Retrofit and Carbon Reduction Cost Analysis of a Circa 1930 UK Dwelling

Abstract

Reduction in energy consumption and carbon emissions associated with a low-energy retrofit of a hypothetical case-study semi-detached British house in compliance with UK Energy Saving Trust and the UK Code for Sustainable Homes (L.3) requirements are investigated using retrofit options and cost data from real-life projects. Retrofit capital cost is contrasted with energy cost savings. It is shown that retrofit cost can achieve acceptable payback so long as selection of low-carbon materials is reconciled with the homeowners’ budget because both have considerable cost implications.