EWH Climate Change Project

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Edinburgh World Heritage has been awarded £39,120 by the Climate Challenge Fund, for a new project to help energy efficiency in Edinburgh’s World Heritage Site. A project officer will be employed to lead a series of initiatives from introducing energy saving measures to promoting good practice, which could lead to savings up to 400 tonnes CO2 over the 16 month project.

The project officer will support the introduction of energy efficiency and renewable energy practices in Edinburgh’s World Heritage Site. Building on the conservation schemes EWH currently undertakes, the project will focus on sustainability in what are currently seen as ‘hard to treat’ properties, and also the promotion of alternative transport and green routes.

Education will also be an integral part of this project, promoting good practice through community involvement, newsletters, workshops and joint activities with Changeworks and the Energy Saving Scotland Advice Centre.

Relatively simple measures can make historic buildings as energy efficient as most modern constructions. For example draft proofing windows or reinstating wooden shutters. This project aims to reduce carbon emissions over the 16 month period and continue to generate savings on an ongoing basis, with a significant reduction in the overall carbon footprint of the city.

Edinburgh World Heritage has already funded a series of projects, looking to improve energy efficiency in historic buildings.

Energy Heritage – in partnership with Lister Housing Cooperative and Changeworks, EWH funded an pilot study of introducing simple energy saving measures to a block of category B listed Georgian tenements in Lauriston Place.

Renewable Heritage - in partnership with Lister Housing Cooperative and Changeworks, EWH funded an pilot study fitting solar water heating panels to the roof of the Georgian tenements in Lauriston Place.

Gilmour’s Place – in partnership with Hillcrest Housing and the Energy Saving Trust, EWH helped to convert a category B listed hostel in the Grassmarket to affordable housing. Included in the conversion were energy saving measures such as a ground source heat pump and sun spaces, to help heat the flats through solar gain.

Hillside Crescent – working with Purcell Miller Tritton architects and the property owners at 23-25 Hillside Crescent, EWH has also looked at treating historic buildings holistically, in terms of energy and building conservation values.