How we're making historic properties sustainable: Interior Architecture

Buildings are the UK’s second-largest source of greenhouse gas emissions, and most are generated by fossil fuels or oil burnt for heating. Generally, older homes are the worst offenders, with poorer insulation, thinner windows, and draughty chimneys. At Woolf Interior Design and Interior Architecture, we’re passionate about making the homes and hotels we work on as sustainable and renewable as possible. This ensures that properties which have already survived so many years can continue to thrive in an eco-friendly way and comply with ever-changing sustainability laws.

 By the mid-2030s, ministers hope that about thirteen million of the UK’s twenty-nine million homes will be fitted with low-carbon heating systems such as electric heat pumps. But when it comes to historic buildings, the protected status of the UK’s older homes makes green retrofitting costly and complex if homeowners are to meet emissions targets. The obvious energy saving alterations can be problematic; double glazing, solar panels and insulation of walls and roofs are not always possible if a property is listed.

 At the heart of every WOOLF project, we discuss our ‘Woolf Green Approach’ document with our clients. We consider in detail the options our client might want to take to make their property more ‘eco-friendly’.

 Here are some of the ways we make our interior architecture projects sustainable:

 Considering airflow and ventilation

Considering airflow and ventilation is essential in period properties. Old buildings were designed to breathe so it is vital that we don’t start sealing them up because we need them to ventilate to avoid mould and condensation developing which can be so corrosive to buildings.

Central heat recovery systems that are tasked with bathroom extraction and fresh air input are brilliant but installing them can depend on the layout of a building as they take up roof space. In our Holland Park refurbishment, we expanded an existing vent into a ceiling light and sky light to improve the insulation in the void and stop hot air escaping. In this way, we made an aesthetic feature out of a redundant unsightly vent, as well as making it more thermally efficient.

‘In our Holland Park refurbishment, we expanded an existing vent into a ceiling light and sky light to improve the insulation in the void which also stopped hot air escaping.’

Installing electric underfloor heating reduces a reliance on gas, as we did in this Holland Park project.

We double insulated the windows to improve the thermal performance of the house. This method controls heat loss and reduces a reliance on heating.

Replacing gas hobs with electric here reduces the carbon emission.

 Addressing the fireplaces

Most people who have lived in a period property will know the effect an open fire can have on heating and retaining heat. However, we understand the charm and importance of fireplaces retaining the historic integrity of a period property. We often leave unused fireplaces for decorative purposes, but we can block the flues to improve thermal leakage.

A more contemporary option for modern homes and refurbishments would be to install a bio-ethanol fires. Bioethanol fuels burn with 98% efficiency, creating the same amount of CO2 as burning a candle, so, the environmental impact is very low. An example of where we used one in a refurbishment can be seen in our Holland Park project.  

 Making heating and cooling efficient

There are multiple ways of making heating and cooling in a property more efficient and eco-friendlier. Replacing existing gas-fired boilers with electric and installing ground or air sourced heat pumps is a great way to improve the carbon output of a property. In appropriate areas, under-floor heating can be installed (either water fed or electric), in conjunction with heating systems, such as a ‘heat exchange manifold’ which are high performing and lower on emissions. Our Gasholders project was a modern refurbishment of an unusual listed building. The interior fit-out was in line with the most contemporary green principles. We had installed underfloor heating and a heat recovery system, which is another high performing heating and cooling control system based upon recycling air throughout the building.

‘Our Gasholders project was a modern refurbishment of an unusual listed building. The interior fit-out was in line with the most contemporary green principles.’

 Interestingly, Bath Abbey, which is located near our Bath studio, has new underfloor heating under the existing old stone floor. The system draws heat from the 1.1m litres of 40-degree Celsius thermal spring water that flows each day, through the drain, from the nearby Roman Baths. Making a historic building more sustainable is possible with ingenuity, imagination, and careful planning, no matter how big the scale or how old the building.

Looking at window glazing

Single glazed historic buildings leak heat through their windows. In listed properties replacing single glazing with double glazing is not always an option and we need to balance the need for insulation with the need for ventilation. We often look at using draft sealed windows, or upgrade existing sashes with slim double-glazed units. These thermally efficient units can be approved by planning officers around the UK for use in Listed and Conservation properties, provided they meet Part L thermal building regulations. In our Sion Hill, Bath project, we upgraded the sashes by draft proofing them, whilst keeping in line with planning laws, and upholding the historic integrity of the property visually. 

‘In our Sion Hill, Bath project, we upgraded the sashes by draft proofing them, whilst keeping in line with planning laws, and upholding the historic integrity of the property visually. ‘

 The ever-changing laws and technologies surrounding sustainability can be overwhelming. At Woolf Interior Design and Interior Architecture, we pick the best suppliers with the best rates to execute the work. We assess the viability and cost of using renewable technology as it evolves. When it comes to emissions targets, planning permissions, and the most up-to-date technology, calling in professional help from an interior designer, interior architect or architect, who keeps sustainability at the forefront of their minds, is a must.