Retrofitting A Guide For Non Residential Buildings
Retrofitting A Guide For Non Residential Buildings
Measures you can take to make your building cheaper to run, comply with carbon
cutting legislation, and be more comfortable for the occupiers of the building.
Contents
1. How will retrofitting benefit your organisation? 3
What is retrofitting 3
Benefits of retrofitting 4
2. How to plan your retrofit 6
The ABCs of retrofitting 6
Step by step guide to retrofitting 8
Is your building located in a conversation area? 16
3. Funding your retrofit 17
Is my retrofit solution a good investment? 17
Current financing options for retrofitting 18
Future financing options for retrofitting 19
Energy efficiency funding 20
Renewable energy funding 21
4. Retrofit solutions 22
Behaviour change 24
Energy saving solutions 27
Draught-proofing 29
Roofs 30
Identifying your wall type 31
Cavity wall insulation 33
Internal wall insulation 34
External wall insulation 35
Floor insulation 36
Double and triple glazing 37
Secondary glazing 38
Doors 39
Lighting 40
Lighting controls 41
Gas and oil heating 42
Ventilation 43
Equipment and appliances 44
Voltage optimisation 45
Building management systems 46
Renewable energy 47
Solar thermal 48
Solar photovoltaic panels 49
Small wind turbines 50
Woodfuel heating 51
Air source heat pumps 52
Ground & water source heat pumps 53
Combined heat and power 54
Produced by:
The module guides you through the whole retrofit process, from identifying
which retrofit solutions would be suitable for your building to how much they
would cost, what you need to do before installing the solutions, what funding
is available and whether you need planning permission.
The Retrofit Resource, consisting of the module and database, has been
developed with funds and assistance from the Climate Change Skills Fund,
which has been managed by Sustainability East on behalf of Improvement
East.
What is retrofitting?
All businesses are finding that energy and water costs account for a bigger proportion of
their overheads year on year and this trend is set to continue. In fact, Ofgem predicts that
energy bills will rise 60% between 2009 and 2016 as energy supplies become more volatilei.
It is possible to make significant annual energy and water savings, and reduce greenhouse
gas emissions through implementing solutions which improve the performance of existing
buildings, and which make buildings more resilient to climate change. This process is known
as retrofitting.
Save money
Retrofitting solutions can save thousands of pounds a year on your energy and water billsii.
Government funding initiatives are available to reduce the capital costs of these retrofit
solutions. In addition, generating your own energy from renewable energy technologies such
as solar panels will reduce fuel costs and can provide a return on investment of up to 7%.
This is due to the support of Government incentive schemes such as ‘Feed-in Tariffs’ and the
‘Renewable Heat Incentive’.
Business emits half of the UK’s carbon dioxide emissions, it is therefore vital that business
plays its part in moving to a low carbon economy.
The ABCs of retrofitting can be used to inform your general approach. The
comprehensive step by step guide to planning the retrofit then takes you
through the process from choosing appropriate solutions, planning your retrofit,
to legal/ procedural matters and lastly how to commission the work.
To maximise the savings on your energy and water bills for the least amount of capital outlay,
undertake retrofitting solutions in the following order:
A: Reduce demand
B: Increase efficiency
C: Source sustainably
B. Increase efficiency
Once you have reduced your energy and water demand as far as possible you can then take
steps to make your building more energy and water efficient. Focus on your building’s largest
energy users first, such as lighting if you are in an office. Devices exist which allow you to
reduce the energy consumption of your existing equipment, for example motion sensors for
lighting. You can also consider upgrading to more energy efficient equipment such as a new
boiler.
C. Source sustainably
Only once you have achieved the maximum savings possible from turning off equipment and
installing energy efficiency solutions should you consider generating some of your remaining
energy demand from renewable energy. Likewise, after you have undertaken all the possible
solutions to reduce your water demand you could also think about collecting your rainwater or
recycling your water for flushing WCs.
Addressing your energy and water consumption will make immediate improvements to your
building and utility bills. However, it is also worthwhile adapting your building to the predicted
changes in climate, in order to reduce the need for air conditioning and to prevent flooding.
Section 4 also contains a range of solutions which are available to do this.
With the ABCs of retrofitting in mind, follow the 12 steps in the flow diagram below for a step
by step approach to retrofitting your building.
E. Monitoring
Once you have implemented your retrofit solutions, make sure you carry on monitoring your
utility bills. This allows you to see how much you are saving and helps you to identify further
opportunities to make savings.
xPlan the order of works xConsider the best type of xWhat do you have to xUse our database to xIs your building a Listed x Use energy & water
carefully to minimise materials to use, see the pay for measures? find local suppliers and Building or in a bills to monitor the
disruption. Materials module for xSee Section 3 for installers. conservation area? success of the retrofit.
xConsider whether you info. funding opportunities. xGet three quotes. xDoes your measure xEvaluate before your
will need to move staff x Arrange to reduce, reuse xUnderstand the level require planning next retrofit project.
to do the work. and recycle construction of quality necessary permission? xEnsure maintenance of
waste created. See the for a good job. xOr Building Regulations equipment, where
Waste module for info. approval? needed.
What is your main motivation for retrofitting? Your reasons may affect which retrofit
solutions you choose to prioritise. For example if you have very high energy bills you may
want to identify where you are wasting energy to quickly reduce your bills. However, if
you are more concerned about making your building more comfortable for the occupants,
draught-proofing may be a priority.
The things you need to identify in order to assess which solutions are suitable for your
building are:
5. What type of heating/hot water system you have and how old it is.
You could also get a professional to survey your building to identify what retrofit solutions
you could install. Use the online to find an energy surveyor near you.
Calculating your annual spend on electricity and gas using your bills will help you identify
how long it will take to recoup your retrofit investment and keep track of your savings year
on year.
Knowing what your yearly bills are will also help you to prioritise what you should tackle
first. For example, if your heating bill is much larger than your electricity bill, you may want
to focus on solutions to reduce this first.
