Improving Historic Buildings with reference to 'Adapting Historic Buildings for Energy and Carbon Efficiency'

This document provides an overview of a Historic England Advice Note (HEAN 18). It highlights the key items raised and points for consideration. It is titled ‘Historic England 2024 Adapting Historic Buildings for Energy and Carbon Efficiency: Historic England Advice Note 18 (HEAN 18)’. The Advice Note provides clarity on key considerations and on support with decision making when working to make historic buildings more energy efficient and to meet Net Zero carbon targets, whilst conserving their historic significance. This edition of the document was published by Historic England in July 2024 and can be found here. 

Around one quarter of the UK’s building stock is at least 100 years old. These buildings can and must adapt, not only to support the transition to a Net Zero society, but also to improve energy/cost-efficiency and thermal comfort for occupants, and to ensure they remain safe, desirable and viable assets for future generations to enjoy. By keeping historic buildings in use, we can further improve the potential to limit carbon emissions. The most sustainable building is one that already exists, because the continued repair, maintenance, use and re-use of historic buildings avoids unnecessary release of embodied carbon associated with materials, transport and processes required for demolition and new build. 

This document is available to APSE Energy members without charge. All energy members will have received the password. Please contact Charley Burke at [email protected] if you'd like to be resent the password.

For further information about APSE Energy, please contact Phil Brennan, Head of APSE Energy on 0161 772 1810 or at [email protected] or James Jefferson, Principal Advisor at [email protected]

View report (pdf)