When you Retrofit a home, it improves the internal comfort for everyone living there. It also helps to make the home more energy efficient, while supporting health improvements.
In light of escalating energy costs and the pressing need to diminish carbon emissions, homeowners are increasingly considering how best to retrofit their homes. Retrofitting not only enhances the internal comfort and health of the occupants but also contributes to substantial energy savings. This article delves into how retrofitting can convert homes into more comfortable, healthier, and energy-efficient spaces.
The process of Retrofit involves upgrading existing buildings with new systems and technologies. These enhancements aim to boost the building’s performance, thereby improving the comfort and health of its occupants. Moreover, retrofitting presents a cost-effective solution to curtail energy consumption and reduce utility bills.
Improving Internal Comfort
Enhancing the home’s internal comfort is one of the primary advantages of retrofitting. This is accomplished through various means.
The “fabric first” approach is a methodology in building design and construction that prioritises the improvement of the building’s fabric or envelope (walls, roof, floors, and windows) to achieve energy efficiency, thermal comfort, and sustainability goals.
This approach emphasises optimising the building’s envelope through effective insulation, air sealing, and thermal mass to minimise heat loss, reduce energy consumption, and enhance occupant comfort.
By focusing on the fabric of the building as the primary line of defence against heat loss or gain, the fabric-first approach aims to create more energy-efficient and sustainable buildings from the outset, before considering the integration of additional energy systems or technologies.
Insulation: Adequate insulation is pivotal in maintaining a comfortable temperature inside the home. It diminishes heat loss in winter and curtails heat gain in summer, ensuring a consistent temperature year-round.
Ventilation: Sufficient ventilation is indispensable for preserving good indoor air quality. It aids in eliminating pollutants, dampness, and stagnant air, replacing it with fresh outdoor air.
Enhancing Health benefits
Retrofitting a home offers numerous health benefits for the occupants. By enhancing indoor air quality through upgraded ventilation systems and reducing sources of indoor pollutants, such as mould and dampness, retrofitting helps alleviate respiratory issues and allergies.
Additionally, improvements in thermal comfort achieved through better insulation and energy-efficient heating and cooling systems contribute to overall well-being. By creating healthier indoor environments, retrofitting encourages physical activity and reduces the risk of chronic diseases.
Upgrading to energy-efficient heating and cooling systems can offer better temperature regulation, thereby enhancing the overall comfort of the home.
By enhancing insulation and ventilation, retrofitting can mitigate dampness in the home, averting the proliferation of mould and mildew, which are linked to respiratory issues.
Enhanced ventilation systems can improve indoor air quality by expelling pollutants and allergens, fostering healthier living conditions.
Overall, retrofitting plays a crucial role in promoting occupant health and improving quality of life within buildings while being an effective approach to keeping utility bills down
Renewable Energy Systems
Installing renewable energy systems, such as solar panels or wind turbines, can generate electricity for the home and diminish reliance on the grid. Smart home technologies, like programmable thermostats and energy-efficient lighting, can further optimise energy usage and lead to cost savings.
Equally, when opportunities arrive to change outdated appliances, the key here is to replace them with energy-efficient ones. This can result in significant energy savings and reduction in long term costs.
How do I get started?
Retrofitting a home emerges as an excellent opportunity for homeowners. It not only enhances the comfort and health of occupants but also fosters energy savings and environmental sustainability. As we progress towards a greener and more sustainable future, retrofitting will assume a pivotal role in shaping our homes and lifestyles.
Follow our page for more detail. We will be covering topics on quick fixes, what PassivHaus is and how to start to build your very own action plan.
Viable Mortgages works with industry specialists in the retrofit space. More information around how finance and retrofit works together will be discussed in future content.
