‘Retrofitting’ is a term used to describe upgrading an existing home to make it more energy efficient including being warmer, greener, and cheaper to run. We recently spoke to Alice Brown, a local architect and retrofit coordinator, about the benefits of retrofitting and how it can help save money and reduce energy use.

Now, we’re talking to Edward, a homeowner in Islington, who transformed his Victorian property into a modern, low-carbon home. 

Tell us a bit about your renovation project? 

We bought the house five years ago. It needed major work, so while renovating, we decided to include retrofit upgrades as we had the means and opportunity. Our goal was to show that you can take an old Victorian house, modernise it, and make it almost no carbon emissions.  

What kind of work have you done? 

We started by replacing the roof. When that was done, we fully insulated it. We replaced all the windows with double-glazing and insulated floors and walls as we rebuilt rooms.  

We added solar panels on the roof which was probably the easiest decision. Electricity is expensive so generating our own was a no-brainer. I recommend everyone in the country with a roof to try and pursue solar panels. Most recently, we installed heat pump heating and got rid of gas. 

How did you change your heating system? 

From the start, I wanted to ditch gas. It took time to find the right contractor and technology. Four years ago, heat pumps were less efficient, but now they’re much better. The technology and contractors are improving and it’s becoming more accessible. It was definitely the most ambitious part of the project, but worth it.

The heat pump while expensive upfront saves about 20% on running costs and keeps the temperature steady all year. We also received £7,500 from the government’s Boiler Upgrade Scheme, which helped. But the comfort is the biggest benefit – the temperature is the same all year round. With gas boilers, it fluctuated. Now it’s perfect all the time – much more comfortable. 

How did you find the process? 

Most people don’t enjoy renovations but my wife and I have had a huge amount of fun with it. Contractors did a little bit, but we’ve done most of it ourselves. It’s been a fun hobby. If we weren’t so hands-on, getting more support from an architect would’ve been the next step.

We’ve watched plenty of YouTube videos and haven’t been afraid to take it on and try ourselves. If you make a mistake, you can fix it. We replaced all the radiators ourselves. It hasn’t worked perfectly every single time, but the final result is great. 

We were also lucky to find a contractor who was a perfect match. They did the big projects like the roof replacement, and we did the finishings ourselves. 

And now you’ve listed your house for people to come and see? 

Yes! I was impressed with the contractor who installed our heat pump and wanted to share that. I listed my house on the Visit A Heat Pump website. People were keen to come see it. We’ve had fun decorating, so we’re happy to show it off. 

I’ve been hosting events once a month since last November. People like to see it in winter when it’s running. They want to know how it works, if it’ll fit their house, and about regulations on placement. I recommend seeing one in person – it becomes clear what it takes to install one.  

Find energy saving guidance and retrofitting resources on the council’s website.