Energy
This theme looks at some of the issues in energy use, now and into the future, and how access to affordable energy plays a vital role in the future security of residents and charities. The theme focuses on energy conservation in terms of building performance, especially as we move towards Net Zero Targets for 2030 and beyond. Reducing energy demand and by implication carbon emissions can have multiple benefits, beyond mere legislative compliance. Here we look at where and how are almshouse communities are responding to these changing demands.
The construction industry has a relatively short-term approach compared to the age of the housing stock across the UK, and the range of ages of almshouses. New housing is often designed for a 60-year life, despite there being a substantial number of homes already enjoying much longer life. About 15% of homes in England were built before 1900, with almost half our homes (46%) built between 1930 and 1982 (ONS 2022). The age of a house generally relates to how energy efficient it is, with older properties more likely to be less efficient than homes built since 2012. Older properties have a higher percentage of poor homes. In England about one third of homes built before 1919 are considered to be of poorer quality.
With increasing pressure on households through the current cost-of-living crisis, trustees and staff of charities are having to act on energy conservation measures. For some charities the focus is on whether existing buildings can be improved and ensuring they are fit for purpose in terms of energy use, and residents’ wellbeing:
“ … we’ve got several properties where we’ve installed double glazing where the previous trustees haven’t … because our issue has been focusing on the wellbeing of the residents rather than for climate purposes”
(Governance 1).
The charity partners have had to cope with a high level of uncertainty in planning for reducing carbon emissions and lowering environmental impact. The regulatory landscape has been particularly unstable and there is a lack of clarity on the direction of policy. This means that planning (or not planning) for changes carries a high risk. The partners who have been leading the way with approaches and technologies to reduce energy consumption have found a lack of expertise in the construction sector. Many low-carbon technologies are still relatively immature, and specialists are scarce, both for installing and maintaining the technologies. The Almshouse Association is intending to provide high-level guidance later in 2024. The major challenges for almshouse charities around reducing environmental impact will continue until a clear and stable direction for nation policy is set, supported by investment in expertise in skills and technologies across the construction sector.
Staff and trustees of almshouse charities will have to address any future legislation that applies, as well as consideration for the wellbeing of residents. The partner charities in the research are in the process of establishing the energy performance of their stock. For some charities it is a matter of getting existing homes up to an acceptable energy efficient standard, such as reaching an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) standard of C. Not all charities will have EPCs for all their properties. There is an incentive to get an EPC as it can often unlock funding for retrofitting measures. For example, the government-funded Home Upgrade Grant applies to properties with an EPC of D or below. For some charities with historic buildings, energy saving measures will remain an issue as the property’s construction type does not lend itself easily to energy conservation measures such as retrofitting wall insulation, either external or internal. There will be more complex decisions to face in the future for almshouse charities, over building fabric, compliance, conservation of energy and conservation of historic buildings. Older properties are seen as harder to treat, and failure of the fabric can often be very evident:
“… in the winter, these walls go black, which is no one’s fault, it’s just the buildings are old.”
(Resident 43)
“But we do know we’re going to hit problems with decarbonisation, where we’re going to have to get our energy ratings up on some schemes. And you’re going to be expected to be sitting at least C. And we know some of them are going to fail based on insulation, and the fact that they’re single brick. They were built years and years ago”
(Staff 6)
As with other upgrades, such as wet rooms, charities take the opportunity to do works when the property is empty. This includes some prediction on the way legislation and future requirements are likely to head, as that property may not be empty again for several years. One charity has taken the decision to remove secondary heating sources:
“… because that’s going to be a thing as well. So, if they’ve got a combi boiler in, and we’ve previously put an electric fire in, when it’s empty, we’re taking the electric fire out”
(Staff 6)
Not all energy saving requires technological intervention, either in the form of low technology such as insulation or high technological solutions such as heat pumps. For new build properties the design and layout of dwellings can improve thermal performance. When a building’s orientation is considered in early planning decisions, this can improve thermal performance year-round. One resident commented that they:
“… hardly ever use any heating. I’ve got the sun all day. Even in the winter, the winter sun heats the flat, so it’s a great spot”
(Resident 13)
This represents an energy saving by benefiting from direct solar gain in the winter but must be balanced with the potential risk of over-heating in the summer. Additional solar shading could be required which is another consideration for historic almshouses that may not be permitted to modify an existing listed façade. Solar panels can be another opportunity:
“We’ve been able to take advantage of the flat roof and put solar panels … We’ve been able to use some of the money for the benefit of the residents by investing in cheaper electricity”
(Governance 1).
In this case, some almshouse residents do not pay their energy bills directly and it is paid through the charity. This can present a problem in reducing energy consumption due to responsibility for use and competing priorities. Localised control in each dwelling offers control for the resident but centralised systems can represent savings for the charity and for the individual.
Almshouses face the same challenges as society in terms of decarbonisation and energy conservation. Almshouse charities face additional pressures in terms of management and compliance as many charities have historic building fabric and may not have the numbers of properties to take advantage of economies of scale. Each charity is responding to immediate and future needs of residents in an uncertain world.
