Concerns about global warming are making us all think again about living a ‘greener’ lifestyle.  Every home can do there bit to help the environment and save money at the same time.  It is a known fact that British homes emit much more carbon dioxide than the whole of UK industry put together. So, if you are interested in doing your bit, and yes, your bit can make a difference, read on and start to think about how you will spend the money you will save!

The Energy Saving Trust encourages us to save 20% energy per year and for the average three-bedroomed semi-detached house it is easy to cut 2 tonnes of its annual carbon dioxide emissions.  It is now common practice for many of us to recycle our bottles, jars, plastics and paper and this is actively encouraged by local authorities all over the UK but this is only the thin end of the wedge if you are seriously determined to make a difference.

This is by no means a difficult task.  A few simple changes that will be hardly noticeable to housholders can result in a 20% energy saving thus reducing an average household fuel bill by £300 per annum.  Some savings are instant - other may take a bit longer before the financial benefits can be realised.  If you are planning on selling your home, recent studies have shown that properties  having a package of eco-friendly improvements can increase the saleability and value of the property by up to £10,000!

The new home seller’s packs will include energy performance certificates - so what steps can you take now?

Check the temperature settings on your heating and water settings - If you turn down your thermostat by just 1 degree centigrade you could see a decrease on your energy bills of up to 10%.  Many people make the mistake of believing that their water has to be boiling hot but what do we do?..add cold water instantly to cool it down!  So we pay to heat it up then add water to cool it down ???  Look now and change your cylinder thermostat to be no higher than 60 degrees Celsius.

How’s your insulation?  Would you believe that up to 33% of the heat produced in your home is being lost through walls and more is being lost through the roof.  For a quick fix to prevent this scale of heat loss, invest in cavity wall insulation which is quick and relatively cheap and you could see a saving on your heating bills of up to £150 per annum.  Houses built after 1920 tend to have cavity walls with a small air gap - if this is the case investigate the possibility of obtaining a grant which could cut the cost of insulating your cavity walls to about £300.  If you have exposed floorboards, under-floor insulation which would cost about £100 will save you £50 a year in retained warmth!

Have you seen the light?  Light saving bulbs make a significant saving to the amount of energy being consumed when compared to the ordinary light bulb.  Changing all your traditional bulbs to enery efficient ones can save you £100 over the bulb’s lifetime and the can last up to eight years.

Check your appliances - It is easy to check the energy efficiency of household appliances as they are now graded according to their efficiency.  New products will display a sticker - the nearer the Grade to A - the more cost and energy efficient it is.  Using a high-efficiency boiler with heating controls could give you savings of about £230 per year - this saving will pay for your cavity wall insulation!.  If your boiler is more than 15 years old, you may reap the benefits of investing in a new one.  Do not leave electrical equipment on ’standyby’ instead of switching off as this could lead to you loosing £37 a year in wasted energy.

Solar power - No greenhouse gases are generated by solar systems and this can result in a saving of 325kg of carbon dioxide emissions a year for an average property.  Solar panels and systems come in various types and styles and indeed prices.  Many people wrongly believe that this would not be an efficient system in the UK because ‘we don’t get enough sunshine’.  How wrong could they be!  The solar systems only require daylight rather than direct sun, but shade will have a detrimental effect on the way solar panels work which decreases their appeal to owners of north-facing properties.  Costing between £4,000 and £9,000 to install and you should check your local planning rules before embarking on this type of project.  A full solar system may take up to 15 years to be financially rewarding but you can be satisfied that you have made an contribution to saving the environment.  You can also explore cheaper versions which may just heat water.

Wind power? Only a small percentage of the UK’s power is harnessed from the wind.  Systems are available for the home and cost in the region of £7,000 which includes the turbine, mast, full kit and installation.  Because turbines are relatively new, the cost savings are yet to be evaluated.

Earth Ship is Britain’s ultimate eco-friendly house built at a cost of £280,000 in Brighton.  It was built to show that style and sustainability can go hand in hand.  The house’s construction includes old tyres  rammed with earth to build the walls, which also contain broken glass!  The granite floor are made from the off-cuts of gravestones and reclaimed floorboards were used for its wooden frame.  Check it out!

This entry was posted on Tuesday, March 27th, 2007 at 8:24 pm and is filed under Eco-friendly. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.