Energy Efficiency

Lightswitch

The most effective and efficient way to minimise your energy requirements and reduce your carbon footprint is to avoid wasting energy and to use energy more efficiently.

Avoiding wasting energy costs nothing to do, and immediately starts saving you money. It may involve some changes to your lifestyle, such as walking or taking the bus rather than driving off in your car. Others are simple matters of habit - like switching off lights when they are not in use, and checking that the room thermostat on your heating system is set correctly. This is sometimes known simply as energy conservation.

Here are some helpful tips:

www.energysavingtrust.org.uk Insulation

Using energy more efficiently will involve a modest financial outlay. Some of the suggestions cost just a few pounds, and will pay for themselves within a year. Others require quite significant investment, or may involve professional installation. However, almost all energy efficiency measures will eventually pay for themselves in lower fuel bills.

Take a look at these top 10 energy saving measures:

www.energysavingtrust.org.uk Form Filling

Completing a home energy check is the easiest way to assess which measures are suitable for your property and whether you are entitled to any grants to carry out the improvements. The home energy check is a simple evaluation form that you can fill out and send away. You recieve a free report, outlining the current efficiency of your home, and what measures would be available to you to make it more efficient, and save you money.

You can contact your local Energy Efficiency Advice Centre on 0800 512 012 for this free service or visit their website for further information:

You should be aware that if you are applying for a grant from the Low Carbon Buildings Programme to install microgeneration technologies, you can only apply if you are able to demonstrate that you have met the following minimum energy efficiency measures:

  1. Insulated the whole of the loft of the property to meet current building regulations e.g. 270mm of mineral wool loft insulation or suitable alternative
  2. Installed cavity wall insultation (if you have cavity walls)
  3. Fitted low energy light bulbs in all appropriate light fittings
  4. Installed basic controls for your heating system to include a room thermostat and a programmer or timer.

For more information contact the Low Carbon Building Programme call 0800 915 0990, or email info@lowcarbonbuildings.org.uk or visit the website www.lowcarbonbuildings.org.uk

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