Insultation and draft proofing
Generally, works that help reduce energy consumption and/or enable areas to be maintained at comfortable temperatures are eligible. Such works include:
- Insulating loft roofs and loft spaces where there is an uninsulated, easy-to access void.
- Insulating around heating pipes.
- Draught-proofing doors and windows, including putting up a door-curtain.
- Installing a secondary door / porch to reduce heat loss at an entrance to a church.
- Laying rugs/floor-coverings (appropriately breathable) or fabric wall-hangings or panels (with an air gap behind) if these are designed primarily to improve insultation to improve comfort and/or reduce carbon emissions.
Lighting
Work that significantly reduces gross carbon emissions (as measured by the Energy Footprint Tool) associated with lighting will be eligible, in particular:
- Replacing lights with LEDs. This can include replacing light fittings if they are not LED compatible.
- Installing thermal and/or motion sensors on lighting.
Heating controls (including zoning)
Work that enables better monitoring and control of heating, including:
- Creating one or more smaller (separately heatable) spaces for smaller events.
- Matching heating settings better to usage.
- Installing a HIVE- or NEST-type heating controller, to better control heating.
- Improving heating zones and controls.
- Installing TRVs on radiators in meeting rooms & offices.
- Installing energy-saving devices such as Savawatt on fridges or other appliances.
- Installing a smart meter, to better measure energy use.
Efforts to reduce or eliminate use of oil or gas for heating
This can include supporting towards the costs of installation of electric powered appliances such as:
- Under-pew electric heaters.
- Infra-red radiant panels and/or halo heaters.
- Heat pumps.
- Heated chair cushions.
… which either replace or significantly reduce the use of oil and gas-fired space heating.
Further eligible works could include replacing gas cookers with electric and installing ‘point of use’ electric water heaters for sinks which avoid the need to heat tap water with gas/oil.
NB: Destratification fans will not generally be eligible unless there is clear evidence demonstrating that in the specific building, they will significantly reduce energy consumption / reduce carbon emissions as part of a wider plan to move towards net zero.
Electrical upgrades
Work that enables a move towards direct electric heating approaches such as upgrades to the electrical system and/or supply serving the property, to enable a church or church hall to move away from oil or gas heating, or to substantial reduce their use of existing oil or gas heating
Temporary heating solutions
Works that enable a church or church hall to avoid undertaking a like-for-like oil or gas-heating replacement, when all the following specific circumstances occur:
- The fossil fuel heating system has failed.
- It is an emergency situation.
- No other temporary heating solution is available
Eligible costs under the Quick Wins fund:
- Boiler hire.
- Electric heater hire or purchase.
- Heated chair cushions.
It is expected these temporary solutions will last for no more than one year, whilst the church makes plans, seeks advice, applies for faculty, and fundraises for a permanent low carbon alternative.
In these circumstances, temporary heating appliances should ideally be owned by the diocese so that, at the end of the temporary period, once the church has installed their permanent heating solution, the diocese can then make the appliances available to other parishes.
Work that helps address ingress of damp
Repairs to roofs and rainwater goods (e.g. gutters, downpipes) can be considered eligible if:
- They do not constitute work that would normally be considered as routine maintenance.
- Align with the spirit of the Church of England to move towards net zero and genuinely fit within part of a wider PCC plan of works to reduce carbon emission in their buildings.
Solar PV systems
Quick Wins support towards Solar PV systems will be eligible only when PV systems are part of a wider PCC plan which prioritises actions to decarbonise their buildings. A genuine commitment to decarbonise (with some other measures to transition to net zero carbon already completed) must be clearly evident before Quick Wins support for a PV system is considered.
VAT
It will be assumed that whenever reasonably possible, PCCs will take advantage of schemes for reclaiming VAT, or take advantage of schemes that allow reduced rates of VAT. Accordingly, the Quick Wins fund will only contribute to VAT costs when such costs could not have reasonably been reclaimed or reduced through other scheme(s).