Prior Park Buildings
Home Energy Neighborhood pioneers
“We realised we didn’t have to figure this out alone.”
Five households on one street in Bath came together to improve their homes, and it changed how they approached home retrofit.
Grade II listed terrace
5 neighbours
Listed Building Energy Assessment & Planning Advice
3+ bedrooms
Heat loss and draughts
Type
Group members
BWCE Assessment
Size
Key issues
The neighbourhood
Each home had a detailed energy survey from BWCE, tailored to their property. As they are listed buildings, the homeowners chose to receive a ‘Level 0’ survey from a B&NES Council Conservation Officer at the same time, to help ensure any suggestions were suitable and sensitive in terms of planning consent.
At their relaxed get-together hosted in one of the homes on the street, the neighbours shared their results, compared experiences, and began to understand what would work best across their similar properties. Some had already made improvements while other were just getting started, but everyone learned something useful.
What they discovered
Draught-proofing and insulation made a bigger difference than expected
Secondary glazing significantly reduced heat loss in historic windows
Some improvements were simpler and more affordable than assumed
A thermal image from one of the assessments clearly showed how effective secondary glazing had been, with far less heat escaping compared to untreated windows.
What happened next
Since the get-together, several of the group have taken action, including:
Making draught-proofing and ventilation improvements
Installing loft and wall insulation
Refurbishing windows and adding secondary glazing
The neighbours continue to share knowledge, contacts and encouragement, making the whole process feel more manageable.
For some on the street, the next step is exploring a heat pump – now with a clearer understanding that it is possible to install such technology in a listed home like theirs.
Are you interested in doing something similar on your street?
Find out more, register your interest and we’ll help you get started.