Heritage Homes In the 21st Century

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At the beginning of 2024, the government announced an energy efficiency review for heritage homes in the UK aimed at cutting barriers to future-proofing whilst retaining the historical look of those homes. We report.

The review will also explore how these barriers are placing restrictions on the UK achieving net zero status by 2050. 

The Residence Collection commentary

With approximately 5.9 million properties built before 1919 in the UK, owners of these heritage buildings face difficult restrictions when looking to upgrade them structurally. With the appropriate energy saving measures, owners of buildings built before 1919 could save approximately £428 per year on their energy costs, showing the necessity of the government’s review.

The Residence Collection’s sales & marketing director, Sarah Hitchings, says: “Trying to change anything in a historic property or conservation area is a long drawn-out process, which can be immensely timely and costly.

“One of the biggest barriers for all homeowners of these properties is that every local authority’s planning department is different. With this, homeowners and planning authorities may not be aware of the innovative products available that can compassionately upgrade period properties while maintaining their original, historical looks. This makes it increasingly difficult for homeowners to be granted planning permission to upgrade their properties.

“Reviewing these barriers will mostly be positive for the fenestration industry, as PVC-U windows offer a great thermal performance and U-values for any type of home, so owners of older homes will really reap the benefits.”

Training

Hitchings adds: “Plus, this will allow installers within the industry to add another sector to their business. However, not all installers are educated and experienced in fitting windows in heritage properties, so the review must be mindful that there could be a skills gap not just in the fenestration industry but across the board when upgrading period homes.

“As an industry, we must continue to encourage high-quality installations happening in these types of properties so as a sector we can support in preserving these homes while being a part of the solution to improve energy efficiency.”

The Residence Collection has earned widespread acceptance with local authorities in conservation areas and Grade-II listed buildings across the UK, by being designed with Article 4 guidelines in mind. This acceptance allows for an easier planning and installation process, removing some of the significant hurdles to maintaining the historical character of these properties.

Picture: A government review may help to lower planning permission issues when PVC-U timber-look windows are specified by owners of heritage homes.www.residencecollection.co.uk

Article written by Cathryn Ellis
22nd March 2024

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