It is also helpful to identify the largest energy consumers in your building. Commonly these
are lighting, heating and equipment. However, these will vary for different building types.
For example, for a leisure centre this will be hot water for the swimming pool.
There are lots of things you can do for free which will reduce your energy and water
consumption, a full list of these can be seen in Section 4.2. These should be implemented
before installing any retrofit solutions.
With the ABCs of retrofitting in mind, begin to consider what other solutions you could implement.
Section 4 provides details of possible retrofitting solutions you could use to make your
building more efficient . You need to consider whether
or your building typeor example, if you do not own or occupy
the top floor of your building then it may not be possible to insulate the roof.
If you are planning to do any refurbishment works to your building, it may be possible to
combine these with some of the retrofit solutions . Building
improvement works that could be undertaken alongside the retrofit solutions are listed
under each solution in Section 4.
Step 7 Think about the order of works
Once you have decided what solutions to install, it is recommended you then think
carefully about the order of work. For example, if you plan to do any redecorating and
install internal wall insulation, it is best to decorate once the insulation has been installed.
Also, identify if any of the tasks could be carried out at the same time, such as installing
double-glazing at the same time as having external wall insulation done. Your installer will
be able to advise you about this.
For some of the works such as internal wall insulation or new windows it may be necessary
to move staff/ occupants from the building whilst the work is being completed. It is
important to consider whether the staff could temporarily be accommodated in other
parts of the building or at another site. It also may be possible to do the work in stages so
only one part of the building is disrupted at one time.
Often there will be a choice of materials to use for the retrofit work. Consider using more
environmentally friendly and longer-lasting options. For information on material choice,
please see the Building Futures " module
Many of the retrofit works will generate waste. Ensure that this is dealt with in a resource
efficient and environmentally friendly manner. See the Building Futures module and
the Hertfordshire WasteAware website: wasteaware.org.uk for guidance.
You can use our to find local installers to undertake the work.
For any major works you should obtain three quotes to ensure that you receive the best deal.
You should also ensure the installer does not forget about important details such as
minimising air leakages from the building fabric and thermal bridging as these can have a
significant impact on the success of your retrofit (see the boxes below for more
information).
Planning Permission
If your building is Listed (Grade I, Grade II or Grade II*) or in a Conservation Area, you may
not receive planning permission for certain solutions or you may need to use particular
solutions that blend with the unique features of your property. You can look on your local
authority’s website to identify whether you are in a Conservation Area (links to the
relevant pages for each authority in Hertfordshire are listed at the end of this section). If
you are in a Conservation Area or your building is Listed, you should contact the
conservation officer at your local planning authority for advice on what you can and cannot
do.
Some employment and industrial areas in Hertfordshire benefit from a relaxation in
planning restrictions through Local Development Orders. For example, Elstree Way in
Borehamwood benefits from a Local Development Order which allows replacement
windows and other development without planning permission being required. Look on
your local authority website to find out whether this applies to your building.
If you do not own the freehold for your property you will also need to check the terms of
your lease to ensure that you do not need permission from your freeholder. You may need
to pay for permission if it is needed.
It is essential that you monitor the results of your retrofit. This will allow you to
track how much energy, water and money you are saving and to ensure that you identify
any problems with the commissioning of equipment or materials. If you are planning to
roll out the retrofit works in other parts of the building or on other sites it is also important
Payback periods for different retrofit solutions are included in Section 4. Please be aware
that these are indicative only. Actual payback periods will vary from building to building,
depending on the costs of the solution, how much energy you currently use and if you are
taking out a loan the rate of interest you are paying. Do also bear in mind that payback
periods will become shorter as fuel and electricity prices rise. Solutions that have a long
payback period may have other benefits that make them worthwhile, for example solid
wall insulation has a long payback period but it will make it significantly easier to heat the
building to an adequate temperature for occupants.
With the payback period in mind, you can then assess the best way to finance the solution,
taking into account how much capital you have as well as the funding streams and loans
available.
Feed-in Tariffs
Feed in Tariffs (FiT) provide payment for electricity generated from renewable energy
technologies, for example, solar photovoltaic panels. The Government will pay you up to
31p for every unit of electricity (kWh) you generate even if you use all the electricity to
power your building. The tariff varies depending on the technology and its size. In
addition, for every unit of electricity that you generate but do not you use you will also
receive around 3p/kWh for the electricity that you export to the national grid (for example,
if you have a wind turbine that generates a lot of energy over night when electricity is not
being used by your building). Payment is made via your electricity supplier.
The combination of reduced energy bills and payment for generating electricity can make
renewable energy technologies an attractive investment with rates of return up to 5 % iii.
Please see the tables on the following pages which summarise the different funding
schemes. In the solutions section specific funding opportunities for each solution are
listed.
Funding opportunity
Funding opportunity
What is the No deadline, but the later you No deadline, but the later you
deadline? install the technology the lower install the technology the lower
the tariff you receive. the tariff you receive.
Where to get The Carbon Trust’s website The Carbon Trust’s website
more (www.carbontrust.co.uk) (www.carbontrust.co.uk)
information
i
BBC. (2009). (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/8297882.stm)
ii
The Carbon Trust (http://www.carbontrust.co.uk/cut-carbon-reduce-costs/reasons/why-save-
carbon/pages/why-save-carbon.aspx)
iii
DECC (2011) Consultation on Feed in Tariffs for solar PV
(www.energysavingtrust.org.uk%2Fcontent%2Fdownload%2F32568%2F391030%2Fversion%2F1%2Ffile%2F
LAHA_FiTs_consultation_briefing_note.pdf&ei=CnYiT7-
XJMm70QXltfTOCg&usg=AFQjCNHsxOGttUjUzSODvtmgIqsODLTJ_w)
For each solution the costs of installation, work involved and the potential savings you can
expect are examined. Considerations such as planning restrictions, funding opportunities
and accreditation schemes are also covered. Use the key below to find the improvement
measures you are interested in
For each solution symbols are provided to make it easy to find the information you are
looking for. An explanation of what each symbol denotes is provided on the next page.
