A Deeper look at home energy performance
Understanding our Burnham and Highbridge’s home energy needs
In 2025 we undertook a research project into the home energy upgrades needed to make Burnham and Highbridge’s housing stock comfortable and low-carbon, and ways we can support the community in making them happen. The project was funded by the Community Energy Fund
Energy prices remain high and we know that for many homes the energy bill can be one of the most significant expenses. With the cost of living on the rise, it’s more important than ever that we find effective ways to reduce our gas and electricity usage, while benefiting the environment by reducing our carbon footprint.
Retrofitting homes is vital for the UK in order to achieve its energy security, fuel poverty and climate change goals. The Government has set a target for the UK to reach net zero in carbon emissions by 2050 and reduce emissions by 77% by 2035. Our homes use 35% of all the energy in the UK and emit 20% of the carbon dioxide emissions, so if we are going to achieve those targets and impact climate change, household emissions need to be addressed.
Working with the Centre of Energy Equality (CEE) and Communities for Renewables (CFR) we analysed publicly available energy performance and property information across the region to understand typical housing groups. Using CEE’s Fairer Warmth platform, we then sought to verify housing type assumptions by asking that local people complete our questionnaire in exchange for the opportunity to receive a free retrofit assessment by Building Energy Efficiency.
Undertaking retrofit assessments on key local property types allowed us to identify the measures that suited each, and what benefits they could be expected to deliver in terms of bill reductions, comfort and heath improvements, or reductions in carbon emissions. With improvement plans for each housing group, we were then able to scale the benefits by housing type and number to understand the potential economic and environmental benefits on a regional level.
The final stage of our study was to understand what might be preventing local people from progressing upgrades locally, and establish how we could help the community overcome these barriers. We concluded with four clear objectives which we’re developing this winter. Find out more below!
Understanding our housing stock
We assessed the local housing stock to understand key property groups which we could assess to understand each group’s specific needs.
Burnham and Highbridge has a diverse housing stock, with older homes making up a large share:
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40% of homes were built before 1966, many with poor insulation and high energy bills.
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Terraced and semi-detached houses dominate – over half of local homes fall into these categories.
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Fewer than 40% currently meet the minimum energy efficiency standard (EPC band C).
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14 distinct housing archetypes were identified, showing a wide range of building ages, wall types and heating systems.
This mix means there is no single retrofit solution for the area. Older solid-wall properties face costly, disruptive upgrades, while newer homes often need smaller improvements. By mapping these archetypes, we can target the right measures for each type of home, from solar PV and loft insulation through to more complex whole-house retrofits.
A breakdown of the 14 housing groups we assessed as part of this study. Hover for more detail.
Understanding each home's needs
We funded detailed home energy assessments across as many housing types in the area as possible. Between April and May 2025, Building Energy Experts Ltd carried out assessments on eight properties, examining current energy use, building condition, ventilation, airtightness, and wall construction to understand each home’s specific needs. From this, practical recommendations were developed for improving energy efficiency, reducing bills, and cutting carbon emissions. We also evaluated the financial case for each measure to form targeted recommendations for each housing group.
Use the link below to see if we surveyed your housing type and view the headline recommendations. Get in touch if you’d like more detail on the assessments carried out as part of this study.
Visit the link here to learn more about the measures recommended by our energy assessors to understand when they might be suitable for your home and the benefits you can expect. We’ve also provided links to guidance pages published by the Energy Saving Trust and Centre for Sustainable Energy for further info.
Understanding the local economic benefit
Quantifying the local economic benefit that upgrading homes would bring, and the impact on carbon emmissions.
A town-wide energy model for Burnham-on-Sea and Highbridge looked at how retrofitting homes could cut bills, reduce carbon and create local jobs. Using data from 1,990 properties, the study tested different uptake levels (5%, 10%, 25% and 50% of homes) to see the potential impact.
Even modest action showed big results. For example, fitting solar panels on just 25% of one housing type (113 homes) could save households around £136,000 a year, cut 249 tonnes of CO₂, and create the equivalent of two full-time installer jobs. Combining insulation and solar PV on the same number of homes more than doubles the benefit: £250,000 in bill savings, 600 tonnes of carbon cut, and around 90 jobs supported locally.
If a quarter of Burnham and Highbridge homes had solar PV and energy insulation measures installed we’d achieve:
£250,000 in bill savings
90 new local green jobs
600 tonnes per year CO2 reduction
This isn’t just about emissions—it’s also about strengthening the local economy. Retrofit work creates long-term jobs that stay in the community, with demand for skilled trades like heat pump engineers and insulation installers set to rise sharply across the South West.
Beyond the numbers, warmer and more efficient homes bring wider social benefits: reducing fuel poverty, improving health and comfort, and easing pressure on local health services. Together, retrofit measures offer Burnham and Highbridge a pathway to lower energy use, cleaner air, stronger local jobs, and better quality of life for residents.
Making it happen
Upgrading homes in Burnham and Highbridge is essential for cutting carbon, lowering bills, and making homes healthier. But many residents face barriers such as unclear advice, high upfront costs, limited finance options, and a shortage of skilled installers. We’re working to break down these challenges and make retrofit more accessible, affordable, and trusted for everyone. Our study identified four key objectives:
Raise awareness: Help local people understand the the benefits of improving their home’s energy performance, which measures may suit their home, and how to go about implementing them.
Promote finance: Highlight existing finance options to aim to address the cost barrier;
Build skills: Support local training and contractor capacity to grow a trusted retrofit supply chain;
