Our role
Achieving affordable warmth also presents an opportunity to reduce carbon emissions through utilising cheaper renewable sources of energy, and burning less or zero fossil fuel. We aim to help low income households achieve affordable warmth using our funding and government funding to assist with energy efficiency and low-cost low carbon heating improvements. Our aim is that all households achieve the government target of an energy efficiency rating band C wherever reasonably practical.
As a Local Planning Authority, we have a unique role to play in promoting energy efficiency and renewable low carbon heating, with a planning policy which encourages home energy upgrades for households who cannot achieve affordable warmth. This includes those living in heritage buildings. This Energy Efficiency Retrofitting & Sustainable Construction SPD aims to provide clarity on:
- what improvements to make
- whether planning or listed building consent is required
- what is necessary for consent for essential affordable warmth upgrades to take place
All house types typically found in Bath and North East Somerset, other than the only exception of recently constructed, late twentieth century house types, require energy efficiency and low-carbon heating retrofit to achieve our affordable warmth and zero carbon goals.
Available solutions
Energy at home
We provide information on how to carry out and finance home energy retrofits on our Energy at Home website. You can also email energyathome@bathnes.gov.uk or call 0800 038 56 80.
You can also read the latest information on affordable warmth grants for B&NES residents, and we usually have one or more schemes running to assist households achieve low-carbon affordable warmth.
The Affordable Warmth help schemes and grants currently available include:
- B&NES Green Affordable Warmth Grant
- West of England Affordable Warmth Grant from the South West Energy Hub
- B&NES Low cost energy loan from Lendology
We also provide ECO flex declarations for eligible residents to enable suitable contractors working in the area to reduce the cost of measures installed. Read more about Flexible Eligibility in our ECO Flex statement.
The availability of the Affordable Warmth help schemes may be subject to change in terms of both eligibility and availability over time. We encourage you to check our Energy at Home website, or contact us, for the latest information.