Provides the percentage savings on your utility bill that you achieve each
year by installing the solution. This is based on current utility prices. So it is
likely that the savings will increase year on year as utility prices rise.
For solutions that save water this shows the amount of water saved.
Indicates for a typical building how long it takes to save as much money from
your utility bills as you have spent on buying and installing the solution(s).
Identifies different funding opportunities there are for each solution.
You can click on the name of the funding source for more information.
Planning issues
Many of the retrofit solutions need planning permission or building control
approval. Advice is given as to whether permissions might be needed.
Other information
Provides the accreditation body you should look for when procuring a
contractor or installer to undertake the work.
Before reading about the different retrofit solutions which exist, please see below for some
ways of reducing your building’s utility bills for free.
Care Home
Maintain boilers regularly to keep them operating at maximum efficiency. During the
summer, turn off any unnecessary boilers.
Check the hot water temperature is no hotter than it needs to be. 60°C is sufficient.
Check the heating programme is appropriate for the home’s schedule. For example,
communal areas do not need to be heated overnight.
If you have a zoned heating system, you can set a lower temperature in the kitchen and
laundry room than in other areas.
In the summer try and use windows to cool the building as far as possible, before
employing the air conditioning.
Check that the refrigeration equipment is well maintained, for example, check that no
door seals are damaged and ensure that the evaporator coils are not covered by ice.
Items that produce heat such as hot plates, ovens and ventilation fans consume large
amounts of energy so ensure kitchen equipment is only turned on when it needs to be.
Review the building’s heating schedule to check that it is appropriate, and not on at
unnecessary times.
Check the domestic hot water temperature is no hotter than it needs to be. 60°C is
sufficient.
Prevent water evaporation from pools by ensuring that the surrounding air temperature
is a couple of degrees warmer than the water.
Use pool covers when the pool is not in use to retain heat. Ensure that pool heating
schedule is appropriate.
Keep filters, grilles and vents clean to allow good air flow.
Maintain boilers regularly to keep them operating at maximum efficiency. During the
summer, turn off any < .
Industrial
It is possible that your heating’s schedule may not be appropriate. Check that it only
comes on when necessary.
Turn the thermostat down by a degree or two. This could lower your energy bill by at
least 10 %.
Check that areas are not artificially lit when there is sufficient daylight.
It is possible that your heating’s schedule may not be appropriate. Check that it only comes
on when necessary.
Turn the thermostat down by a degree or two. This could lower your energy bill by at least
10 %.
Check the hot water temperature is not too hot. 60°C is sufficient for all domestic uses such
as hot taps in the WCs.
Ensure lights are turned off when a room is left unoccupied. A poster campaign or reminder
stickers could help to raise awareness amongst staff.
Put computers on stand-by over lunch and turn them off at the plug at night. This could
save around £180 per year per computer.
In line with the >@$ , it is best to first concentrate on measures which
reduce the amount of energy you . This section
J .
x Roof insulation
x Wall insulation
x Draught-proofing
x Floor insulation
x Replacement windows
x Secondary glazing
x Replacement doors
Once you have reduced your building’s energy , the next step is to make it
as efficient as possible
! Q
x Lighting
x Lighting controls
x Heating and hot water (gas or oil fired)
x Ventilation
x Appliances
x Voltage management
x Building management systems
Woodhouse College is a sixth-form college in North London
a number of energy saving measures which have reduced its energy
consumption by 20 %. Hot water pipes were insulated, lighting was upgraded, computers were set to turn
off automatically and an energy awareness !
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What’s involved?
Up to 15% of building’s heat can be lost through draughts. The different things you can do to reduce this are
listed below. Once you have a draught-free building you will be able to make further savings because the
building will still be warm at a lower temperature. For more information please see www.carbontrust.co.uk. The
costs below are for the materials only, this could be a DIY job or you could pay for a professional draught-
proofer to do the work.
Windows and skylights Fit foam, brush or wiper strips around the edges of the window frame Around £20 per
to fill the gap. For sash windows you should use brush strips only. window.
Floors and skirting Block cracks using filler that you squirt into gaps. You need a filler Around £5 per
boards that will not crack as the floorboards move. Suitable fillers are: metre.
x Decorator’s caulk
x Flexible fillers usually containing silicone
x Mastic-type products
You can get fillers in different colours to match the floor.
Pipework Fill small gaps around pipework with silicon fillers, similar to the Around £10 per
fillers used for skirting boards and floorboards. Fill larger gaps with metre.
expanding polyurethane foam. This is sprayed into the gap, expands
as it dries, and sets hard.
Draught-Lobby A lobby can be installed inside the entrance to the building or Varies depending
constructed like a porch outside of the entrance. The lobby prevents on size of
heat being lost from within the building when the entrance is used. entrance, and if
lobby is inside or
outside of
entrance.
What’s involved?
Over 20% of a building’s heat is lost through the roof. Improving insulation levels in this area can often be cost
effective.
Pitched roof insulation: you can install insulation at ceiling level (‘cold roof’)
where insulation is placed between and on top of the joists. Alternatively, you
can install insulation at rafter level (‘warm roof’) where rigid foam boards or
dense mineral wool slabs are fixed to the rafters. ‘Warm roof’ insulation tends
to be more expensive, but allows the space in the roof to be converted for use.
Flat roof insulation: flat roofs can be insulated from above or below. A layer of
rigid insulation board can be added either on top of the roof's weatherproof
layer, directly on top of the timber roof surface with a new weatherproof layer Credit: Jeff Werner
on top of the insulation or below the roof using a stud ceiling.
Suspended ceiling insulation: if there is a thin void between the ceiling and the roof, this can be insulated
relatively cheaply and easily by blowing in insulation.
