Are you looking to improve the energy efficiency of your listed building while preserving its historic character?
Many people think that getting permission for energy upgrades is impossible – but with the right advice and approach, it’s entirely achievable.
Our Green Heritage Homes project offers expert guidance and useful resources to make it easier to take your next steps.
Listed Buildings
Listed Building Survey
Our specialised Listed Building Surveys help you find energy upgrades that suit your home – and are most likely to be approved through the Listed Building Consent process. Each survey includes:
A Home Energy Efficiency Plan from one of our expert assessors
Level 0 Pre-Application advice from a Bath and North East Somerset Council Conservation Officer
A joint visit to your home to assess options and provide guidance.
We’ll be re-launching this service in Autumn 2025. If you’re interested, register below and we’ll let you know when bookings are open.
Video guides: How to upgrade your listed building
Explore our series of short, accessible videos that explain how to approach retrofit in listed buildings – with real-life, local case studies and expert tips.
Energy Efficient Windows
Explore four practical ways to improve windows: draught proofing, secondary glazing and slim double glazing and vacuum glazing.
Green Heritage Homes
Find out what the Green Heritage Homes project is all about, and how it supports listed building owners.
Understanding your Listed Building
We talk about what it means to apply conservation principles and guidance to an energy project, using Lansdown Crescent in Bath as an example.
Solar Panels on Historic Buildings
Discover how to assess your roof and chosoe the best solar panel design and location for a listed property.
Listed Building Landlords and Energy
Find guidance for landlords on improving energy efficiency in historic homes – why it matters and how to get started.
Air Source Heat Pumps
See how heat pumps can work for listed buildings, with a case study from the iconic Beckford’s Tower in Bath.
Solid wall insulation
Understand the benefits of breathable wall insulation and what to consider when retrofitting solid walls in heritage homes.
Simple Energy Saving Measures
Quick wins for saving energy that may not require Listed Building Consent. Ideal for getting started right away.
Downloadable factsheets
We’ve worked with Bath and North East Somerset Council to create factsheets that guide you through the consent process and help you choose retrofit measures. We have a version for BANES and another for the rest of England outside the area.
Listed Building Consent Factsheet
Includes conservation principles and how to assess the heritage significance of a listed building.
Listed Building Energy Measures Factsheet
Includes considerations for each energy measure. These can be distributed at events and to survey recipients.
Other useful resources
What is the Green Heritage Homes project?
Green Heritage Homes is a partnership project led by BWCE, working in partnership with Bath and North East Somerset Council, Bath Preservation Trust, the Centre for Sustainable Energy and People Powered Retrofit.
We believe it’s possible to conserve our beautiful listed homes while saving energy and also protecting the climate. This project brings together heritage conservation and energy experts to offer advice, events and resources that make the process easier to understand and act on.
It is part of the Local Energy Advice Demonstrator (LEAD) Programme, grant funded by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero supported by the South West Net Zero Hub.
