Home Truths: a round up of our home energy efficiency webinars
Highlights from our home energy efficiency webinar series, covering damp, heating systems and practical advice.
Improving the energy efficiency of your home can feel overwhelming. There is a lot of information out there, and it is not always clear where to start or what actually applies to your home. That is why we launched our online webinar series.
Rather than trying to cover everything at once, we focused on smaller, practical topics that homeowners regularly ask us about during advice calls and home visits. By breaking energy efficiency down into manageable areas, each session was designed to feel approachable, with clear explanations from experts, space for questions, and impartial advice to help homeowners feel confident taking a first step.
What we covered
Across the series, we focused on topics that regularly come up in conversations with homeowners, including some of the common myths that can make home energy efficiency feel more daunting than it needs to be.
Damp and mould
We opened the series with a webinar on damp and mould, looking at why these issues occur and how they can be tackled safely and effectively. The session explored the causes of damp and mould, the impact they can have on homes and health, and practical steps homeowners and landlords can take to reduce risks and improve indoor conditions.
Alternative heating systems
This webinar focused on sustainable heating options and addressed some of the most common questions and misconceptions around moving away from gas boilers. We discussed different low carbon heating systems, including heat pumps, what they mean for comfort and running costs, and the wider considerations homeowners and landlords need to think about when planning a change.
Smart heating controls
Our webinar on smart heating controls focused on how homeowners can optimise their heating systems to stay comfortable without using more energy than necessary. We were joined by Julio, an Energy Advisor at the Centre for Sustainable Energy, who explained the different types of heating controls available, how they work with various heating systems, and where small changes can make a meaningful difference to comfort and running costs.
Key takeaways from the series
One clear takeaway from the series was the demand for clear, practical advice on specific topics. The damp and mould session attracted the highest level of interest, reflecting the fact that one in five Bristol residents say their home is cold or damp, and the need for reliable guidance on how to address these issues properly.
There was also significant engagement around heat pumps and alternative heating systems. This is encouraging, particularly following the extension of the Boiler Upgrade Scheme, which has made low carbon heating more accessible and has prompted many homeowners to revisit their options.
Across the series, we saw strong sign-up numbers and thoughtful questions from attendees, showing that breaking energy efficiency down into smaller, focused topics helps people feel more confident and informed.
We hear the same questions coming up again and again, particularly around damp and mould and heating systems. The webinars allowed us to explain things properly, mythbust common misconceptions, and share clear, trusted advice with a wider audience.
George Pearson, Head of Technical at Retrofit West
Watch the recordings and stay involved
If you missed any of the sessions, or want to revisit a topic, all of our webinar recordings are available to watch on our YouTube playlist.
Looking ahead to the new year, we are already thinking about what topics would be most useful to cover next. What would you like to see next as part of our Home Truths webinar series?
