Lewes Home Retrofit Guide launches

As winter approaches, we’re delighted to announce the launch of the Lewes Home Retrofit Guide. Written by Lewes residents, it provides practical, expert advice on ‘retrofitting’ almost any type of home in Lewes to make it more energy efficient, cosier, and cheaper to heat. 

What the guide covers

Using detailed drawings, the guide sets out the principles of best practice in retrofit. It explains how to limit draughts, install insulation to different building elements, control ventilation and minimise the risk of condensation.

Taking a ‘fabric first’, whole house approach, it also includes information about installing heat pumps, solar panels, and sustainable drainage, as well as planning and building control. There is also plenty of information on grants and loans to help finance the work. So whatever your budget, there’s plenty of inspiration to make your home ‘greener’ and cheaper to run.

How it started

The idea of a home retrofit guide started on Lewes’ Nevill Estate, where a group of residents had formed Nevill 2030 during the Covid-19 lockdown to explore what steps they could take in their own lives to address the climate emergency. The principal authors of the guide – Suzy Nelson, a retired architect planner, and Ann Link, who retrofitted her own home in 2009 – were aware that many people felt they didn’t know where to start, or how to get advice on how to improve the energy efficiency and comfort of their homes.

Initially Ann and Suzy planned to focus the guide on a number of archetypal properties on the estate that could be used as retrofit examples. But as houses had been altered so much, and proved to be so different, they decided instead to focus on the different elements of a property, such as roofs, walls and floors. They also decided to widen the guide to be relevant to the whole of Lewes District (although it is hugely relevant to homes elsewhere too!).

The guide has also been deeply informed by the expertise of Ian McKay, a local architect and founder of sustainability consultants Deeper Green, who supplied detailed drawings on insulation methods. It has been beautifully designed by Lynda Durrant, who directs all the graphic design for Lewes Climate Hub.

Heading for ‘net zero’

Suzy and Ann say their vision is for every home in Lewes to be affordable to run, comfortable, healthy to live in – and contributing to Lewes District Council’s goal of generating ‘net zero’ carbon emissions across the district by 2030.

The guide had a soft launch at Ovesco’s Eco Home Open Houses weekends in September. The team are planning a bigger launch event for the guide on the Nevill estate (probably the afternoon of Sunday 20 October) and an evening event at Lewes Climate Hub in late November. Explore the guide for yourself here.