WE’RE CONSTANTLY TOLD TO ‘GO GREEN’, BUT WHAT CAN WE REALLY DO TO HELP?

The government aims to cut housing emissions by 80% by 2050, a feat unlikely to be achieved with a few energy-saving light bulbs. So, in search of solutions, we talked to renowned architect Seth Stein. He is currently helping to construct an eco-home in Bath, and has given us three quick tips to help improve your home’s energy efficiency:

· Upgrade items such as light bulbs, white goods and boilers

· Ensure your building is well insulated and air-tight

· Investigate changing your energy supplier

Seth’s house in Lansdown, when finished next year, will be the equivalent of a CSH level 5. It has solar panels, a wind turbine, super-insulated construction systems and a heat recovery system. Ash from a blast furnace has replaced cement in the thick walls, while all the stone used for cladding has been salvaged from the previous building on site.

A CHALLENGE

Seth explains achieving a truly environmentally-friendly property in Bath is a challenge. “Historic buildings have other criteria regarding preservation and restoration, and these considerations may lead to compromise as far as achieving a high sustainability and environmental performance”, he says. “Retro-fitting can be expensive, and unless the property has land from which you could recover heat or site solar panels, the options for generating energy will be restricted. Additionally the opportunity to achieve higher insulation may be prevented by the requirement to retain original Georgian features.”

So it seems we’re in a Catch-22 situation. Yes, we are guardians of the future and need to take responsibility for the next generation. Yes, we need to address the devastating impact we are having upon the environment. And yes, there are little things we can all do to help. But the extent of our involvement will largely depend upon the suitability of the property itself. Indeed, those living within one of Bath’s 5,000 listed buildings may be inclined to excuse themselves, pointing out that the Listing Authority just won’t allow it.

But you should not let this deter you. If your decision is to go green, there are things you can do – you simply need the right advice. As the sustainable home in Lansdown demonstrates, you can achieve a greener way of life, even in an area as complicated as Bath.

To delve deeper you should refer to the Code for Sustainable Homes (CSH) website. This offers guidelines upon sustainable building and has a points system for assessing the overall performance, with level 6 being the highest.