Energy Efficiency and Retrofit in Historic Buildings

Historic England has produced a new Advice Note to provide clarity and support consistent decision-making for proposals to reduce carbon emissions and improve the energy efficiency of historic buildings whilst conserving their significance and ensuring they remain viable places to live in the future.

The links below lead to technical advice and guidance on climate change mitigation and adaptation for resilience, including energy efficiency, retrofit and Net Zero.

Click here to find out more.

Installing a clay tile roof: a step-by-step guide by Dude & Arnette

Clay tile roofs are a popular choice due to their durability, aesthetic appeal, and ability to withstand all sorts of weather conditions. If you’re considering going full steam ahead on the DIY and installing a clay tile roof yourself on your home, it’s important to understand the process involved so as to best avoid any casualties! In this step-by-step guide, we will outline the process of installing a clay tile roof to help make things as smooth as possible, or decide that you might need to call in a professional!

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Becket's Chapel - an abridged account of the last two years in its long history...

Becket's Chapel, a Grade I listed building in Wymondham, Norfolk, stands out as one of eight national climate adaptation case studies backed by Historic England. The project has also been selected as a 2025 Regional Finalist in the Civic Trust Awards in the AABC Conservation category. Winners will be announced in early January.

Patricia Forero, AABC-accredited architect and director of The Architect Studio in Cambridgeshire, takes up the story.

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Energy: Economic, Environmental & Efficiency Improvements

There are some relatively easy steps which will cut your church's use of electricity and gas/oil, and your utility bills.

Download the guidance for advice about adjustments to your radiators, heating system and lighting as well as 'soft' changes such as cushions and draught-proofing.

How urban mining can help reach net-zero goals

When considering the heritage buildings of the future, the carbon footprint not only of the buildings in operation, but also the process of construction and the building’s life span – from design, through construction to demolition. An innovative, circular approach is emerging that has the potential to reduce the environmental impact of construction significantly: urban mining. Here, traditional brickmakers Michelmersh explain the process and its advantages.

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Luceco lights up Luttrellstown Castle

Luttrellstown Castle Resort near Dublin is a luxurious venue for elegant hospitality and entertainment, combining the original 15th century castle, 567 acres of parkland, and a championship golf course with an alpine lodge-style clubhouse. It is the perfect location not only for golf, but also for weddings, garden parties, business meetings and conferences.

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Specialist glazing units help period buildings stay ahead of the curve

Curved-in-plan glazing units have been around for some time, but over recent years there has been a significant surge in their popularity. The curved shape matches both contemporary and heritage aesthetics, creating a sense of flow and continuity. Internally, they help to enhance a feeling of light and spaciousness.

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Radiator heating project completed at St Mary’s Church in Walkern

The ChurchEcoMiser team completed a 22 radiator church heating installation project at St Mary’s Church in Walkern. In August of 2021 the ChurchEcoMiser team started work at St Mary’s church in Walkern. The original heating system was installed towards the end of the 19th century and needed updating.

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Heating installation completed at St James Church, Midhopestones

The ChurchEcoMiser team completed a church heating installation project at St James Church in Midhopestones.

The church had a low pressure coal fired heating system installed in the refurbishment of 1892 which fell into disrepair in the 1980’s. For the last 40 years, the church had been heated with an industrial warm air unit sited in a room adjoining the east end of the church but this reached the end of its natural life.

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Parishioners at St Matthew’s are seeing things in a new light!

CLS Electrical Services Ltd – also known as Church Lighting Systems – were given the task of updating the existing lighting system in St Matthew’s Church in Worthing, which mostly consisted of tungsten halogen floodlights providing the main illumination throughout the church. Not very energy efficient!

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Integration of ancient and modern is the aspiration

Low carbon consultancy MTA is a practice that specialises in the sympathetic conservation of culturally significant buildings during the integration of modern services.

With over 20 years of experience, the team at MTA have a comprehensive understanding of the complex rivalry between historical architecture and modern comfort. With an aspiration to ‘repair rather than replace’ they aim to preserve the historic fabric of these important structures.

