The Diocese of Liverpool is taking bold steps to create warmer, more efficient clergy homes as part of its journey to Net Zero Carbon by 2030.
Through the Church of England’s Demonstrator Project, one of our clergy houses will undergo a full retrofit to showcase how older homes can be transformed for a low-carbon future. This 1990s detached property, set in a conservation area, will see major upgrades: improved loft and wall insulation, new high-performance windows, low-energy lighting, solar panels with battery storage, and the installation of an air source heat pump to replace its gas boiler. Together, these changes will reduce carbon emissions, improve comfort, and lower long-term energy demand.
But this is about more than one house. The project is designed to be a blueprint for how similar properties across our diocese and across the country can be upgraded. Every stage of the work will provide valuable lessons for future projects, helping us scale up our impact.
At the same time, energy surveys in selected vicarages are identifying the most effective ways to cut carbon and improve living conditions. As a result of the surveying, St Luke’s Vicarage in Crosby, has been provided with extremely useful recommendations that would help make the building more energy efficient and significantly reduce its reliance on fossil fuels.
Commenting on the work, Phil Leigh, Diocesan Environmental Officer and NZC2030 Programme Lead said ” The demonstrator project is a perfect way to highlight how we can make our churches and clergy housing more sustainable for the future. By carrying out this project, we’re proving that low-carbon living is possible and will make a tremendous different to our environment. This work allows us to care for God’s creation and ensure that by being Net Zero by 2030, we can make our churches more sustainable for generations to come.”
This work showcases the Diocese of Liverpool’s vision of creating a bigger church with a bigger difference. By focusing on energy efficient improvements, we can help to sustain our churches for many more decades to come meaning generations of families can continue to come through our doors and sit in our pews all whilst caring for God’s creation and ensuring a more sustainable future for all to enjoy.
