org.uk/live/content_pdfs/94.pdf by English Heritage (2008)

4. Energy Saving Trust – energy efficiency and renewable energy advice for domestic properties - http://www.energysavingtrust. org.uk/In-your-home

5. Department for Energy and Climate Change (DECC) – update on the Green Deal and Older Buildings http://www.decc.gov. uk/en/content/cms/tackling/green_deal/gd_stakeholder/olderbuildings/olderbuildings.aspx