Architect and TV presenter George Clarke is an expert on creating stunning and sustainable homes. But there’s so much more to a dream home than just being green and good-looking: “We should never forget the fundamentals of homes, they need to be warm, comfortable and safe. Obviously, it’s all about saving energy and reducing bills at the moment, and part of that is being sustainable for the planet. But there’s also something that people don’t talk about enough, and that’s being comfortable and warm and protected in your house. That feels great.”
George’s top tips include a focus on Insulation stating that this is the best thing to keep your house warm. “Make sure your loft’s really well insulated, and get rid of draughts. I still go into people’s houses and I cannot believe how draughty some of them are, they haven’t put draught excluders on doors or keyholes. On a windy day, the wind that comes through a keyhole is unbelievable. As well as getting rid of gaps around windows and doors, and insulating the loft, Wall insulation is definitely worth considering too.”
“You’re literally building two or three inches of insulation on the interior of your house, You’ve got to be careful about how destructive it is to the house, because taking three inches off every wall makes every room feel a little bit smaller. It’s not the easiest thing to do, but my God, the difference it makes is unbelievable. I’ve gone the full hog with ecological upgrades.”
“One of the best things I’ve ever put in is an air source heat pump. So, I’ve got rid of my gas boiler, I’m not gas-dependent at all. These heat pumps aren’t cheap, so you can’t say they’re affordable. If you want to replace a gas boiler it’s going to cost you a couple of grand, but when you put an air source heat pump in, you’re changing a lot of the system, and the average cost is £6,000-£8,000, depending on the size of your house.”
George went on to say “I know I’ve got clean, green technology providing all the heating and hot water for my house. My bills are definitely down, it’s amazing, they’re 30-40% less than they’d normally be. That’s a decent saving every year, but you’ve got to buy the kit. People are struggling to pay for expensive food and travel costs, so it might be a big ask.If you’ve had a standard gas boiler in your house for 12-15 years, it’s probably very inefficient and needs to be taken out and upgraded. But I would suggest, if anyone can afford it, do not replace your gas boiler with another gas boiler, and if you can, put in an air source heat pump. Really take a long-term view on it.”
George Clarke, architect, TV presenter and home improvement champion, continues as a passionate consumer advocate and Brand Ambassador of HIES. Widely known for his recent work on George Clarke’s Amazing Spaces, Amazing Spaces Shed of the Year and Old House New Home, George joined the scheme in 2019 as an ardent supporter of high standards in the home improvement and renewable energy industries and protecting and educating consumers.IMS Heat Pumps are members of the Home Insulation and Energy Systems Contractors Scheme Consumer Code (HIES). HIES is a consumer protection organisation covering the installation of renewable energy and home energy efficiency products. By respecting, protecting and educating consumers our aim is to transform consumer protection within the home energy market. sector.