Energy Efficiency and Old Buildings

[Gareth Hughes]

Guidance document recently published by Norfolk County Council, for which I can claim little, if any, credit. Mostly the work of another occasional poster here.

http://www.norfolk.gov.uk/consumption/groups/public/documents/article/ncc056672.pdf

 

[biffvernon]

Congratulations to whoever does deserve the credit. It's rather good.

 

[Schoolmarm]

Have saved it to read later. Thankyou for that.

 

[Ian Bond]

An excellent guide, which should be required reading for all new owner of period properties.

I would have really appreciated something like that when I bought my house. At very least it gives a good starting point for further research, and establishes a sound approach to conservation of both energy and the historic fabric of the building.

It would be a very useful addition to PPUK's Advice section, as an overview to the subject and pointer to more detailed advice on the site.

 

[Essex]

Excellent document. I went to the SPAB day on energy conservation and historic house and was most disappointed, they could do with reading this document. You could add a section on heating though, for those installing new heating in historic house and not using renewables (the cost can of renewables is an issue on a tight budget) things like zoning the heating (so sections can be turned off when not in use), radio controlled room thermostats (so no wiring), high efficiency condensing boilers, although the first two points are equally useful with renewables

 

[Penners]

What a brilliant publication. Its 32 pages probably must contain answers to about 75% of the questions that get posted on this forum.

I wonder whether a link to it could be included in the Articles section of this site? Would there be any copyright problems with doing that?

 

[Penners]

useful addition to PPUK's Advice section

Sorry, Ian. I've just noticed that I've duplicated your suggestion.

Still, great minds, eh? :wink:

 

[Flyfisher]

I'd be surprised if there were any copyright problems with a link to the document; it's more or less the same as pointing someone to a library or a bookshop, although a million times more convenient of course. Anyway, I'm sure Norfolk CC would be happy to to see it widely used - it's a great piece of work. I particularly like the opening quotation, which sets the tone rather nicely, I think.

 

[Ian Bond]

useful addition to PPUK's Advice section

Sorry, Ian. I've just noticed that I've duplicated your suggestion.

Still, great minds, eh? :wink:

Indeed they do, Penners :!:

 

[Penners]

I particularly like the opening quotation, which sets the tone rather nicely, I think.

I agree. There's also a staggering piece of EH information on page 5:

The embodied energy in the brickwork of a Victorian terrace is equivalent to that needed to drive a car 5 times round the world.

It's a pity our late, lamented* Deputy Prime Minister didn't consider that before he started laying waste the terraces of northern England.

*but not by me

 

[carolinecounty]

i wrote the document for ncc and am very glad it has gone down well. please feel free to use it in the advice section or anywhere else you fancy!

 

[biffvernon]

Mmmmwwhhhh. Welcome to the forum.

(Capital letters at the beginning of sentences, please. This is a grammatically correct forum.)

 

[Nemesis]

It's a pity our late, lamented* Deputy Prime Minister didn't consider that before he started laying waste the terraces of northern England.

Yes - and although EH may have mouthed a few platitudes re northern terraces, and joined in a tiny amount of the fight, pity it gave up after that.

 

[Penners]

Mmmmwwhhhh.

Doesn't that count as sexual harrassment?

 

[FamilyWiggs]

i wrote the document for ncc and am very glad it has gone down well. please feel free to use it in the advice section or anywhere else you fancy!

Excellent document, Caroline. Thankyou.

 

[biffvernon]

It's the French approach, Penners. Even the Family Wiggs are a little forward, straight in with the first name instead of starting with Ms County.