Insulating your historic building: a guide by Station South
Station South, based in Levenshulme, is a destination cycle café, bar, bike workshop and urban garden, set in an Old Victorian Railway Station.
Recently, they teamed up with In Our Nature through our Community Support initiative to install some new insulation and deliver a series of events and workshops to help people improve the efficiency of their homes in Levenshulme.
Shaped by a rich history dating back to 1892, Station South’s mock Tudor building and its timber roof structure, whilst undeniably beautiful, takes a lot of energy to heat and, as a result, contributes heavily to their carbon footprint, something Station South sought to address through the addition of insulation.
“We wanted to reduce the energy used in keeping the building comfortable for our visitors in the colder months and add roof insulation to prevent heat escaping. We were also keen to choose an environmentally sustainable material.”
Insulating a historic building – Station South’s advice
There are many things to consider when thinking about insulating or retrofitting your historical building, from practicality to aesthetics and potential damage to or loss of existing features.
Did you know… For places of worship, the Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research at the University of Manchester have put together this handy guide which covers reducing heating use, generating electricity on site, changing heat supply and travel to places of worship as well as green technologies like heat pumps, solar power, LED lights and rainwater harvesting.
For us, our main concern was trapping moisture which we were advised could potentially cause dampness and rot in the timber roof.
We looked into the different materials available and discovered the benefits of sheep wool insulation; it’s hygroscopic (able to absorb moisture), organic, lasts a lifetime, is safe to handle, non-flammable and could be locally sourced from British sheep.
Great news we thought - this is the material for us! However, after chatting with Carbon Co-op we discovered the potential problem of moths. If we got an infestation of wool parasites, our prized insulation could disappear. So, we opted for treated wool which was more expensive but will now last longer than us.
TIP: Older buildings come in many shapes and sizes, and often the insulation solution will differ depending on what type of roof you have. Check out the Historic England website, if you’re in need of some advice.
How much did it cost, and could I get financial support to insulate my building?
In total, buying the insulation cost £2,314 and installing the insulation cost another £400.
Whilst insulation and retrofit projects can be very expensive, support is available:
Free guide for financial support for UK heritage projects: Heritage Funding Directory
Energy Company Obligation (ECO): Energy Company Obligation (ECO) - Homeowners and tenants | Ofgem
Low emission zone retrofit fund: Low emission zone retrofit fund - Energy Saving Trust
Warm Homes: Social Housing Fund Wave 3: Warm Homes: Social Housing Fund Wave 3 - GOV-UK Find a grant (find-government-grants.service.gov.uk)
Great British Insulation Scheme: Free Grant for UK Homes: Great British Insulation Scheme: Free Grant for UK Homes (ukenergysupport.co.uk)
Apply for the Boiler Upgrade Scheme: Apply for the Boiler Upgrade Scheme: Overview - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
Your Home Better: FINANCE OPTIONS — YOUR HOME BETTER
Free Insulation Schemes: Loft Insulation Grants UK - Free Government-Backed Scheme | Free Insulation Scheme
In Our Nature’s tips for securing funding to retrofit your building
Whilst all funders are different, and their exact criteria may vary, one thing they all have in common is that they love when you can include evidence and clearly demonstrate the need for your project in your application. Here’s some information that could help:
The 2022 Update to the Manchester Climate Change Framework stated that 76% of Manchester’s direct emissions come from the built environment and states that: “In order to reach zero carbon we need to retrofit our existing buildings – our homes, institutions, industrial and commercial premises – to make them more energy efficient. They need to be better insulated, rely less on gas for heating, and use more efficient appliances and equipment.
We’ve created a carbon footprint for every ward in Manchester, why not take a close look at how your area is doing in terms of energy use and EPC ratings to include in your funding bid? Find your local carbon footprint here: www.inournature.uk/our-carbon-footprints.
Make sure to keep any supporting evidence you may have to show your current energy usage, either from a recent bill or smart meter reading, and to provide a baseline to track your energy use decreasing.
Find more fundraising tips by visiting the Historic England website.
