![Rooms on the southwest elevation of this grade II* house increasingly suffered from overheating in summer. Historic fixings for external blinds were identified in the window reveals and replacement blinds were fitted. [Credit: Historic England]](/assets/news_articles/2024/07/1721715030_eh1.jpg)
Around a quarter of the UK’s building stock is more than 100 years old, according to Historic England. These buildings need to be adapted, not only to support the transition to a Net Zero society, but also to improve cost-efficiency and thermal comfort for occupants, thus ensuring they remain safe, desirable and viable assets for the future.
Historic England’s Advice Note 18, Adapting Historic Buildings for Energy and Carbon Efficiency, sets out how old buildings can be kept in use by sensitive and appropriate retrofitting. Keeping historic buildings in use in this way can help to reduce carbon emissions, reliance on fossil fuels, and energy costs, it says.
Primarily aimed at local planning authorities, heritage consultants and those involved in the planning process, the Historic England Advice Note has now been published and is available to access here.
While this Advice Note is aimed at a specialist audience, it will likely be useful to building owners and occupiers. Its publication follows consultation on a draft version last November/December.
Advice Note 18 provides:
- Advice on advice on what permissions, such as listed building consent, are needed for some of the common changes required to decarbonise and improve the energy efficiency of historic buildings
- Advice to assist local planning authorities – and other parties involved in the planning process – in determining proposals to decarbonise and improve the energy efficiency of historic buildings to enable positive climate action. Some typical building adaptations in response to climate change impacts are also included
- Signposting to other relevant information, advice, and guidance.
Questions for homeowners about listed buildings and homes in conservation areas are also answered, including advice on insulation, boilers and heating systems, heat pumps, draft-proofing, replacing or adapting windows, and installing solar panels.
![Chippenham Hall, Chippenham, Cambridgeshire. Exterior general view showing solar panels with beech screen and west wing. [Credit: Historic England Archive]](https://www.theconstructionindex.co.uk/assets/news_articles/2024/07/1721715066_eh-solar-1-.jpg "Chippenham Hall, Chippenham, Cambridgeshire. Exterior general view showing solar panels with beech screen and west wing. [Credit: Historic England Archive]")
Historic England has also produced a series of case studies highlighting effective solutions that save energy and carbon, while preserving the heritage of each building and making them comfortable to live and work in.
Ian Morrison, director of policy and evidence at Historic England, said: “This Advice Note demonstrates how the sustainable use and reuse of our historic buildings can help address the impacts of climate change. It provides clear advice to local planning authorities, heritage consultants and those involved in the planning process, alongside building owners and occupiers, to ensure England’s historic buildings are adapted appropriately to respond to the climate crisis.”
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