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Michelmersh to produce the world’s first 100% hydrogen fired clay bricks

Michelmersh has announced its successful bid to the Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy (BEIS) UK Government, Industrial Fuel Switching competition to conduct a feasibility study to replace natural gas with hydrogen in the brick making process. The programme is part of the £1 billion Net Zero Innovation Portfolio (NZIP) which aims to provide funding for low-carbon technologies to decreasing the costs of decarbonisation.

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Leading brick maker reiterates its sustainability goals

Clay brick specialists the Michelmersh Group has released its 2021 Sustainability Report. The report offers an insightful and detailed account of Michelmersh’s established sustainable practices and its plans for achieving net zero carbon emissions by 2050.

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Shedding some light on the new Part L Building Regulations

A major part of the UK’s commitment to meeting its targets for carbon reduction is being driven by a tightening of the Building Regulations surrounding energy efficiency standards for homes. Here, Stella Rooflight Director, Paul Trace, addresses the new rules for rooflights and thermal performance including why they are needed.

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Creating light beautifully with Clement Conservation Rooflights – the best for energy efficiency and more

Whether you are looking to renovate a period property, update your home or office, or transform a new space, creating the right amount of interior light is always a major consideration and a rooflight can often be crucial in enabling daylight to flood into a lower level room, an attic or even a peculiarly shaped corner.

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A fabulous new space created for this much loved theatre

The Progressive Players were founded in 1920. In 1939, founding members Ruth, Sylvia and Hope Dodds generously provided the money to purchase a vacant site facing Saltwell Park, together with adjoining No.3 Saltwell View, and build the Players’ own theatre.

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A complex and high risk major repair made the more easier by a touch of kindness

The tower and spire of St Thomas’ Church in St Helier, Jersey stands approximately 196 feet above ground level. The tower is 33.83m (111ft) in height and the spire is 25.9m (85ft) in height. The tower and spire are constructed from Brittany Granite and are of mid Victorian Gothic design. The tower has stepped buttresses and incorporates the main entrance porch of the church with a triple lancet window with a tracery rose. All four elevations have tall lancets to belfry complete with louvres. The corbelled eaves lead to the transition stonework to the spire.

Surmounting the tower is an open worked spire which incorporates two sets of four decorative Gothic type dormer openings complete with decorative finials. Closer to the summit of the spire are eight rectangular openings, one on each broach all on the same level. The spire houses the main cross beam that supports the ornate cast iron cross. There are a series of steel rods, four in total, that are hooked under small decorative openings. The cross beam and rods provide compression to the spire stonework.

Read more: A complex and high risk major repair made the more easier by a touch of kindness

York Handmade's "excellent year" helps to tackle the challenges of Coronavirus

The award-winning York Handmade Brick Company has enjoyed the most successful 12 months in its 30-year history.

Based at Alne, near Easingwold, York Handmade is the leading independent brickmaker in the north of England.

Chairman David Armitage, commented: “The last 12 months have proved to be excellent for us, despite all the political uncertainty surrounding Brexit. We have flourished, with some prestigious commissions in London, Cambridge and, of course, Yorkshire.

Read more: York Handmade's "excellent year" helps to tackle the challenges of Coronavirus

Before you start streaming

In a time of global pandemic, where all church buildings in the UK have been closed during lockdown, we’ve all had to find a new way to do church. Whether via Zoom, through Facebook or YouTube, live streamed, pre-recorded or podcast, churches have been piecing it and sometimes cobbling it together to do things... digitally. DM Music offer some advice.

Since the beginning of March 2020, you won’t be surprised to hear, we’ve seen a huge increase in churches asking ‘How do we live-stream our services?’. In fact we produced a DM Quick Expert Guide to answer this question back in April. Asking ‘how?’, as it turns out, is not the only question you’ll need to consider, and it may not be the best place to start.

Read more: Before you start streaming

USL Roofing Images

Castle Acre Priory - Pantiles

Beautiful pan-tiled roofing project at Castle Acre Priory, a preserved monastic site managed by English Heritage. USL carried out conservation, structural repairs, leadwork, rainwater goods and roofing renewal.  

Chigwell School Rooing Project - Handmade Clay Roof Tiles

Over 850m² of handmade clay roofing tiles, all stripped and replaced by USL’s team of specialist roofers at Chigwell School.  A Grade II Listed building. 

