Camden Council receives retrofit funding to create second 'eco-house'

Camden Council has announced plans to create its second 'eco-house' after winning £150,000 in government funding.

Following on from the success of the groundbreaking retrofit project which saw 17 St Augustine's Road transformed into a low energy 'eco-house' delivering a 65% reduction in carbon emissions, the council and its partners will now turn their attention to a new property.
 
The three-storey Victorian terraced house, which was built in the 1880s, stands at 8 Bertram Street within a local conservation area.

The transformation of the property could see its carbon emissions reduced by around 80%, while all work to the property will respect the building's heritage and that of the local area.

The planned changes include draught proofing, internal solid wall insulation, floor and loft insulation, the windows upgraded to double or vacuum glazing, installation of a new shower, and solar panels installed to generate heat and electricity.

The council will also carry out other improvement works to the property as part of its work investing £413m to bring all Camden homes up to the Government's decent homes standard.

The council successfully bid for funding with environmental charity, the Sustainable Energy Academy, who also worked with the council on the retrofit of 17 St Augustine's Road, and organisations Parity Projects and United House.

Councillor Chris Naylor, Executive Member for Homes and Housing Strategy, Camden Council, said: “Sustainability is a top priority for the council. We led the way in turning 17 St Augustine’s Road into a low energy house, and I’m thrilled that we’re looking at how these lessons can apply to a second property.

"What's crucial is that this is a 'hands-on' demonstration project which shows that energy saving measures work. But is also an exemplar which promotes behavioural change. Not only are we improving our homes for Camden residents but we’re doing so in an environmentally friendly way.”

Emissions from domestic buildings are responsible for 27% of overall carbon dioxide emissions from the UK.  Of these the most inefficient buildings are those homes that were built before 1919.

17 St Augustine's Road was one of only three projects of its kind in the UK, and was a groundbreaking experiment in reducing carbon emissions while preserving heritage.

The property has reduced its carbon emissions by 65% despite the fact that the house is now heated to a higher temperature than before. The project has won three industry awards and has received around 3,000 visitors during the past two years.