Before you consider renewable energy systems for your home, make sure you have addressed the cheaper and more cost-effective energy efficiency measures first. The more you reduce your energy demands at source, the greater the proportion of your energy will be met by the new renewable system. 

Find out more and links to useful guides provided by the Centre for Sustainable Energy below.

Planning permission

To install renewable energy technologies in your home, you may need planning permission.

Solar power

Solar power captures energy from the sun to power items around your home. The two main types currently used are:

• Solar water heating systems
• Solar photovoltaic (PV) systems

Solar water heating systems

Solar water heating systems use thermal energy from the sun to heat water in the home. On average they can provide a third of the home’s hot water usage in a year – typically the majority of this is supplied in the summer with significant top-up heating required in the winter.

• Solar water heating guide (PDF)

Solar photovoltaic (PV) systems

Solar PV panels convert sunlight into electrical energy. PV panel performance depends greatly on their location, with even minimal levels of shading from chimney breasts or nearby trees having a significant impact on performance. 

It is unlikely that you’ll be able to meet all your electrical demands through PV because they generate in the day when lighting and energy use tend to be low, but the energy they produce can be more cost effective than buying from an energy provider. 

• Solar PV guide (PDF)

Wind power

Wind turbines convert wind energy into electricity. Despite being a clean and low carbon method of producing energy wind turbines are unlikely to work well in a built up area such as Camden because urban density creates wind turbulence that slows wind speed. Planning permission is also likely to be problematic.

If you do want to install a wind turbine, the first step should be to determine the available wind speed at the proposed location using the Energy Saving Trust’s wind predictor tool

Biomass

Biomass heating systems, such as wood burning stoves, are not supported as a renewable fuel in Camden because of the negative local air quality impacts. 

Heat pumps: ground source and air source

Ground source heat pumps (GSHP) use heat from the ground to raise the temperature of a liquid contained in a coil or loop that is buried in the ground. The liquid is then passed through a compressor to raise its temperature and heat the home. You will need to have a garden if you are considering a GSHP.

•  Ground source heat pump guide (PDF)

Air source heat pumps (ASPs) work by extracting warm air from the atmosphere, before compressing it to provide usable heat.

• Air source heat pump guide (PDF)

Although the pumps use electricity, the heat they extract from the ground and air is constantly being renewed naturally which is considered to outweigh the carbon impact of the electricity being used.  

Micro combined heat and power (CHP) units use natural gas to generate both heat and electricity for the home. Although not strictly speaking a renewable technology, they can help reduce emissions.

• Energy Saving Trust

Renewable energy grants and incentives

We are committed to helping you make sustainable energy improvements to your home.

Find out if you could benefit from financial assistance to help make your home more energy efficient:

• Renewable energy grants and incentives
   

On average, 80% of the energy used in homes is for heating. Using good insulation can reduce the amount of energy you use, helping to cut your fuel bills and carbon emissions.

Here are a few recommendations for making your home more energy efficient with detailed downloadable guides from the Centre for Sustainable Energy. You may be eligible for financial support to help make these improvements.

Draught-proof your windows and doors

According to the Energy Saving Trust, draughts are responsible for 15% of the heat lost from a home. Full draught-proofing could reduce your energy bills.

What’s more, draught-free homes are comfortable at lower temperatures – so you’ll be able to turn down your thermostat, which could save you money.

Draught-proofing is really easy to install – you can even do it yourself.

• Watch our video: DIY draught-proofing guide
• Centre for Sustainable Energy: DIY draught proofing guide
• Make your own simple draught excluder snake guide (PDF)

Loft insulation

Most household heat is lost through the walls and the roof. Installing loft installation or cavity wall insulation could save you money.

You can insulate your roof in two ways. Either using loft insulation blankets, also known as quilts, which you can do yourself or with blown insulation, which uses specialist equipment to blow loose, fire-retardant material into the loft.

Already have loft insulation? Adding another layer to bring it up to the recommended 270 millimetres could save you more energy and money.

• Loft insulation guide (PDF)

Cavity wall insulation

Most housing built since the 1930s has cavity wall construction, which means that there is an exterior wall with a second wall next to it. The space between the two walls is called the cavity, and this is filled with insulation material. Insulating your cavity walls will help to heat your home more efficiently.

• Cavity wall insulation guide (PDF)

Solid wall insulation

If your home was built before the 1930s it is likely to have solid external walls. Unlike cavity walls, solid walls have no gap allowing nearly twice as much heat to pass through them if they are uninsulated. Solid walls can be insulated either with internal insulation or external insulation.

External wall insulation involves putting an insulating layer on the outside of your home and then cladding it. Internal wall insulation uses insulation boards or a wooden frame filled with insulation attached to the inside of your walls. Both methods can help your home retain valuable heat, as well as saving you money.

• Internal wall insulation guide (PDF)
• External wall insulation guide (PDF)

Energy efficient glazing

We recommend installing either double or triple glazed windows in your home. They are an effective way of keeping your home both warmer and quieter, whilst saving you money.

The costs and savings of double and triple glazing will be different for each home and each window, depending on the size, material and installer.

• Energy efficient glazing guide (PDF)

If your home is a listed building or in a conservation area there may be certain restrictions. Before making any changes to your windows, please check our planning guidance guide.

• Energy efficiency planning guidance for conservation areas (PDF)

On average, boilers are responsible for 60% of CO2 emissions from a gas heated home.

