Climate change is having dramatic impacts around the planet. Even seemingly sturdy English Heritage sites such as Hurst Castle in Hampshire are threatened by sea-level rises and coastal erosion. Less obvious, though, are the effects inside our historic properties – effects we’re addressing with immediate remedies and wider efforts to reduce our carbon footprint. 

‘Historic properties are, in a way, uniquely sensitive to climate change, because most don’t provide the level of protection as modern buildings,’ explains senior conservation scientist Dave Thickett. ‘Whatever happens outside comes inside, to a greater extent.’ That doesn’t just mean leaky roofs and draughty windows – changes in temperature and relative humidity ranges have insidious effects on furnishings and collections.

‘We’re already seeing a significant increase in mould growth that affects all organic materials,’ he adds. ‘Very hot summers can cause damage to Limoges enamels in collections at sites such as Ranger’s House in London, so we’re having to improve chilling systems too.’

‘We’re currently installing pipe cladding in our plant rooms, applying mineral-fibre insulation sections to exposed steel pipework and cast-iron valves, and protecting them with aluminium sheeting,’ explains Rob Perkins, facilities manager at Wrest Park. ‘This will reduce energy loss and save us around £1,500 per year.’

Such changes in old structures must be planned carefully. For example, LEDs are far more efficient than the old-style incandescent bulbs – but not all are universally suitable. ‘Each LED gives out light at different colour temperatures,’ explains Dave. ‘A subset of them emit more light in the blue region, which can damage some pigments. So we test LEDs to make sure we install those that won’t cause damage.’

‘When considering insulation in loft spaces at Wrest Park, we can’t just put in rock wool,’ adds Rob Perkins. ‘It has to be lamb’s wool or another specialist insulation, because lath-and-plaster ceilings need to breathe. It’s an old fashioned solution to a modern problem.’

We’ve already made over 40% energy savings at Apsley House, and expect efficiency to rise even more through measures such as making buildings more airtight – a process that requires careful assessment. ‘We’ve undertaken trials on sealing windows at Apsley House, which has advantages beyond heat retention – it helps keep out London pollution,’ explains Dave. ‘But we have to be aware that most of these old buildings were designed to have ventilation; if you seal them too much, you can exacerbate issues like mould growth.’

Where appropriate, we’re generating renewable energy on site. ‘We work with very, very sensitive buildings, so we can’t just slap solar panels all over them, but there are places where it’s viable,’ explains Rob Woodside. ‘At Wrest Park, for example, we’ve installed solar panels on the café – it’s not a historic building, and there’s no visual impact on the gardens or house – and perhaps the collection stores, to produce energy for the visitor reception and interpretation area.’

OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH SMART ENERGY GB

As part of our commitment to working towards a more sustainable future, we’ve partnered with Smart Energy GB, the campaign for a smarter Britain, to share the benefits of installing a smart meter. 

86% of people with a smart meter have said that they have changed how they do things around the house to use less energy. They can also be used to keep track of your spending, check your tariffs, and thereby save money on your bills.