Industrial building roof insulation: the roof can be insulated by spraying insulating material into the interior of
the roof. This is a good option for warehouses.
Old buildings need to breathe so you Carbon Trust guide: How to implement
may want to consider using natural roof insulation (CTL064)
materials, such as sheep’s wool
insulation, to prevent damp.
Solid wall
This is where the wall consists of one layer. Layers of bricks in solid walls tend to alternate between the long
and short end of the brick, as you can see in the diagram below. Solid walls are generally found in buildings
built before the 1920s.
Cavity wall
Cavity walls have a small gap in between two layers of bricks. In cavity walls the bricks are normally laid in a
regular pattern as shown below. Cavity walls are generally found in buildings built after 1920. Buildings built
after 2001 will already have an insulated cavity. Buildings built before 2001 are likely to have an empty cavity
that could be filled.
Cavity walls
You will be able to install cavity wall insulation.
Solid walls
If you have solid walls, you can either install insulation to the interior face of the walls or the exterior facade.
More information about the two approaches and the advantages and disadvantages of each approach are
listed below:
Internal insulation
There are two types of internal insulation: rigid internal insulation and flexible insulated lining, the latter is a
more affordable, simple version of the rigid internal insulation which you apply like wall paper.
Advantages Disadvantages
Will not affect the building’s external appearance More disruptive to install
External insulation
An insulating board attached to the external face of the wall with render over the top. A cheaper but less
effective alternative is to use insulating render.
Advantages Disadvantages
Less disruptive than internal insulation Can change the external appearance of the building.
Can improve the external appearance of the walls. More expensive than internal insulation.
If your building has a different construction from those mentioned above, such as metal clad walls, you will
need to speak to a specialist regarding the best way to insulate these.
What’s involved?
An installer drills small holes at regular intervals of around one metre in the
outside wall of your building. With specially designed equipment, they then blow
insulation into the cavity. Once all the insulation is in, the installer fills the holes in
the brickwork so they are barely visible.
Source: Septuagent
4 to 9 years.
Green Deal.
What’s involved?
An insulation board is fixed to the inside of the wall, or a stud wall (timber frame over
which plasterboard is laid) is built and filled with mineral wool fibre. Internal insulation is
more disruptive to install and slightly reduces the area of the room, however it does not
affect the appearance of your building and does not require planning permission. Also
bear in mind that internal insulation requires redecoration of the wall and possibly the
room. Source: Parity Projects
What’s involved?
A layer of insulation material is fixed to the wall, which is then covered with a
special type of render (plasterwork) or cladding. The installation of external wall
insulation is less disruptive than internal insulation but will change the appearance
of your building unless you already have a render finish to your external walls.
Green Deal.
What’s involved?
Typically 15% of a building’s heat is lost through the ground floor.
Most non-residential buildings will have a concrete floor. The existing
floor covering must be pulled up and rigid insulation placed between it
and the concrete, a layer of chipboard is then put over the insulation
before reinstating the floor covering.
Older buildings may have suspended timber floors. Insulation can be laid
Source: Halfwayupamountain
between the joists (the planks of wood which lie horizontally under the
floor boards).
Green Deal.
10 to 30 years.
No funding available.
What’s involved?
There are three types of secondary glazing that can be used to prevent heat loss from your windows:
Pane of glass and frame: fitted inside the window recess. This looks and behaves like a normal window.
Plastic pane: Fixed to the existing window frame using adhesive magnetic strips. This is used in the winter then
taken down and stored during summer. This is a cheaper option however, if you wanted to open the window
during the winter you would have to remove the pane of plastic first, which is easy to do.
Thermal films: This is similar to a layer of cling film which is fixed to the inside of the window using double sided
sticky tape. It is not possible to open the windows when it is in place, so this needs to be installed in the winter
and removed in the summer. This is the cheapest option but unlike the plastic which can be used year after year,
new thermal film would need to be applied each winter, therefore in the long term this may not be the best
investment.
These are all good options if you have a building where double glazing is not permitted.
No funding available.
What’s involved?
A building’s heat can be lost through external doors as well as windows, so it is worth considering upgrading
these too.
Replacement door If you have an external door which Around £300. Around 1% of Varies
lets a lot of heat out (it may not fit in heating bill. between
the frame very well, or is thin) you buildings.
could consider replacing it with a
well-insulated version. Funding is
not currently available for new doors.
In a conservation area or for Listed
Buildings changing your door is likely
to need planning permission. Look
for the Fenestration Self Assessment
Scheme (FENSA) when choosing a
supplier or installer.
Automatic roller door for Many warehouses, factories and Around Around Around 6
industrial buildings garages have large doorways fitted £9,000 for a £1,500 (if this years.
with roller shutter doors. These doors 20m x 5m reduces the
tend to get left open in busy periods door. time that the
because they are time consuming to door is open
open and close. Installing to a 6th of the
automatically controlled roller doors time it was
on heated buildings can reduce previously
heating costs. It may be possible to open).
access a Carbon Trust loan for an
automatic roller door. If you already
have a roller door then planning
permission or Building Control
approval would not be needed.
More information can be obtained
from the Carbon Trust guide: How to
implement rapid roll doors (CTL061)
What’s involved?
There are lots of savings to be made by changing your lighting as this is typically one of the biggest energy users
in non-residential buildings. However, before spending any money, think about minimising the need for lighting
through the following actions:
x Open blinds when they are not needed to reduce glare
x Ensure skylights are kept clean
x Install lighting controls
You could also consider retrofitting sun pipes into your building, which enable daylight to enter through the roof.
Funding for new light fittings is available from the Green Deal, Enhanced Capital Allowances and the Energy
Efficiency Financing Scheme. Building Control Approval or Planning Permission would not be required. For
more information see the Carbon Trust’s fact sheet: Lighting technology overview (CTV049)
Compact Fluorescent Lamp These use 80 % less energy than a Around £5 for Around £3 Around 2
(CFLs) (to replace tungsten standard incandescent bulb and they a 9W CFL per year for years.
can last up to 10 times as long. The (equivalent to each bulb.
filament lamps) colour rendering from these bulbs has a 40W
significantly improved, so the incandescent
difference between CFLs and bulb).
incandescents is now negligible.
