The National Energy Foundation

The Sustainable Energy Academy is a national charity which manages the award winning Old Home SuperHome Project. It works with individuals, and communities to reduce their carbon emissions by renovating and retrofitting existing properties and then facilitating opening them to the public to educate and inspire.

Tel: 01908 665555
Web: www.superhomes.org.uk
Email: info@s-ea.org.uk

Around 27% of UK carbon emissions come from existing homes

Do you know what a SuperHome is? There may be one just around the corner from you. In fact, more than 75% of the population is now within 40 minutes of a SuperHome, with more joining all the time.

A SuperHome is an existing home that has undergone a major renovation to slash its carbon emissions by over 60%. Owners of these homes then throw open their doors and invite the public in, to show how they have achieved their amazing carbon reductions.

Around 27% of UK carbon emissions come from existing homes, and approximately 14 million of them are now due for an Eco-makeover. When looking to reduce this impact, it is clear that renovators need to follow a strict hierarchy.

First cut out waste. Make sure that the energy you are using isn’t being lost through draughty windows, or seeping under loosely fitting skirting. Start by sealing gap; gaps under skirting, gaps around windows and doors, gaps around air vents etc. If you can see a gap then cold air can be coming in through it, and your beautifully heated air might be lost through it.

The next move is insulation, which is really just an extension of the cutting out waste idea. This is where you work to reduce the heat lost through the walls, through the floors and through the ceilings. The usual considerations apply here, loft first, cavity walls (if you have them) next. Then look to the more complicated issues, such underfloor and solid wall insulation. Many of the SuperHomes have used a combination of these technologies. In some cases internal insulation is right for the front of the home, but external is more suitable for the rear. You may need to seek professional advice to find the best solution for your home.

Once you have cut out the waste you can turn your attention to reducing your energy use. Switch off items that aren’t being used, and turn down the thermostat for example. Many of these ideas are already becoming common practice. A good idea is to have a switch off day. Literally turn everything off and then go and see if you meter is still spinning. It is virtually impossible to stop it moving at all, but it will show you what your base load is and then you can work to get your normal usage down.

The final step is to replace this energy, derived from fossil fuels, with a renewable alternative. It is possible to heat hot water with energy from the sun (solar thermal), and to provide electricity from the sun (photovoltaics) as well. You can heat a home with just the heat in the earth (ground source heat pump) or in the air (air source heat pump). It is even possible to have a home without central heating at all, providing the insulation is good enough and the ventilation strategy is suitable.

SuperHomers are passionate about saving energy and are proud to practise what they preach, but they are also convinced that ‘seeing is believing’, and make their homes available so that others can be educated and inspired by the touch-and-feel experience on offer.

The SuperHomers can tell the story of their renovations, what went right and what when wrong. They can talk about the reasons that they chose the measures they did and describe how well they worked in practice. Some of the SuperHomers are able to offer you expert advice and support individual renovations.

The SuperHome project is managed by the Sustainable Energy Academy in partnership with the National Energy Foundation and Energy Saving Trust are proud supporters of the SuperHomes project.

Company Ethos
The Sustainable Energy Academy promotes education and action to reduce the carbon footprint of buildings and communities. We are committed to enabling the mass retrofit of existing housing in the United Kingdom. With 27% of current carbon emissions coming from existing homes it is vitally important that we do not delay, but set to work as soon as possible on this major undertaking.