Energy Performance Certificates in Woolwich

Common property types

• New-build apartments at Royal Arsenal: The Royal Arsenal Riverside development has added thousands of modern flats to Woolwich over the past fifteen years. These purpose-built apartments range from studios to three-bedroom units and are built to current building regulations. Most achieve B or C ratings without any improvement work needed. Each unit still requires a valid EPC every time it is sold or let, and we regularly assess properties in Berkeley Homes blocks along the riverside and Warren Lane.
• Victorian terraces around Beresford Square: The streets behind Woolwich town centre, including Sandy Hill Road, Anglesea Road, and Marmadon Road, contain rows of Victorian terraces dating from the 1880s and 1890s. These two and three-bedroom houses have solid brick walls, slate roofs, and original sash windows in many cases. Solid wall construction is the biggest EPC challenge, and most of these homes score D or E. Many have been converted into flats, with each unit requiring its own certificate.
• Council estates and tower blocks: Woolwich has several large council estates, including Morris Walk, Connaught Estate, and the high-rise blocks around Woolwich Common. Construction varies from brick cavity walls to concrete panel systems. Heating systems range from district heating schemes to individual gas boilers and electric storage heaters. Properties that have been updated with modern heating and double glazing can reach D, but those on older systems often sit at E or F.
• Georgian and Regency properties near the barracks: A small stock of period properties exists near the Royal Artillery Barracks on Repository Road and Academy Road. These larger houses have solid walls, high ceilings, and significant heated volumes that affect EPC ratings. Some have been subdivided into flats. The heritage character of these buildings means external insulation is rarely an option.
• Edwardian semis near Woolwich Common: The streets around Woolwich Common, including Nightingale Place and Herbert Road, have Edwardian semi-detached houses with bay windows and larger plots. These properties typically have cavity walls that may or may not be filled, and suspended timber ground floors. They are popular family homes and turn over regularly in both the sales and rental markets.

Typical EPC issues we find in Woolwich

• Solid walls in Victorian terraces: The terraces around Beresford Square and Sandy Hill Road have solid brick walls with no cavity to fill. Internal or external wall insulation is the recommended upgrade, but it is expensive and disruptive. Without it, these properties rarely get above an E.
• Electric storage heaters in council flats: Many of the tower blocks and maisonettes around Woolwich Common still run on Economy 7 storage heaters. These score poorly under RDSAP methodology. Where gas supply is available, switching to a combi boiler with radiators can improve the rating by two bands or more.
• Communal heating systems: Some newer blocks and regenerated estates use communal or district heating. These systems need to be recorded carefully during the assessment, as the efficiency figures differ from individual boilers and can affect the rating positively or negatively depending on the system age and type.
• Mixed glazing in period properties: Many Victorian and Edwardian homes in Woolwich have a mix of original single-glazed windows and newer double-glazed replacements. Each window must be recorded separately, and the mix of types can produce a lower overall score than full double glazing throughout.
• Flat roof extensions: Rear extensions with flat felt roofs are common on the Victorian terraces around the town centre. These are typically uninsulated and contribute to heat loss. Insulating during a re-roof or from below is one of the more cost-effective improvements available.