There are now varieties to suit all
types of light fittings.
LEDs (Light Emitting Diode) These are even more efficient than Around £10 Around £4 a Around 2
(good for directional CFLs (they use 90 % less energy than (for a 6W LED year (if years.
an incandescent bulb). They cost bulb, replacing a
lighting) more than CFLs but, over the lifetime equivalent to 50W halogen
of the bulb, they will save more a 50W down-lighter
money. They last 50 times longer than halogen with a 6W
incandescent bulbs. bulb). LED).
Because LEDs emit a very bright,
direct light, they are best used when
replacing down-lighters. In the future
it is expected that they will be
suitable to replace all types of
lighting.
Fluorescent lighting (to Old fluorescent T12 and T8 lamps can Around £15 Around £50 1 to 2
replace T12 and T8 lamps) be upgraded to new T5 lamps (60% per fitting to per year. years.
more efficient) by replacing both convert T12
lamps and control gear; it may be to T5 light
necessary to update the optics too. fitting.
What’s involved?
Lighting controls can significantly reduce your energy consumption by ensuring that lights are switched off when
they are not needed. Automatic lighting controls fall into three categories:
x Movement sensor: for switching off lights in unoccupied spaces
x Daylight sensor: for switching off lights when there is enough natural daylight
x Time sensitive: for switching off lights outside of opening hours
In buildings without set occupancy hours, time sensitive lighting is unlikely to be successful unless over-ride
switches for occupants are easy to locate.
Funding for lighting controls is available from the Green Deal, Enhanced Capital Allowances and the Energy
Efficiency Financing Scheme.
Planning permission would not be needed for installing new lighting controls. However, the installation would
need to be compliant with the Building Regulations, your installer will submit a building notice to your local
planning department.
For more information please see the Carbon Trust’s How to Implement Lighting Controls (CTL161) fact sheet.
Movement This turns lighting on and off, depending on Around £80 Up to a 30% Around 2
sensor whether it senses someone is in the area. each. reduction in years.
This is achieved through a Passive Infra-Red lighting
detector. related
The sensor needs to be sited so that it is not electricity
activated by people passing by through to consumption.
another area that the sensor does not
control, e.g. not near a hallway (unless being
located in the hallway itself).
The system can be designed to turn on and
off automatically or just turn off
automatically, so that it does not come on if it
is not needed.
Daylight sensors This turns lighting on and off depending on Around £200 Up to 20% 1-4 years.
whether there is a sufficient level of natural for each reduction in
daylight illuminating the area. The sensor can sensor. lighting
either detect light levels inside or outside to related
modulate the artificial lighting. electricity
consumption.
External lighting LED lamps should be used for all external £15 - £50 per Around 80% Around 1
lighting to minimise energy use. However, to light. reduction in year.
prevent the lights being left on when not energy for
required it is important to have motion external
sensors on the lights. lighting.
What’s involved?
Heating and hot water typically accounts for 50% of a building’s energy consumption. However, there a number
of steps you can take to reduce the costs of heating and hot water. Funding for heating equipment is available
from the Green Deal, Enhanced Capital Allowances and the Energy Efficiency Financing Scheme. When
contracting the work, look for an installer who belongs to the Chartered Institute of Plumbing and Heating
Engineers (CIPHE).
You should maintain your heating system regularly to ensure that it is running efficiently. It is also important
that you do not overheat the building. The following Carbon Trust guide provides appropriate temperatures for
different buildings and more information on improving your heating system: Heating, ventilation and air
conditioning technology overview (CTV046).
Thermostatic Thermostats allow you to set the temperature of Around 8-10% Around 1
control each heating zone in the building. They turn the £300 per reduction in year.
heating on until the desired temperature is reached thermostat. heating costs.
and turn the heating off until the temperature
drops. More advanced thermostats are available
called optimiser-compensators that learn how long
the building takes to warm up and cool down and set
the heating to come on accordingly.
Heating A full heating and hot water programmer allows you £300-£500 10-15% Around 1
programmer to set different times for the heating and hot water based on reduction in year.
for multiple heating periods in a day. building size. heating costs.
Insulate hot Insulating material is placed around hot water pipes Around £10. Around £15. Around 1
water pipes to prevent heat being lost as the water circulates year.
around the .
Insulate hot An insulating jacket (at least 70mm thick) is placed Around £15. Around 6% on Around 6
water tank around the tank, reducing the amount of heat lost. heating. months.
Thermostatic TRVs allow temperature control of different areas of Around £50 Around a 15% 2-5
Radiator Valves the building. They fit onto radiators, turning them on per radiator. reduction in years.
until the desired temperature is reached, and then heating costs.
(TRVs) turning them off until the temperature drops.
Direct flame gas If you heat your building using direct flame gas Around Around a 20% 10-15
heaters heaters it will be worth upgrading these if they are £20,000 for reduction in years.
over 15 years old. a new large heating.
unit.
Radiator panels The panel sticks to the wall behind the radiator and Around Around £5 Around 6
reflects heat back into the room instead of being £2.50 each. each. months.
transferred into the wall.
New boiler If your boiler is more than 15 years old it is worth Around 10% - 20%, 8 to 25
upgrading to a new, A-rated model. If you have a £2,500. depending on years.
listed building you will need to contact your local original boiler.
planning department before installing a new boiler.
Introduction
If you intend to refurbish your ventilation system, make sure you opt for an energy efficient
replacement. Funding for ventilation equipment is available from the Green Deal, Enhanced Capital
Allowances and the Energy Efficiency Financing Scheme. Planning permission will not be required.
However, Building Regulations Approval is needed} @ $ < .