Christ Church Kensington - Slate

Cwt-y-Bugail Welsh Slate fitted on Christ Church Kensington by USL team.  Project included re-roofing, leadwork, and rainwater goods.  Stunning dark blue-grey texture. 

St Mary the Less - Leadwork Roof

Fine example of leadwork and roofing project from USL at St Mary the Less in Thetford, Norfolk.  This Grade II* church received extensive tower repairs including new roof covering, leadwork, and rainwater goods. 

St Leonard Flamstead - Copper

Copper roofing at St Leonard’s Church in Flamstead.  Extensive heritage roofing and conservation programme.  

Live streaming your church service

If you or your church are thinking about streaming, then before you read on, DM Music recommend you read their Before You Start Streaming Quick Expert Guide. The company believes it is essential to the way you approach the below.

Since the first National Lockdown, live streaming of some form, has been high on the agenda for most churches. With so many options to choose from – including streaming hardware & software, streaming platforms, cameras and microphones – we felt it was necessary to put together a straightforward guide which should aid you in choosing the right live streaming solution for your church.

Read more: Live streaming your church service

Building dehydration system at Legerwood Kirk, Berwickshire

Legerwood Kirk is an ancient and historic Church of Scotland church in the former county of Berwickshire, Scotland, dating back to year 1127. It is situated half a mile east of the hamlet of Legerwood and 6.5 miles (10.5 km) south east of Lauder in the Scottish Borders.

The building has been suffering from dampness issues for a number of years. Being a Grade A listed building, invasive dehydration technologies were not an option. Upon a detailed inspection of the building several sources of moisture has been identified, including rising damp, condensation and sideways penetrating damp.

Read more: Building dehydration system at Legerwood Kirk, Berwickshire

Heritage projects benefit from the versatility of new steel windows

One of the many benefits of steel as a window framing material is its versatility. Steel is very malleable, which means it can be configured into a variety of shapes. It is also stronger than any other framing material and therefore able to support vast expanses of glazing, allowing light to flow into a space.

For heritage projects that versatility is appreciated by conservation officers, architects and designers, because using steel often means buildings can be brought up-to-date while simultaneously staying true to the original character of the development.

Read more: Heritage projects benefit from the versatility of new steel windows

Do you really need a new sound system?

Our first contact from the team at Blyth Central Methodist Church was a phone call that we’ve had many times before explained Paul Dougherty of Blaydon Communications Ltd 'Our sound system isn’t working, it’s all crackly and we just need a new one'.

"In some circumstances, this could be true", said Paul, "audio equipment does degrade, and eventually, it will need to be replaced, but sometimes things just need a good overhaul and a bit of a spruce up. Our first recommended action was to have us attend the church and assess what equipment had been installed. This also allows us to get talking to the people that use the system to find out the real problems first-hand.

Read more: Do you really need a new sound system?

SLPTG Apprentice Awards 2020 – winners revealed!

The Steeplejack and Lightning Protection Group (SLPTG) recently held its annual Apprentice Awards, which celebrate apprenticeships within the Steeplejack and Lightning Protection industries. This year the awards were held at DoubleTree by Hilton Manchester Piccadilly on Thursday 5 March.

Read more: SLPTG Apprentice Awards 2020 – winners revealed!

Durham Cathedral roof restorations

Founded as a monastic cathedral it has a rich and varied history and was built as a place of worship, whilst also being the home of a Benedictine community. Over the past century it has enjoyed a multi-use purpose and is a Christian Church of the Anglican Communion as well as being a shrine to St Cuthbert, the seat of the Bishop of Durham and a place of pilgrimage and spirituality.

A much-loved and cherished landmark in the North East of England, it also won the ‘Reader’s Choice of Britain’s Best Building’ in a poll conducted by the Guardian, detailing its importance and recognition amongst the local community and wider public.

Read more: Durham Cathedral roof restorations

Churches embracing new technology

The needs of a church sound system are quite simple in so much as they want intelligible audio to reach all the congregation including those with hearing impairments. Although this requirement has probably been the same for many years there is now a plethora equipment that can be used and this is when the world of sound can become a mine field.

Read more: Churches embracing new technology