British Gas and Rockwool UK install insulation in Hampton Court Palace, the Tower of London and Kensington Palace

After these historic buildings, Hampton Court Palace, Kensington Palace’s Orangery and the Tower of London’s Queen’s House, have been properly insulated they will cut a combined £130,000 from their gas bills and reduce their CO2 emissions by 850 tonnes over the lifetime of the insulation.
In total, nearly 4500 square meters of the three palaces will be covered by insulation – the equivalent of 100 average semi-detached houses. 11,000 rolls of insulation will be required for the project which will take around 1000 hours to complete.
Hampton Court Palace, the former 16th Century residence of King Henry VIII, will be the focus for nearly 80% of the work with over 3,500 square meters of the palace, being insulated. The Queen’s House at the Tower of London, built in 1530 for Anne Boleyn (King Henry VIII’s second wife) and Queen Anne’s early 18th century Orangery at Kensington Palace will also feel the warmth of this initiative.
The palaces, managed by independent charity Historic Royal Palaces, are probably the oldest former royal residences to be insulated and will require unique expertise to install insulation in rafters which are over 500 years old.
Michael Day, Chief Executive of Historic Royal Palaces, said:
“These great palaces have stood the test of time over hundreds of years. Today we must make sure they are suitable for a new low carbon future. This project, generously supported by British Gas and Rockwool UK, will not only make some of Britain’s most important buildings more environmentally sound, but will also deliver significant and ongoing savings to our energy bills which is invaluable to us as a self-funded charity. Protecting the environment and making savings to charitable expenditure will further enable us to ensure these palaces and their wonderful stories will be here for future generations to enjoy.”
Insulation can also make a dramatic difference to more modern homes. Nearly £1 in every £4 spent heating UK homes is wasted due to poor energy efficiency yet loft insulation can cut £150 off energy bills and cavity insulation can cut £115. British Gas offers free loft and cavity-wall insulation to people over 70 and on income or disability-related benefits.
Jon Kimber, Managing Director of British Gas New Energy, said:
“It is great to see three of Britain’s oldest and most iconic buildings leading the way on energy efficiency.
“Whilst this project is a massive undertaking, insulating modern homes is the quickest and easier way to cut energy bills, reduce your carbon footprint and save money. Whether it’s a 500 year old Royal Palace or a suburban semi-detached house, installing insulation makes financial and environmental sense.”
The British Gas installers will be using Rockwool insulation for the project. Hans Schreuder, Managing Director of Rockwool UK, said:
“Rockwool UK is proud to be able to offer insulation solutions to Historic Royal Palaces in partnership with British Gas. These buildings are part of Britain’s national heritage. They will survive the test of time because Historic Royal Palaces is protecting them today from tomorrow’s environmental pressures.”