[Phoebe]

How would I go about planning my retrofit project based on cost effectiveness and impact of each measure? Is there a simple way to work this out or do I need to seek advice? Is using the payback period the best way to do this?

[chptr2archt]

Hi Phoebe – the recommended approach is an Improvement Option Evaluation. A consultant like myself first creates an energy model of your existing home, which gives a baseline for energy use. You then apply a series of energy efficiency measures individually (say external wall insulation, or new windows, or a heat pump) and see the impact of each on capital cost, payback, energy bills annual saving, carbon savings etc. You can then review again using packages of measures applied together  – so maybe windows + heat pump, or insulation + windows. Note simply adding up the individual measures’ savings is not the same as a ‘package’. From this analysis you can then see what capital spend will deliver in terms of payback, annual fuel savings and carbon savings. The correct package will depend on your motivations for doing a retrofit. If your consultant has access to other tools like PHPP they will be able to give you qualitative comparisons for things like the likelihood of overheating or rooms reaching temperature in winter. If you want to chat further please drop me a line. Alex Bell – Director, Chapter 2 Architects | Retrofit Coordinator | alex@chptr2archt.co.uk

[Phoebe]

Thanks Alex, this was really useful! I’m still early in my retrofit journey but this is definitely something we will implement when we go ahead. Thanks 🙂

[Mike]

Hi Phoebe,

We only just joined the Forum.

A CHEESE not-for-profit thermal survey of the inside of your home, with pressure reduction, will reveal compelling images for you of where your heat is escaping. We make suggestions as to how to deal with this – and the most cost-effective methods are with DIY and low-cost materials. This can make a surprisingly big difference to comfort and bills. For most people, retrofitting is a journey which begins with the cheap fixes and goes on to the bigger ticket, longer-payback measures as and when they can be afforded. Find out what’s wrong with your home first. As customers say to us, “Now I know where to start.” and, “When you see it you know you can fix it.” Our best publicity is from our customer testimonials: check out our 50+ TrustPilot five-star reviews.

Mike Andrews CEO

[Author]

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