Extract fans with heat This acts like a regular extract fan but £350 per fan 2% reduction Heavily
recovery it recovers the heat from the air in heating dependent
before it leaves the building. It would costs on the
not be worthwhile installing this number of
except when you need to replace the fans
existing fan or if you do not already
have a fan as the energy savings are
not very high.
Variable speed drive for air For air conditioning systems that £200-£3,000 20 % 1 to 5
handling unit fan ventilate buildings with a variable depending on reduction in years
occupancy variable speed drives can the number electricity
significantly reduce the amount of required. demand
energy required to run the air
conditioning system. They work by
varying the speed of the motor that
runs the system according to how
much air is required, which will
depend on occupancy. They are
suitable for buildings such as offices,
schools, hospitals and leisure centres
Introduction
Depending on your building type , electronic equipment and appliances
can consume a significant proportion of your building’s total energy
consumption. Funding for efficient equipment is available from the
Enhanced Capital Allowances and the Energy Efficiency Financing
Scheme.
Appliances
When replacing your appliances, aim to get the most energy efficient
models possible. If you’re buying a domestic item, most of these must
now carry the EU Energy rating label (shown on the right), which will
guide you in choosing the most energy efficient model.
Look for A-rated appliances, but be aware of the different “A” ratings
which exist. As appliances have become more energy efficient since the
first labels in 1995, the ratings have changed. For example, an "A++"
rated fridge is more efficient than an older "A" rated fridge, so you may
need to read the small print to determine which model is best. This also
varies between different appliances
Office equipment
Office equipment may account for 15% of your electricity bill. This is
from PCs, monitors, photocopiers and fax machines. Below are some
easy ways to reduce the energy consumption of these machines:
x Put things that are infrequently used on sleep or stand-by mode
during the day. A photocopier set on sleep mode when not in use
can save £125 a year
x If appliances are not in use overnight, switch them off. A
computer turned off each night can save £170 per year. Plug-in
timers can be used to ensure that equipment is turned off at night
x Minimise lighting in vending machines – it is often possible to
remove one of the fluorescent tubes
x When purchasing new equipment look out for energy efficiency
labels (shown to the right).
What’s involved?
In the UK the voltage varies around the average of 240 V. All electronic appliances are designed to operate at the
lower voltages which are sometimes received. A voltage optimisation system takes advantage of this and
regulates the incoming voltage to be in the lower range, thus reducing energy consumed by the appliances. All
appliances will work as normal, but you will be able to make savings on those which are voltage dependent, for
example, mains frequency fluorescent lighting and motors running on low loads.
Around 3 years.
What’s involved?
Building Management Systems (BMS) provide a central control for heating, ventilation, cooling and lighting,
according to changing requirements. This ensures that energy is not wasted by two systems (such as heating
and air conditioning) competing with each other.
BMS are well suited to larger buildings that have different heating and cooling requirements in different areas.
They can also be used to control energy in multi-building sites. However, the cost of BMS for small buildings has
reduced in recent years, so if you are replacing your controls it may be worth considering a BMS.
Because BMS provide localised temperature and ventilation control that is adjusted to the temperature outside
they will make your building more comfortable. They also monitor how much energy is being used in the
building and where, which can help to identify where and how energy can be saved.
Renewable energy describes energy which is generated from resources which are
replenished naturally. Renewable energy technologies which can be used at the building
scale are:
x Heat pumps - ground, air or water, for heating and hot water
Renewable energy technologies can be expensive to install, but once in they will provide you
with free or lower cost energy, and you may be able to earn money from the energy you
generate. If your building is off the main gas grid, then a renewable heat measure could be
particularly beneficial, since it would remove the reliance on costly oil-fuelled or electric
heating.
For larger non-residential buildings combined heat and power systems may also be
appropriate. These generally run on natural gas so are not renewable. However, they are a
efficient way of generating heat and electricity.
What’s involved?
Solar thermal panels are fitted to your roof and generate hot water for
your building. They collect energy from the sun and use it to heat up
water which is stored in a hot water cylinder. A boiler or immersion
heater is used for back-up and to heat the water further if necessary.
There are two types of panels: evacuated tubes and flat plate collectors.
Evacuated tubes are generally better performing, however flat plate Source: Richard Blanchard
collectors are sometimes preferred because they are less visually
intrusive, are more robust and are cheaper.
The system will produce around 60% of your building’s hot water needs. It is important to assess how much hot
water your building consumes in the summer to ensure that you size the system to meet that demand only.
Over-sizing the system can break the system as it will overheat in the summer. For this reason solar thermal is
not suitable for buildings that are not occupied in the summer such as schools for example.
What’s involved?
Solar photovoltaic panels generate electricity from sunlight. However, they even
generate on cloudy days. The power of the photovoltaic panel is measured in kilowatts
peak (kWp) which describes the rate at which it generates electricity at peak
performance (full direct sunlight in the summer). The panels come in an array of shapes
and sizes. A small office could generate 20% of its electricity with 40m2 of panels. Most
systems are made up of panels that fit on top of an existing roof, but you can also buy
solar tiles which are more expensive. Source: BioRegional
What’s involved?
Wind turbines use large blades to catch the wind. As they move round, they drive a
turbine which generates electricity. The stronger the wind, the more electricity is
produced.
There are two types of small scale wind turbine: pole mounted and building mounted. Pole
mounted turbines are free standing and are placed in a suitably exposed position. They
usually have a capacity of around 6kW. Building mounted turbines are smaller (1kW to Source: Farm4
2kW) and fix to the roof. It is not recommended installing building mounted turbines in
urban or built up areas due to low and disturbed wind flows. They can also cause disturbance to the building
structure due to the vibration caused by the turbine.
Standalone job.
Green Deal Feed in Tariff (FIT). Current
28p/kWh for all the electricity that you
generate plus 3p/kWh for any electricity
that you export to the grid. Maintenance checks required every
few years (around £150). A well-
maintained turbine should last around
20 years, replacement inverter may
be needed which costs ~£1,500.
