Pioneering Victorian home of the future leads the way

Date:   09/09/2008

An innovative experiment in reducing carbon emissions whilst respecting our heritage was unveiled in a Camden Council property yesterday.

The opening of the EcoHouse at 17 St Augustine's Road with Camden Council and other partners involved in the project featured expert discussions on the heritage issues and techniques of turning existing homes into energy efficient ones.

A tour of the Victorian property highlighted the techniques and renewable energy used. Changes made to the house, which was built in 1850, will cut carbon emissions by up to 80 per cent.

Cllr Keith Moffitt, Leader of the Council, was speaking at the event. He said:

"The EcoHouse is one of a handful of houses in the country that has been refurbished to achieve such a high reduction in emissions – possibly the highest.

"It is an important start for us to see how similar properties in Camden could benefit from eco refurbishment and measure the reduction of carbon emissions in the area.

"Over 60 per cent of homes in Camden are currently in conservation areas. However, Camden faces increasing environmental challenges over the next decade, such as a growing population. We are working towards a more sustainable borough that adapts to this and also protects and enhances our environment at the same time."

Executive Member for Homes and Housing Strategy, Cllr Chris Naylor said:

"Sustainability is a top priority for Camden – we own over 30,000 properties, and many are large Victorian properties like this one. I’m glad we’re taking the initiative on this as the EcoHouse is one of only three currently being monitored in the UK for thermal performance, and how this affects its inhabitants and the energy they can save.

"Like other boroughs, Camden is obliged to make substantial reductions in emissions and we know our residents think this is important. The large number of period dwellings produce a lot of emissions and 17 St Augustines road shows how we can find solutions.

"Households living here will find a big reduction in their energy bills because of energy saving technology such as the modern condensed boilers. It’s a great opportunity to be energy efficient and enjoy the period features that the property has to offer."

Chair of Camden’s sustainability taskforce, Cllr Alexis Rowell, said:

"Council’s should be leading the way in encouraging residents to change their lifestyles. With Camden’s EcoHouse, we are showing that preserving the heritage of our homes does not have to be an obstacle to reducing carbon emissions. Even just the smallest measures, such as insulation, can bring massive gains."

Much of the heritage of the house has been retained such as the masonry features on the exterior of the house. All the interior doors have been retained and the proportions of the rooms are also unchanged. Other cutting edge improvements include:

Floor, roof and internal insulation
Windows that are 20 per cent better at retaining heat than current building regulations for new buildings Solar panels to generate heat and electricity Local heat recovery ventilation to warm incoming fresh air Rainwater harvesting for use in the garden

Other Speakers at the event included John Doggart, Chairman of the Sustainable Energy Academy; Tim Lunel, Director of the National Energy Foundation; and Peter Head CBE, project director for Dongtan – the Carbon neutral city in China for Arup.

The Council plans to learn from and use the technologies piloted in the house for similar refurbishment projects in the future.

-Ends-

Notes to Editors:

1. The EcoHouse was refurbished by Camden Council in partnership with University College London, Urbanbuzz, Sustainable Energy Academy, Landers and Associates, Lengard, Kingspan Insulation, Green Homes Concierge and Parity Projects.

2. Every Sunday until 12 October the Ecohouse at 17 St Augustine's Road is open for free public tours so members of the public can see how the technology can transform their own home – cutting energy use, saving money on fuel bills and reducing their carbon footprint.

3. The overall cost of the refurbishment was around £330,000, including costs for major repairs and structural works. Funding for eco works included £12,000 for insulation from Kingspan, £12,500 from Low Carbon Programme for solar PV, £5,000 from Sustainable Energy Academy, and £60,000 from the Council. Urban Buzz (government DFES money) provided a further £130,000 for UCL to carry out research.

4. Currently a researcher from University College London is licensed to live in the Ecohouse during the period when the university is carrying out experiments on the thermal performance of the house – this will be until the end of October.

5. Potential tenants will sign up to a special tenancy agreement that obliges them to take part in open day monitoring and research once a week. They will also be expected to reduce emissions in their lifestyle with support and guidance from the Council and partners involved.

6. For further information, please contact Hana Esselink at hana.esselink@camden.gov.uk tel: 0207 974 6021

Photo 1 (front pose3) from L to R: Tadj Oreszczyn - Professor of Energy and the Environment and Head of the Bartlett School of Graduate Studies UCL, Cllr Keith Moffitt - Leader of Camden Council, Tim Lunel - Director of National Energy Foundation, Chit Chong - Acting Energy and Sustainability Manager at Camden Council, Robert Lowe - Professor of Energy and Buildings at UCL

Photo 2 - Professor Robert Lowe from UCL demonstrates how the thermal comfort meter works to Cllr Keith Moffitt - Leader of Camden Council. The meter demonstrates how effective a house is in improving the comfort of its residents in terms of measuring temperature, humidity and air movement

Photo 3 - From L to R: Peter Morgan - Marketing and Communications Manager from Kingspan, Professor Robert Lowe from UCL, Cllr Keith Moffitt - Leader of Camden Council and Chit Chong - Acting Energy and Sustainability Manager at Camden Council look at a cut out showing phenolic insulation from Kingspan - one of the key elements that brings down carbon emissions in the wall.

Ref Code:   PR 446
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020 7974 5717

pressoffice@camden.gov.uk