Green Homes Network

Getting advice from Home Energy Scotland

This landlord owns a tenement studio flat, built in 1896, on Glasgow’s busy London Road. The one bedroom flat has solid stone walls which makes keeping it warm difficult, so the landlord wanted to make some fabric improvements to make it more comfortable and attractive to renters. He also hoped to achieve an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating of C to make sure it would comply with the Scottish Government’s forthcoming minimum standards for rental properties.

With no previous knowledge about improving this type of property, the landlord sought advice from Home Energy Scotland, a free and impartial advice service funded by the Scottish Government. The landlord recalls how important it was to speak to an experienced specialist advisor. He says “I didn’t know of any other person doing what we wanted to do in a Glasgow tenement flat, so Stephen's (the landlord specialist) knowledge was paramount”. The landlord also carried out his own research, watching videos on YouTube about projects on similar properties.

Improving the insulation

The landlord now had a plan to refurbish the flat by installing walls, floor and ceiling insulation. When he went to obtain quotes for the wall insulation, he was disappointed to discover that Home Energy Scotland would not be able to provide a recommended supplier list because it is an impartial organisation. However, the landlord says he was still happy with the advice that he received.

The landlord was confident installing some of the insultation himself and worked with builders to fit 50mm Kingspan thermal blocks to the front sandstone walls and 25mm blocks to a wood framework (with plasterboard covering) to the rear wall which adjoins a communal staircase. The landlord fitted the single brick partition walls which adjoin the neighbouring tenement with a wooden framework and wool insulation, again finished with plasterboard on top.

Installing underfloor heating

The landlord initially wanted to upgrade the flat’s heating system to a modern electric heating system to make the most of the new insulation. He was initially quoted £6,000 for two Fisher electric wall heaters but says this was “based solely on the type of property and the size, and did not take into account the EPC rating I was aiming for”. He wanted to keep costs down and so decided to install 1.2kW of underfloor electric heating instead.

The landlord levelled the floor with beams and installed 18mm chipboard on top. He bought 10mm thick foam insulation from a home improvement store and applied this above the chipboard. Next, he laid down the heating film for the electric heating, a plastic membrane, and finally 10mm of laminate flooring. The landlord also rolled out wool insulation, acquired from the same home improvement store, across the newly created false ceiling, in addition to doubling the loft insulation.

To keep the property as cosy and comfortable as possible, the landlord wanted to make sure the thermal blocks worked as intended. Unfortunately he realised that the builders had not taken enough care to leave a ventilation gap between the blocks and the stripped back wall, which could cause condensation issues in the future. He also noticed the blocks were not sealed with aluminium tape, leaving them loose and leaking heat. To prevent these gaps ruining the landlord’s insulation efforts, he took it upon himself to re-do the entire wall, even after the plaster and paint finish had been applied.  

From costs to savings

The landlord applied for a £10,000 bank loan to cover the cost of the refurbishment. In hindsight he says that he would have preferred to be on site every day to oversee the work because the project took longer than expected and unfortunately went over budget.

Although the sharp rise in electricity prices has impacted the potential savings he could make, the landlord acknowledges that energy bills would probably be even higher if he hadn’t made the improvements. The landlord is pleased with his improved property and says there is a “perceived feeling of warmth and security as soon as you enter the flat” because it is easy to maintain a pleasant 21^oC. Although the landlord provided a fan heater as a secondary heat source, it’s never been used as the occasional use of underfloor heating has been adequate.

The insulation also acts as soundproofing to the busy street below.

Based on his experience, the landlord recommends others to seek advice from Home Energy Scotland as early as possible when planning a renovation. He encourages others to consider less disruptive measures such as external wall insulation and to keep records by taking photos throughout the project to keep an eye on the quality of work.

Before undertaking this project, the landlord’s October 2020 EPC report showed the flat had a band F rating, and the potential of achieving a band D. His efforts show that with enough care and additional support from Home Energy Scotland, a rating of C is possible. The landlord believes that this is the first tenement flat to achieve this!