What’s involved?
Wood-fuelled (biomass) heating systems burn wood to create heat. A wood-fuelled
boiler provides hot water and central heating. These systems are generally designed
to use pellets, wood chip or logs. They can also be designed to use biomass in other
forms which may be a by-product on your site, for example, wood cuttings or sawdust.
Wood chip is the cheapest fuel, however it is only suitable for larger boilers. Pellet
requires the least amount of maintenance but is the most expensive woodfuel.
Source: BioRegional
Renewable Heat Incentive: You receive Large systems (over 50kW) will need
7.9p/kWh generated for 15% of the to have someone on site who can
energy you generate and 2p/kWh for all attend to the boiler. For smaller
subsequent energy generation. systems an annual maintenance visit
Enhanced Capital Allowances. is required as well as de-ashing
Energy Efficiency Financing Scheme. around once a month.
What’s involved?
Air source heat pumps absorb heat from the outside air and uses it to
provide central heating and/ or hot water. They can also run in reverse to
produce cooling. Air source heat pumps are a good option if you currently
have electric heating, but if you have gas heating they may not save you any
money.
Even when it is cold outside, it can still extract heat from the air. The pump Source: BioRegional
has running costs associated with it because it requires electricity to run. If it performs well then it will produce a
lot more heat energy than the electrical energy it uses and so the running costs will be relatively low. Field tests
show that a typical pump runs at 220% efficiency.
What’s involved?
A combined heat and power (CHP) system generates electricity
(usually from natural gas) in an engine and the heat that is produced
as a by-product is then utilised for heating one or more buildings.
This is more efficient than generating electricity at a power station as
the waste heat can be used instead of being released into the
atmosphere.
A combined heat and power system is only suitable for buildings that
Source: Vital Energi
have a significant and continuous heat demand throughout the day
and the year. Buildings such as hospitals, leisure centres that have a swimming pool and large hotels could
consider this technology.
CHP can be attached to a district heating network to supply heat to a number of buildings, which can also help
balance out the demand for hot water. Electricity can be exported to the grid and electricity and heat sold to
other customers.
This section focuses on how you can reduce your water consumption.
In line with the >@$ , the first page explains how to reduce your demand and
make your water appliances as efficient as possible. This could help you save money. The
second and third pages explain how you can re-use your water. Not only could this save
you money, but it will also save on the energy used to treat mains water.
x Save water
x Irrigation
x Water re-use
For further information please see the Building Futures $ $>
What’s involved?
There are a few relatively easy measures which can be installed to significantly reduce your water consumption.
You can also make sure that you are not wasting water from leaking taps or urinals. A 5mm drip from a leaking
tap can cost £900 per year. For more information see the Building Futures
Aerated taps Tap aerators can be installed in your taps. Low flow tap Around £13 per Less than 6
These reduce the flow from the tap but because inserts: tap per year. months.
the water is aerated the user will not notice the around £5 per
difference in flow rate. tap.
Timers and sensors Taps are often accidently left running when no Motion 50% reduction Depends
for taps one is using them. Two types of taps are sensor: in water use. how often
available that prevent this: Around £100 taps are
x Push-button: Only run for a limited period. per tap. left
Push-button running.
x Motion sensor taps: Only run when hands
are detected beneath the tap. taps: around
£50/ tap.
Dual flush WCs If you refurbish the WCs in the building you Dual flush Saves around 6 Less than a
should opt for those that have two different insert: Around litres of water year.
flush volumes. Dual flush devices can also be £50/WC. every flush.
retrofitted to WCs. A cheaper option is to put a Hippo: free This would save
hippo or save-a-flush device in the cistern which from water over £100 per
will save a few litres each flush. company. year.
Controls for urinals Urinals that do not have controls will flush 24 Around £100 50-90% Around 1
hours a day including when the building is per urinal. reduction in year.
unoccupied. Different types of control are water use for
available either using movement detection or the urinal (saves
timers. between £50
and £90 per
year).
Waterless urinals Waterless urinals do not need any flushing. The £90-£300 per Around 65,700 Less than 1
lack of water actually makes the urinals less urinal. litres per year year.
prone to issues such as: for each urinal
x Odour – often caused by limescale. (saves around
£100/year/
x Water leaks and flooding.
urinal).
Water efficient When replacing appliances which use water, such as a dishwasher, make sure you choose a
appliances model with a good water consumption rating. In addition to energy consumption, the EU
energy symbol also rates domestic appliances such as dishwashers and washing machines
according to their water consumption.~ www.sust-it.net information
domestic appliances.
What’s involved?
If your building has grounds which are maintained, you can reduce the amount of mains water used for watering
them with the following steps. For more information see the @ $ $>
.
Water butt If you have access to a drain pipe from the roof Around £20 Each year an
you can save a significant amount of mains per water average roof
water by installing a water butt and using the butt. collects
water collected in this for irrigation. Water butts around
with lids are available to prevent leaves and 85,000 litres
other debris contaminating the water. of water -
enough to
fill 450 water
butts a year.
Source: BioRegional
Planting to reduce irrigation Choose plants which require less watering, for
example those with silver/grey leaves. For a list
of drought-resistant plants go to
http://apps.rhs.org.uk/advicesearch/profile.asp
x?PID=396
Use mulch (a layer of loose material which
covers the cultivated soil) to help the soil to
retain moisture.
When planting, make sure you do so when the
Source: Tony Rodd
plant is still small and that you thoroughly water
them, this helps to reduce how much water they
need in the longer term.
What’s involved?
Once you have reduced your building’s water consumption, you could then consider meeting some of the
remaining demand through water re-use. There are two main options to do this, both of which reduce the
amount of water drawn from the mains supply, thereby saving you money. In both cases, you would still require
mains water for drinking, washing and cooking. For more information see the Building Futures guide on water.
