Insulation
One of the most effective things you can do to have an impact on climate change is to minimise the heat loss from your home.
Why not top up your loft insulation? Did you know that the recommended depth is 270mm? Cavity wall insulation and topping up your loft insulation in your home will not only reduce the heat escaping from the roof and walls - it could also save you up to £180 per year*.
For information on grants that are available from the government, energy suppliers and local authorities, visit The Energy Saving Trust’s website
* Source: Defra. Assumes a £30 saving for filling a cavity wall.
Heating
If your boiler is over 10 years old, replacing it with a high efficiency condensing boiler using gas with heating controls could save around £210 per year*. Gas heating is more energy efficient than electric heating - it producers about half as much CO2 per unit. Alternatively you could upgrade to a sloar powered water heater.
Combination boilers heat water on demand instead of filling a tank with hot water which may or may not be used. Modern condensing boilers are highly efficient, producing more than 10% extra heat per unit of energy than a model made 10 years ago.
Always look for the Energy Saving Recommended logo when looking for a new boiler or appliance.
Lag your hot water tank and insulate hot water pipes. Tank jackets cost from just £12, they’re simple to fit and could pay for themseleve in 6 months**.
* Source: Defra
** Source: Defra. Based on heating around 1,700 litres of water by electricity to 600C.
Green electricity
You can buy your electricity from a renewable energy source like wind, solar, hydro-power or biomass - these create negligible CO2 emissions. Most electricity providers offer their own green alternatives, including http://www.good-energy.co.uk/ and http://www.ecotricity.co.uk/
Get new wheels
Think about the type of car you drive, and consider buying one with a more efficient engine. There are a range of electric cars, hybrid cars and diesel engines that can run on electricity from renewable sources or biofuels that emit less CO2.
Buy as small a car as you can for your day-to-day needs - this will save money and help the environment. If you think you'll need a bigger car for occasional longer trips, you can always rent or borrow one.
The fuel economy of similar sized cars can vary by as much as 45%. So shop around when you're next buying a car and cut down on fuel costs and emissions.
'A' rated appliances
Household fridges and freezers run non-stop - together they use more energy than it takes to run all the offices in the country*. If you have an old model, consider upgrading it - it’ll pay for itself in a few years and the CO2 savings will start immediately.
When buying any electric appliance, choose the most energy efficient model available. Efficient products reduce CO2 emissions and save you money. Most are labelled these days, so they’re easy to find.
* Source: Rough Guide to Saving Energy
EU Energy Label
By law, all retailers must show an EU Energy Label relating to all new fridges, freezers, washers, tumble dryers, dishwashers, lamps, ovens, light bulbs and air conditioners.
Each item is ranked from A (efficient) to G (inefficient). These days, all washing machines available in the UK tend to be graded above D and fridge/freezers above C. This means that a ‘middle’ rating is actually relatively low - the really efficient models are labelled A+ or even A++.
Energy Efficiency Recommended
Administered by the Energy Saving Trust, the Energy Efficiency Recommended Logo (EER) has been developed to show customers the most energy efficient products on the market. To get the logo, fridges, for example, must have an energy rating of A+ or A++.
The logo can be found on light bulbs and appliances, as well as boilers, heating controls, insulation and more. Visit the Energy Saving Trust for more information.
For further advice on these and other ways you can save energy, visit www.direct.gov.uk/actonco2 or the helpline 0800 512 012.
More information on how we calculated these savings can be found on our Savings Calculations Assumptions page.