Low Energy Victorian House Refurbishment

11 April 2008

This project aims to show how Victorian dwellings can be refurbished to address both heritage and

energy so that future generations can take pride in their architectural heritage without seeing them as

an environmental burden

Conserving Buildings and/or Energy?

• 56% of housing in London is of solid wall construction.

• Much has heritage value. (60% of Camden is within Conservation Areas)

• Solid wall houses on average have almost double the emissions of those built to current Building Regs.

17 St Augustine’s Road

• Owned by Camden Council who are refurbishing it for social housing

• The project will centre on 17 St Augustine's Road a Victorian house in a conservation area.

• It will aim to reduce emissions by 90% based on normal use.

The project• UCL will monitor the house during construction and

occupation.

• It will link to other low energy house projects including 73 Chester Road, Camden & 78 Carshalton Grove, Sutton.

• Funded by Camden Council and Urban Buzz.

• Support from Sustainable Energy Academy and Kingspan.

• The Council’s conservation & urban design team are involved & English Heritage has contributed to initial work.

• Steering Group includes: SDC, GLA and SEA

Interesting Challenges

Thermal Bridges galore

Surreal and idiosyncratic decor

• Emphasis on Emissions Reduction “Decisions such as the design of the wall insulation should

not be being made by heritage consultants without involvement from people with expertise in building physics and engineering.  (Conversely, decisions about heritage should not be being made by engineers without the involvement of people with heritage expertise - but there is no immediate risk of this.)

• Emphasis on Building Conservation “full compliance with the energy efficient requirements of the Building Regulations would unacceptably alter the character or appearance of the building”

Dynamic Tension Emissions/Conservation

Reducing Energy Use - Proposals• Double glazed windows 1.5W/m2K

• Floors 0.20 W/m2K

• Sloping Roof 0.11 W/m2K

• Flat roof 0.20 W/m2K

• Wall insulation to 0.20W/m2K

• 6m2 Solar Thermal

• 3.5 KWp Solar PV

• Localised Heat Exchange Ventilation

Technologies considered

• Secondary glazing using vacuum double glazing to 1.0 W/m2K

• 3,000 litre rainwater harvesting

• Ground Source Heat Pump

• Wood wool insulation conductivity 0.04 W/mK

• Over cladding side and rear

• Whole House Heat Exchange Ventilation

Impact of energy efficiency measures

Annual Emissions 17 St Augustines Rd

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

18

20

Basic Minimal action Conservationmaximum

Boiler, w allglazing PartL

DG higninsulation

DG highinsulation plus3.5 kWp PV

Triple Gbasement only

All triple glaze

Tonnes

CO2/year

Total inc Electricity

CH&HW

Impact of energy efficiency measures

Energy Costs -Existing house

Energy Costs –Low Energy house

cost tonnes CO2

• Solar PV £25,000 1.4

• Solar Thermal £8,000 0.5

• Double glazing £24,000 1.3

• Roof Insulation £6,600 3.4

• Wall insulation £11,000 3.3

• Leakage reduction £2,666 1.0

Costs

• Urban Buzz funded research conducted by UCL

– Monitoring of temperature and humidity in walls

– Pressure and Co heating test

– Survey of fuel use by neighbours

– Seminars on low energy refurbishment

– Promote debate.

Dissemination & Research

Construction starts Jan 2008

We didn’t expect the bricks to come off.

Cornicing?!!!?

Sorry English Heritage

Insulation going in

Lots of insulation and training.

Insulation what it looks like 1

Its air leakage stupid.

Don’t forget the space between the floors and ceilings.

Insulation what it looks like 2

How do you fix the bog to the wall?

Is there ever too much insulation?

• How much will it cost to make 60%-90% emission savings in all the solid wall houses in the UK stock?

• Who will pay for it?

• What is Heritage?

• Whose Heritage is it any way?

Chit Chong, Energy & Sustainability Manager (Acting)

chit.chong@camden.gov.uk

A few questions to mull over