By replacing your boiler with a high efficiency condensing boiler or an air source heat pump you could significantly reduce your CO2 emissions and potentially save money.

Types of space and water heating systems:

• Air source heating
• Solar water heating
• Gas heating replacement: From 2010 any new gas boiler installed must be an A-rated or 88% efficient condensing boiler.

There are two types of condensing boiler:

• Combination (also known as 'combi’) boilers provide heated water for radiators and under floor heating – they are able to supply instant hot water without the need for a hot water cylinder
• System or open vent also provides heated water for radiators and under floor heating, however they require a hot water tank to heat and store hot water for when it is needed.

Thermostats and heating controls

Using heating controls allows you to keep your home at a comfortable temperature as well as giving you the freedom to monitor your hot water and heating to come on and off when you need it. 

Some of the most common heating control instructions can be found below:

• All control instructions (PDF)
• Danfoss programmer FP715 (PDF)
• Danfoss programmer FP715 Sl (PDF)
• Danfoss Ret B room thermostat (PDF)
• Novo Stat programmer (PDF)
• Denton, Snowman, Casterbridge programmer (PDF)
• Ambient programmer: underfloor heating (PDF)
• Underfloor: Ambiente Instructions (PDF)
• Underfloor: Ambiente thermostat instructions (PDF)

Storage heaters
 

• Night storage heater guide (PDF)

Ecofurb is a new approach to make London’s homes energy efficient by focusing on taking the uncertainty and hassle away from homeowners planning a renovation.

It’s an end-to-end service to:

• Advise on which improvements will have the biggest impact on the energy efficiency of your home
• Help plan these together with any other works you may be carrying out
• Get quotes from vetted local contractors via their cooperative of contractors
• Provide specification, quality assurance and sign off.
   

Ecofurb home renovation service

We have hosted a series of webinars to help residents make their homes warmer, cheaper to heat and more energy efficient. Each webinar looks at a different theme relating to the retrofit challenge.

Webinars

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The Solar Together group-buying scheme is open to all Camden residents who own their own house (or have permission from the landlord to install a solar PV system). Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and some Commonhold Associations are also eligible for the scheme.

The scheme helps residents to purchase low-cost, high-quality solar panels which also helps to tackle the climate crisis in Camden by providing clean energy, cutting carbon emissions whilst also reducing the cost of energy bills.

Do you already have solar panels installed? You can also register to have battery storage added to your existing solar panels to maximise the benefits of your system.

How does it work?

1. Registration: you can register from 7 February until 15 March for free and without obligation at solartogether.co.uk/camden. To register you simply provide details about your roof, such as its size and orientation.
2. Auction: an ‘auction’ will be held on 15 March where our pre-vetted solar installers will submit bids for the work. The more people that register, the better the deal should be for each household. The installer with the lowest bid will win the auction.
3. Personal recommendation: from 4 April you will be contacted with your personal recommendation, based on your registration details. This includes your costs and specifications of your system.
4. You decide: the decision is then yours as to whether you want to accept your recommendation. There is no obligation to continue. You will have until 13 May to decide and will be invited to an information session.
5. Installation - If you accept the offer, the winning supplier will contact you to survey your roof and set an installation date. All installations are planned to be completed by the end of October 2022.

For more information, visit Solar Together Camden where you can leave questions and contact the helpdesk.

Register for Solar Together

Freephone helpline is also available (0800 060 85 09) Mon – Fri, 8am – 5pm, to answer any further questions.

Planning Guidance

You can perform certain types of work to your property without needing to apply for planning permission. These are your "permitted development rights", which are subject to certain conditions. Permitted development rights also apply in most Conservation Areas.

Camden’s Solar Together – Household Planning Guidance document provides all the information required to determine whether you need to apply for planning permission.

Camden’s Planning Portal – Household Pro-forma will also ensure you submit all the information you require if you wish to apply for a Lawful Development Certificate or require Planning Permission or Listed Building Consent.

The Solar Together – Non-Domestic Planning Guidance and Planning Portal – Non-Domestic Pro-forma documents provide the respective advice for business and community groups with non-domestic premises.

Together with our partners and voluntary sector organisations, we’re stepping in to provide a package of much-needed support with the cost of living crisis. This includes a £2 million cost of living crisis fund for residents facing severe financial hardship. 

As part of this package of support, and to help everyone stay warm this winter, ‘warm welcome’ spaces are available across Camden. Everyone is invited to come in and relax, meet up with others and get support with the cost of living crisis in a safe and warm place. 

Why are we providing warm welcome spaces?

This winter is expected to be one of the toughest winters we will ever face. This is a direct result of the cost of living crisis. 

We know that Camden residents are already being forced to make impossible choices about how they spend their money – including whether to heat their home, feed their family or pay rent or other essentials. 

As energy bills get more expensive and the weather gets colder, so many people are concerned about how they’re going to afford to put their heating on. We are really concerned about the impact this will have on the health and wellbeing of people across Camden. 

It is unacceptable that people are being forced to make difficult decisions like choosing between feeding their family or keeping them warm. As a community we will make sure that people have the support they need. 

Can you host a warm space?

If you're a local organisation and can offer a free, warm space for Camden residents, we'd love to hear from you.

Sign-up to our ‘warm welcome’ pledge to register your interest.

Register your warm space

Downloadable resources

If you're providing a 'warm welcome' space this winter, or if you'd like to help promote the campaign or other advice and support available in Camden with the cost of living crisis, you can download a variety of resources - including posters and booklets - from this page.