Step 1 - Considering the historic value of your home, and available support
In considering what energy efficiency measures you might be able to carry out to your property you should first establish whether it is a listed building or indeed in a conservation area. Find conservation areas in Oxford.
Find out if your property is listed.
If it is Listed, you may need to seek listed building consent to carry out any work of alteration (changes or additions) . If your house is in a conservation area you may require planning permission to carry out alterations or add elements to the building but in many conservation areas changes are possible without permission.
If either applies, please read our Pre-application planning advice page. More detail on determining the historic impact of your home can be found by downloading Understanding your historic building guidance (PDF, 1.6MB).
Our Heritage Energy Efficiency Tool can be used to work through useful and more detailed steps for improving energy efficiency in your property. Whilst our checklist is relevant for older buildings, we advise that you seek further information as the situation is more complicated.
There is more information about what developments (including solar panels and other renewable energy installations) are permitted development (ie not requiring planning permission) on the Planning Portal’s interactive house.
Step 2 - Simple measures
There are often a number of simple measures that you will be able to carry out that will give a quick and relatively economic result before resorting to the more intrusive and expensive energy efficiency options which are likely to have a longer period of payback.
It is useful to prioritise the simple measures you can do in your home. Use the checklist below to see how many of the basics energy efficiency measures you have completed. Please ensure that appropriate ventilation is in place - e.g. mechanical extract fan in wet rooms.
Please also check our Building Regulations guide.
|
Measure |
Cost |
Building Regulations required? |
|---|---|---|
|
Insulate your void roof/loft space with insulation to a minimum depth of 300mm cross-layered mineral wool insulation. (Ensure appropriate ventilation is provided and the insulation is not compressed by floor coverings). |
£250-500 (less if you DIY) |
Building Regulations application is required if the work is part of the removal of a thermal element e.g. more than 50% of the roof covering. |
|
Ensure your loft hatch is insulated and draught proofed by fixing a rigid board insulation product to the rear of the hatch. |
Under £100 |
No |
|
Draught proof around windows, doors, ventilation gaps etc. |
£120-290 DIY £200-£580 |
No |
|
Seal between the boards of suspended timber floors |
£15-20 DIY |
No |
|
Use a removable chimney balloon or part blocker to prevent unnecessary heat loss through warmed air flowing up the chimney. (Ensure appropriate ventilation is provided e.g. a hit a miss vent to the chimney breast). |
£15-£30 |
Can be DIY or may be part of the process of a Building Regulations application. |
|
Install LED lighting throughout the house (bulbs and fittings only) - this can reduce your lighting costs by 90%! |
£5 per bulb; more if need to change light fittings |
Can be DIY or may be part of the process of a Building Regulations application. |
|
Insulate water tanks (if you have one) and water pipes where you can |
£30-35 |
No |
|
Put radiator foil behind radiators fitted on external walls
|
£2.50 per m2 DIY |
No |
|
If you have a cavity in your wall, cavity wall insulation may be possible (Contact a CIGA Approved Installer for advice) |
£400-£500 |
|
|
Use of shutters or heavily lined curtains. |
Various |
No |
|
Replace existing gas boiler with energy efficient condensing gas boiler |
£1500-£3000 |
Gas Safe Competent Persons scheme |
Important Note: Ensure that the building has adequate ventilation to prevent a build-up of damp which can lead to fabric decay and ultimately to loss of building fabric.
Step 3 - Medium impact measures
The measures below cost a little more but will make more of an impact. Please seek advice if you have a Listed building or live in a conservation area.
Please also check our Building Regulations guide.
|
Measure |
Cost |
Building Regulations required? |
|---|---|---|
|
Secondary glazing or double glazing |
£2000-6000 |
FENSA Competent Persons Scheme or Building Regulations application. |
|
Floor insulation |
Varies depending on floor type |
Yes if the work is part of substantial work of more than 50% of a thermal element (in this case the floor) and/or if work is being done to over 25% of the whole building fabric |
|
Full install of gas central heating system |
£4000-£6500 |
Gas Safe Competent Persons scheme |
|
High efficiency (new)? Electric Storage heaters replacing existing electric heating |
£500-800 per storage heater |
Competent Persons scheme |
|
Installation of wood burner in main living room replacing electric or oil heating (existing chimney). These need to meet certain clean air standards (see Smoke Control Areas page) and should only be used to burn dry wood. |
£2500-ish depending on install requirements |
HETAS Competent Persons scheme |
|
Insulation between and or below rafters if the loft is used as a habitable room. |
Varies |
Building Regulations application required. |
Step 4 - Higher impact/intrusive insulation
When all other options have been considered or completed and the property remains difficult to heat, external wall insulation may be possible in properties that are not listed or in conservation areas. Most buildings in a conservation area are not restricted for internal alterations buildings.
You can find out more by downloading our Heritage Energy Efficiency Tool. Please also check our Building Regulations guide.
Please use this checklist when talking to Planning officers about any potential external or internal wall insulation for your property. They will be reassured that you have carefully considered the different smaller energy efficiency measures for your building before requesting these installations. Read our pre-application planning advice page for more details.
|
Measure |
Cost |
Building Regulations Required? |
|---|---|---|
|
External Wall insulation - Whole house*
|
Approx. £10,000 |
Competent Persons Scheme or Building Regulations application required. |
|
Internal Wall insulation*
|
Approx. £10,000+ |
Yes if the work is part of substantial work of more than 50% of a thermal element (in this case the wall) and/or if work is being done to over 25% of the whole building fabric |
|
External wall insulation or internal wall insulation – part of house, e.g. extension* |
Pro rata from above |
Competent Persons Scheme or Building Regulations application required. |
*This is usually not possible in listed buildings because it has a substantially harmful impact on the building fabric and the size and proportion of rooms.
Contact Design, Heritage & Specialist Services
Address: Town HallSt Aldate's
Oxford
OX1 1BX
