Client overview
This case study examines the solar installation carried out at a detached bungalow in Hull, East Yorkshire. Starting from a D-rated Energy Performance Certificate, the property was upgraded to the highest possible rating of A, alongside a 61.3% reduction in annual energy bills — showing the scale of savings achievable from a well-sized solar PV system, even without additional heating upgrades.
The challenge
With a D-rated EPC, the property sat in the middle of the efficiency scale, leaving clear room for improvement. As a detached bungalow, it benefited from a larger, unshaded roof area, but the homeowners were facing rising energy costs and wanted a solution that could deliver a decisive uplift in efficiency rating alongside a substantial, ongoing reduction in bills. The challenge was to design a system capable of taking the property from a mid-table D rating to the top A band while maximising the savings generated from the available roof space.
Project goals
Reach the top EPC band
Move decisively from a mid-table D rating to the highest achievable A band.
Make the most of the roof
Take full advantage of the bungalow's larger, unshaded roof area relative to other property types.
Cut bills substantially
Deliver a solution homeowners facing rising energy costs could rely on for ongoing, meaningful savings.
The solution
14-panel solar PV array
A 3.535kW solar PV system was specified as a single 14-panel array installed across the property's roof, maximising generation capacity relative to the available space.
Single-array configuration
Panels were oriented for optimal exposure, ensuring strong output throughout daylight hours across the year — a solar-only approach designed to directly offset the household's grid electricity consumption.
Results & benefits
EPC improvement
The property's EPC rating rose from D to A, the highest achievable rating, reflecting the strength of the improvement delivered by the solar installation.
Annual bill savings
Annual energy bills fell by 61.3% — one of the largest savings achieved across comparable installations, giving the homeowners significant, long-term reductions in their running costs.
Solar alone, strong results
The results show that a well-sized, single-array solar PV system can deliver some of the strongest savings available on its own, without the need for further heating system upgrades.
“The Hull detached bungalow demonstrates just how much a well-sized, single-array solar PV system can achieve on its own, lifting the property from a D to an A EPC rating while cutting annual bills by 61.3%. For homeowners with a similarly sized roof and a mid-range starting efficiency rating, this case shows that solar PV alone can deliver some of the strongest savings available, without the need for further heating system upgrades.”
YEERS Project Summary, Detached Bungalow, Hull
