Cambridge City Council

Improve energy efficiency and reduce energy use at home

There are many ways to save energy at home. Some are simple and free or cheap – switching off the lights when you leave a room, for example, or fitting draught excluders.

Other measures, such as installing insulation or replacing your boiler, will have an initial cost but will save you money in the long term.

Retrofit your home to improve energy efficiency

You can make changes to your home to make it more energy efficient. The changes could also reduce your reliance on fossil fuels, such as gas for heating and lighting.

There are many benefits to retrofitting your home in this way, including:

reducing your carbon footprint
cheaper energy bills
warmer winters
improved health

We have created a guide to give practical advice for homeowners, landlords, and renters on how to retrofit your home. From low and no-cost measures, through to a more fundamental deep retrofit.

If your home is in a conservation area or is heritage listed, there may be additional issues to consider when retrofitting. It’s important to note that it is illegal to carry out any works to a listed building without consent.

The Sustainable Traditional Buildings Alliance provides specific advice for traditional buildings, including guidance on retrofitting traditional buildings.

The Institute of Historic Building Conservation has also produced a guidance note on retrofitting traditional buildings [PDF].

Other resources

The Energy Saving Trust provides comprehensive information about improving your home’s energy efficiency and reducing your energy use.

Various organisations can provide grants and assistance to help anyone struggling to pay their energy bill. We are working with PECT, whose Warm Homes service can help you reduce your energy costs.