‘We want to look after the planet and believe that even small lifestyle changes can make a big difference’
Juliet Mcdonald, a PR consultant, and her husband Neal, an engineer at a construction company, are futureproofing their west London semi-detached 1930s house
Why futureproof your home? We wanted to have a low carbon footprint and to look after the planet – we believe that even small lifestyle changes can make a big difference. When we bought the house in 2013, we were pleased it already had cavity wall insulation, loft insulation and double glazing.
What eco upgrades have you made?
Five years ago, we switched to Green Energy UK, which offers 100 per cent green gas and renewable electricity. In 2021, we had a Worcester Greenstar 4000 gas boiler fitted, which is super-efficient, and use a Honeywell Evo smart system to control the heat in zones rather than heating the entire house. Our biggest investment was adding 10 PV (photovolaic) panels and a battery, together costing £7,500. It was part of an Ealing Council scheme run with Solar Together, which organises group buying schemes nationwide. I’d always wanted PV panels, having made a solar panel out of a cardboard box, copper sheets and cling film as an 11-year-old growing up in Canada.
Any other lifestyle changes?
I only use greedy appliances like the dishwasher or washing machine if there’s sufficient energy in the battery or if it’s a sunny day. We rarely heat our bedroom and instead use electric blankets. And I buy heat logs made from by-products of managed forests and recycled wood, which emit less than logs and burn longer in our woodburner.
Has retrofitting saved you money?
People always ask how long it will take to recoup the costs of installing solar PV. The initial outlay is expensive, but we’re making substantial savings. What’s really rewarding is that our account shows we’ve prevented 1.74 tonnes of CO2 from entering the atmosphere. Our gas usage has been consistently lower with the new boiler and smart meter. We spent £878 on gas in 2022 having used 11,395 KWH compared with 14,172 KWH in 2020, which cost £765. While the price of gas has doubled, as we’re paying more for fewer KWH. The impressive thing is that we’re using significantly less gas – an almost 20 per cent reduction – with our new system.
Any more changes in the future?
We’d like to have an air source heat pump instead of gas central heating, but this will require a lot of planning and expense, including ensuring the house is airtight and making room for a large water storage tank that may necessitate a kitchen extension. With this heating system, you run the heating cooler and it’s on constantly. We’ve upgraded three radiators so far as they’ll need to be very large to output enough heat. And finally, we have plans to install our own electric car charging point.