Overview

• A Skipton Building Society survey of 2,000 UK homeowners found over half prefer cosmetic renovations like new kitchens or bathrooms over insulation or energy-efficient heating for the immediate satisfaction they provide.
• The Big Retrofit report, produced with Leeds Beckett University and the University of Leeds, documents how retrofitting a 1930s detached house increased comfort and lifted its EPC rating from D to B.
• Over a quarter of respondents know a neighbour who has made significant low-carbon modifications and 53% of those homeowners were inspired to make similar upgrades.
• For 38% of participants, neighbours’ successes in cutting energy bills were the main trigger for exploring efficiency measures.
• As a result, 48% have investigated solar panel installations, 24% loft insulation upgrades, and 15% triple glazed windows.