Home Energy Efficiency

Home Energy Efficiency

Thermal imaging and retrofit surveys


Updated September 17th 2026

Our winter 2026/27 season of thermal home thermal imaging will be getting underway soon!  watch this space or our Facebook page for further information.

Thanks to funding from the SSE Sustainability Fund, we are able to continue a project (initiated in 2023) which provides home energy assessments to give impartial advice to help local people make their homes more energy efficient.   Rest assured no-one is selling anything.

The assessment is in two parts:

  1. Thermal imaging by a BACC volunteer.   This takes place mostly internally, room-by-room.  A short report including key thermal images is provided to the householder.   To be effective the outside temperature must be cold, < 6'C, so we typically begin in November. 
  2. Architects retrofit survey.  We have commissioned John Gilbert Architects, a well-established firm with extensive experience of giving advice on retrofitting energy efficiency measures.  Our funding is limited to 22 such surveys.
These assessments are available in the South Lanarkshire part of the ML12 postcode area (+ Dolphinton).

We are aiming to include examples of common local house types and these will form the basis of case studies which can be shared with other home owners. House surveys will include a thermal imaging assessment as well as an inspection of your home (including the loft if it’s accessible) and the architects will discuss how you use the property. The survey will not include intrusive inspections such as removing plaster from walls. After the survey you will receive an action plan tailored to your house and the way that you use it highlighting things that you can do to reduce energy use.

We are looking to work with home owners, tenants or landlords who are keen to improve the energy efficiency of their properties within the next 1 - 2 years, but are unsure what to do or how to obtain funding to help pay for the work.

The 2026/27 winter season will get underway in November - watch this space or our Facebook page for further information.



Analysis of 2025/26 surveys

The architect surveys across the 28 retrofit assessments were analysed to identify common themes. 

​A clear message emerges. Most of the homes do not need a dramatic “eco makeover” as the first step. The common problems are more basic, but very important: incomplete insulation, draughts, thermal bridges, dampness, poor ventilation, and old heating systems working harder than they need to.

The strongest lesson is the value of a fabric-first approach. Before thinking about heat pumps, solar panels or batteries, many houses first need roofs, coombs, dormers and suspended floors insulated properly; gaps and junctions sealed; chimneys, gutters and damp problems fixed; and ventilation improved so that warmer, tighter houses do not become unhealthy houses.

It is also clear that every property is different. A generic EPC recommendation is not enough. Traditional stone cottages, listed buildings, 1970s bungalows and modern houses all need different priorities. In several cases, the cheapest and safest improvements were not glamorous: loft hatches, pipe insulation, extract fans, draught sealing, repairing rainwater goods, or improving insulation continuity.
​
The encouraging conclusion is that there are many practical, staged actions householders can take. BACC’s role is valuable because it helps people move from vague concern about energy use to a sensible, evidence-based retrofit journey: fix the building, reduce heat loss, manage moisture, then choose the right low-carbon technology.


The full report can be read below, or view it in a separate window.


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