How much can you gain by making your home more energy efficient?

Our latest report looked at Edinburgh’s housing stock to find out which kinds of homes could benefit from making energy efficiency improvements (you can also read our Bristol report here).

The report showed that investing in these improvements could cut bills, reduce emissions and increase the value of your home! But it also showed that the benefits really depend on the type of home you own and the type of improvements you make.

In this article, we’re going to look at which 5 types of homes have the most to gain from becoming more energy efficient.

Coming in at the bottom of our list at number 5 are Nifty New Builds.

5. Nifty New Builds

Modern-day building regulations mean that these homes were built to be more energy efficient than older homes. Built after 2003, they included better-quality wall and roof insulation, modern heating systems, and greater airtightness (meaning reduced draughts).

Our research shows that just 4% of Edinburgh’s new builds have an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating worse than ‘C’.

These may be the most energy-efficient of Edinburgh’s homes but there’s still room for improvement!

The biggest efficiency gain for new builds is to install solar panels. This will reduce carbon emissions and cut energy bills, meaning you’ll see payback on the cost of installation within several years.

All in, our report shows that making your new build more energy efficient could result in:

• £237 annual energy saving
• £2,370 increase in property value
• 0.77 CO2 saving (t)

4. Gorgeous Georgians

In at number 4 are Gorgeous Georgians. These historic buildings were built between the late 1700s and 1850. Back then, limited technology and materials meant that these homes weren’t very energy efficient. In fact, they’re one of the least energy-efficient homes in Edinburgh.

59% of these Georgian homes have an EPC rating worse than ‘C’.

Georgian homes have large single-glazed windows, through which a lot of heat can escape. They’re also built with solid non-insulated walls, unlike more modern homes. Unfortunately, these homes are often listed buildings. So improvements can be more costly, and some even unviable.

The biggest efficiency gain for Georgian homes is to install secondary glazing. This is an efficient way of improving the heat retention of your windows. It also makes your home more secure, and reduces noise pollution.

All in, our report shows that making your Georgian home more energy efficient could result in:

• £497 annual energy saving
• £4,970 increase in property value
• 0.96 CO2 saving (t)

3. Toasty Tenements

In response to the 19th century Scottish housing crisis, Edinburgh’s iconic stone tenement buildings were built in large numbers. But while they were built for families, the speed and modest budget meant that insulation wasn’t high on the list of priorities.

As a result, 57% of tenements have an EPC rating worse than ‘C’.

Most tenement buildings have uninsulated walls, poorly-insulated floors and old double glazing. And as they can be small inside, you might be limited in terms of the improvements you can make. For example, wall insulation would reduce already limited floor space.

But there’s still a lot you can do to make it more energy efficient. One of the most effective upgrades is installing modern A-rated glazing. Not only is it affordable, but it’ll do a great job of keeping draughts out and heat in.

All in, our report shows that making your tenement home more energy efficient could result in:

• £723 annual energy saving
• £7,230 increase in property value
• 1.37 CO2 saving (t)

2. Mid-Century Marvels

These post-war houses were built between 1950 and 2002, and they make up the majority of Edinburgh’s housing stock. But since these mid-century homes include flats, detached, semi-detached, and terraced homes, the opportunity differs depending on your type of property.

59% of these homes have an EPC rating worse than ‘C’.

Most of Edinburgh’s mid-century homes were built with double glazing and loft insulation as standard, but there’s still a lot of room for improvement.

If you only do one thing, you’ll want to develop a tailored home efficiency plan. Use an energy efficiency expert, like Snugg, to develop a personalised plan based on the starting point of your individual home, so that you can consider the best payback for each potential investment.

All in, our report shows that making your mid-century home more energy efficient could result in:

• £881 annual energy saving
• £8,810 increase in property value
• 2.82 CO2 saving (t)

1. Breeze-Free Bungalows

In our top spot are Edinburgh’s bungalows. Built between 1914 and 1944, they’re a newer addition to the city’s landscape than their historic counterparts. But many still have ageing, inefficient infrastructure. There’s plenty of room for improvements, however, thanks to having easy access and limited planning restrictions.

A shocking 89% of Edinburgh’s bungalows have an EPC rating worse than ‘C’.

Since bungalow’s are detached, there’s plenty of room to add loft and wall insulation. You might even consider installing floor insulation to stop heat from escaping through the floor into the ground.

All in, our report shows that making your bungalow more energy efficient could result in:

• £1,672 annual energy saving
• £16,720 increase in property value
• 4.63 CO2 saving (t)

How energy efficient could you make your home?

As we’ve seen, our report showed that any home can be made more energy efficient. And doing so could slash your yearly energy bills, cut your carbon emissions and boost the value of your home considerably.

But as every home’s different, you’ll need to consider which types of efficiency improvements are most suitable for your home.

Thankfully, we have a tool for that! Head over to https://www.snuggenergy.com/ and type in your postcode to get a free energy efficiency plan that’s designed for your home.