Whole house retrofit in Ilkley

In 2024, wrapt took on an ambitious project to transform a 1980s stone property into a high-performance home with next to no heating bills. Our client had high sustainability aspirations and together, we were able to design and create a low energy home fit for the future.

So what is involved in a comprehensive whole house retrofit?

Internal wall insulation:

In most homes the majority of heat is lost through the walls. The 1980s building had an existing cavity, but due to the presence of thin polystyrene insulation, we were unable to upgrade further with cavity fill. Instead we opted to use wood fibre insulation to line the internal walls. This also allowed us to achieve good levels of air tightness.

Mechanical Ventilation Heat Recovery (MVHR):

MVHR units work brilliantly in airtight homes by ensuring high levels of ventlation without heat loss. We installed an MVHR unit in the property’s loft, allowing us to drop pipes into the rooms below.

MVHRs capture up to 95% of heat of a home’s stale air as it leaves a building and passes this on to cold fresh air using a heat exchanger.

Solar panels and battery storage:

We installed solar panels with battery storage enabling the client to take advantage of self generated energy all day long.

Solid floor insulation:

We removed the timber floor joists taking the floor back to ground level. From here, we installed 275mm of insulation topped with a thin screed. We laid underfloor heating pipes topped with a slate which provides the home with a steady floor temperature all year round that is easy to heat.

Air source heat pump:

An air source heat pump was installed in the garden to power the home and take it off the gas grid. This captures ambient heat from the outside air and brings it into the home for heating the home and hot water.

Triple glazed windows:

We worked with NorDan, a Scandinavian window provider, to supply high-performance triple glazed windows. These not only keep in the heat but also keep out sounds!

Airtightness:

We ensured very high levels of airtightness throughout the home, an essential part of any energy efficient home as draughts can significantly undermine the impact of insulation. We sealed every junction and conducted regular pressure tests to help with leak detection.