Dean Firth from Salix
Show notes
Our guest for this episode is Dean Firth, assistant director for housing at Salix. With more than a decade of retrofit experience and a master's degree in renewable energy development, Dean shares practical advice on improving home energy efficiency and the realities of domestic retrofit.
In this conversation, Dean discusses why insulation should often come before technologies such as solar panels, the most cost-effective improvements homeowners can make, and the common mistakes people make when upgrading their properties. He explains the importance of loft and wall insulation, the role of ventilation in preventing damp and mould, and why heat pumps require a different approach to heating.
The discussion also explores how households can prioritise improvements on different budgets, the growing availability of new energy technologies, and why retrofit is about more than reducing bills. Dean highlights the benefits of thermal comfort, healthier living conditions and creating warmer, more resilient homes for the future.
In our Tomorrow's Energy series, we explore breakthrough technologies, emerging trends and practical solutions shaping tomorrow's energy systems. We'll hear from those at the forefront of the energy transition, ask about the challenges and discover how today's decisions are creating a more sustainable tomorrow for all of us.
The podcast is produced by the team at Salix Finance.