Water re-use systems do not require planning permission. However, the system will need to comply with
Building Regulations and Building Control approval will need to be sought (your installer should be able to do
this for you). Funding is not currently available for water re-use systems.
Rainwater Rainwater is collected in a tank (which can be The system £2,500-£4,000 30-50% of
harvesting above or under ground). The water is filtered to needs to be for a small water use.
remove any debris and then is used for both inspected system.
irrigation and toilet/urinal flushing. regularly to
Your building will need a reasonably sized roof to reduce any
make this worthwhile. To give an indication contamination
100m2 of roof space would be needed for an risk.
office with 20 employees.
Grey-water The grey waste water from showers and wash- Regular Approximately 30-50% of
recycling basins is collected in a tank (which can be above maintenance £3,000 for a water use.
or below ground). Contaminated water from from a small system.
WCs, washing machines, kitchen sinks and specialist is
dishwashers is not collected. The water is required.
treated so that it can be used again for There should
toilet/urinal flushing and irrigation. also be periodic
sampling of the
water to
More information is available from:
ensure it is not
www.wrap.org.uk/media_centre/press_releases/ contaminated.
free_advice_to_help.html
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What’s involved?
You can protect your building and surrounding buildings from flash floods by taking steps to make it easier for
water to soak into the ground.
If a lot of your grounds , an excellent way of doing this is to replace
gravel bed or grass.
If paving is necessary, for example in a car park, then you could consider using permeable paving. You can also
collect the rainwater for useful purposes such as irrigation or for flushing WCs.
Permeable paving Surface flooding can be avoided by installing a surface that is permeable. The
rainwater can then permeate down through the layer of paving and gravel, either
directly into the ground or into a channel or other water body.
The different types of permeable paving are:
x Gravel
x Interlocking brick pavers (no mortar is used)
x Grass reinforcement to prevent mud
Source: Tomy Lees Pollutants in the water (for example oil) are filtered out as the water passes
through
More information is available from:
.http://apps.rhs.org.uk/advicesearch/Profile.aspx?pid=738
; < !
Rainwater harvesting Collecting rainwater is another great way of reducing surface run-off during
storms. For more information please see the Water Re-use or Irrigation sections.
Green roofs A roof is made green by placing on top of the roof a medium in which vegetation
can grow. A waterproof layer is placed between the roof surface and the growing
medium. Green roofs absorb rainwater as it falls on the roof, reducing the amount
running directly off the building and Green roofs also help to
keep the building cool in the summer and warm in the winter, and promote
biodiversity.
Before installing a green roof you need to check that your building’s roof is strong
enough to support the extra weight.
Source: BioRegional ~
Sustainable drainage systems If you are undertaking landscaping at your premises you could consider
incorporating sustainable drainage systems, which will not only help to prevent
flooding but will also promote biodiversity. Techniques include:
Infiltration trenches: Trenches filled with gravel that store water.
Swales and basins: Depressions in the grass that either direct water to a water-
course or store the water temporarily.
Source: BioRegional Ponds: Ponds can be designed to hold additional water during storms.
What’s involved?
The first step to prevent overheating in your building is to make the most of any passive ventilation which is
available. Ensure that enough windows are open to allow air to flow through the building (for example, by
opening windows at opposite sides of the building). Q
Louvers or blinds External louvers or internal blinds allow light into the building but Cost of
keep out direct sunlight, this helps to reduce overheating on sunny fixed solar
days. They can be adjusted to allow more light in on overcast days. shading:
You can also incorporate solar PV cells into your windows to help around
with shading. £6,000 for
a medium
sized
Planning permission would be required for the installation of any office.
external shading device. They would also need to comply with the
Building Regulations.
Green walls and other planting Plants are well known for their cooling effect. If your building is
surrounded by lots of vegetation, it will remain cooler than a
building surrounded by paving, so think about growing plants, in pots
if you don’t have access to the ground.
Source: BioRegional
Landscaping for cooling A well-designed landscape can reduce your heating and cooling
costs. On average, landscaping for energy efficiency provides enough
energy savings to return an initial investment in less than 8 years, by
including features which create shading such as deciduous trees that
prevent overheating in summer, but still allow light to enter the
building in the winter.
What’s involved?
If your building requires cooling then it is likely that savings can be made by upgrading the existing equipment or
replacing it with newer, more efficient technologies. In the meantime, ensure that your current cooling system is
well maintained as this will keep it running as efficiently as possible. In particular you should make sure that any
condensers for your air conditioning units remain un-obstructed and free from dust.
Energy efficient cooling measures can be funded through Enhanced Capital Allowances and the Energy
Efficiency Financing Scheme.
More information is available from the Carbon Trust Guide: Air conditioning technology guide (CTG005).
Upgrade air conditioning If you have an old air conditioning unit, consider replacing it with a new, more
efficient model.
This can result in a 25% reduction in energy demand for cooling. For a central air
conditioning system this would payback in 3-5 years. For an individual system the
payback period would be 10-20 years.
Planning permission for upgrading an air conditioning system would not be
required. However, it would need to comply with the Building Regulations.
Chilled beams Chilled beams are placed just below the surface of a ceiling. Cold water runs through
them and, as it does so, it cools the surrounding air which then sinks to the floor.
Warm air then rises causing a cycle of convection which keeps the air circulating.
Chilled beams use less energy for cooling than air conditioning units or ceiling fans.
They can also be used for heating.
This solution would not require planning permission. However, the installation
would need to comply with building regulations.
Absorption cooling Absorption chillers use a heat source to provide the energy required to operate the
cooling system. This can be an efficient way of providing cooling if it uses heat
produced by existing equipment such as computer servers or an industrial process.
More information is available from the Carbon Trust Guide: An introduction to
absorption cooling (GPG256)
(http://www.carbontrust.co.uk/publications/pages/publicationdetail.aspx?id=ADD0
01).
This solution would not require planning permission unless a flue is needed.
However, the installation would need to comply with Building Regulations.