Home Building Energy Saving

Energy Efficiency

The second step in making a truly eco-friendly home is to make our homes as efficient as possible so that it requires less energy to run them and less is lost through poor design. Some fairly simple alterations to your home will drastically improve the comfort level, reduce your carbon emissions, and save you money! There are also a number of grants available for homeowners purchasing certified products from certified installers, so have a look at some of your options below and request a no-obligation quote to see how much you could save.

Energy Saving Light Bulbs - Back to top

Learn More	Cost	Yearly Saving	ROI	CO₂ Saved	Feasability
£5	£5	1 year	20kg per year (EACH)	Available in all base/cap sizes and fitting types.
Pros / Cons
Pros - Use up to 80% less electricity. - Appearance and performance are now indistinguishable from regular incandescent bulbs. Cons - N/A

Energy Saving Light Bulbs

Learn More

Cost

Yearly Saving

ROI

CO₂ Saved

Feasability

£5

1 year

20kg per year (EACH)

Available in all base/cap sizes and fitting types.

Pros / Cons

Pros
- Use up to 80% less electricity.
- Appearance and performance are now indistinguishable from regular incandescent bulbs.
Cons
- N/A

Energy Saving Appliances - Back to top

Learn More	Cost	Yearly Saving	ROI	CO₂ Saved	Feasability
£400	£30	N/A	120kg per year	Need to ensure that the size and specs of the product are suitable for your needs.
Pros / Cons
Pros - Energy saving ‘wet’ appliances such as dishwashers and washing machines also use less water . Cons - The best energy saving appliances are the newest ones and so may cost more, but then that’s true with everything.

Energy Saving Appliances

Learn More

Cost

Yearly Saving

ROI

CO₂ Saved

Feasability

£400

£30

N/A

120kg per year

Need to ensure that the size and specs of the product are suitable for your needs.

Pros / Cons

Pros
- Energy saving ‘wet’ appliances such as dishwashers and washing machines also use less water .
Cons
- The best energy saving appliances are the newest ones and so may cost more, but then that’s true with everything.

Insulation (walls and loft) - Back to top

Learn More	Cost	Yearly Saving	ROI	CO₂ Saved	Feasability
£500 (grants incl.)	£200	2.5 years	2 tonnes per year	A survey must first be conducted to determine the size of your home, the condition of the cavities, and any other concerns such as ventilation.
Pros / Cons
Pros - Your home will heat up quicker and stay warmer for longer. - Grants are available to ALL homeowners through energy suppliers. - Additional grants are also available for those over 70 or on benefits. - Only takes a day or two to complete the work. - Comes with a CIGA 25 year guarantee. - Eco friendly insulation made from wool and other materials is available. Cons - Removing old loft insulation may result in some dust, although precautions are taken. - Drilling to fill cavity walls will result in minor vibrations and some dust (outside). - Filled cavity drill holes are visible (if you look hard enough). - If your property does not have cavity walls, then you may opt for interior or exterior insulation. This will result in either less floor space inside, or a different appearance for you property from the outside. - May also be more expensive to fit.

Insulation

Learn More

Cost

Yearly Saving

ROI

CO₂ Saved

Feasability

£500 (grants incl.)

£200

2.5 years

2 tonnes per year

A survey must first be conducted to determine the size of your home, the condition of the cavities, and any other concerns such as ventilation.

Pros / Cons

Pros
- Your home will heat up quicker and stay warmer for longer.
- Grants are available to ALL homeowners through energy suppliers.
- Additional grants are also available for those over 70 or on benefits.
- Only takes a day or two to complete the work.
- Comes with a CIGA 25 year guarantee.
- Eco friendly insulation made from wool and other materials is available.
Cons
- Removing old loft insulation may result in some dust, although precautions are taken.
- Drilling to fill cavity walls will result in minor vibrations and some dust (outside).
- Filled cavity drill holes are visible (if you look hard enough).
- If your property does not have cavity walls, then you may opt for interior or exterior insulation. This will result in either less floor space inside, or a different appearance for you property from the outside.
- May also be more expensive to fit.

Energy Efficient Boilers (fitted with heating controls) - Back to top

Learn More	Cost	Yearly Saving	ROI	CO₂ Saved	Feasability
£2,500	£200	12 years	1.6 tonnes per year	You must have mains gas supply.
Pros / Cons
Pros - £300 grants are available for those over 60 living in England. - Modern condensing boilers convert 90-95% of the fuel they use into heat, compared to just 60-80% for older heating systems. - Small and quiet, they can be fitted virtually anywhere in the house (although in place of the old system is preferable). Cons - Removing the old system and installing the new may result in minor structural adjustments around the area concerned as a hole for the condensate pipe and possibly the flue will have to be drilled through to the exterior of the house - Fitting a condensing boiler to an existing system of radiators may mean that the system needs to be power flushed through to get rid of the black sludge that accumulates. This will add around £200 to the bill.

Energy Efficient Boilers

Learn More

Cost

Yearly Saving

ROI

CO₂ Saved

Feasability

£2,500

£200

12 years

1.6 tonnes per year

You must have mains gas supply.

Pros / Cons

Pros
- £300 grants are available for those over 60 living in England.
- Modern condensing boilers convert 90-95% of the fuel they use into heat, compared to just 60-80% for older heating systems.
- Small and quiet, they can be fitted virtually anywhere in the house (although in place of the old system is preferable).
Cons
- Removing the old system and installing the new may result in minor structural adjustments around the area concerned as a hole for the condensate pipe and possibly the flue will have to be drilled through to the exterior of the house
- Fitting a condensing boiler to an existing system of radiators may mean that the system needs to be power flushed through to get rid of the black sludge that accumulates. This will add around £200 to the bill.

Double Glazing - Back to top

Learn More	Cost	Yearly Saving	ROI	CO₂ Saved	Feasability
£3000	£90	N/A	740kg per year	If you your home is listed or in a conservation area, you will need permission to change your windows.
Pros / Cons
Pros - Double glazing doesn’t have to mean PVC-U (plastic) windows. We are partnered with a company offering a 60-year guarantee on its Accoya™ wood windows and a ten-year guarantee on its paint. - If you still like the no-maintenance aspect of PVC-U windows but don’t like the thought of all the chemicals being mined for their production, we are also partnered with the only company in the world to run a purpose built recycling plant that takes old windows and turns them into new ones. - As well as reducing heat loss, double glazing also provides a good deal of sound proofing. -Modern windows also come with modern locks, improving security. - You can also choose to go one step further with your glazing by having argon gas between the panes, or a low-E coating on the glass to further improve efficiency. - Self cleaning glass is also available. Cons - Replacing your windows is not something you should consider if you simply want a return on your investment. - The work involved will obviously produce a great deal of mess and inconvenience.

Double Glazing

Learn More

Cost

Yearly Saving

ROI

CO₂ Saved

Feasability

£3000

£90

N/A

740kg per year

If you your home is listed or in a conservation area, you will need permission to change your windows.

Pros / Cons

Pros
- Double glazing doesn’t have to mean PVC-U (plastic) windows. We are partnered with a company offering a 60-year guarantee on its Accoya™ wood windows and a ten-year guarantee on its paint.
- If you still like the no-maintenance aspect of PVC-U windows but don’t like the thought of all the chemicals being mined for their production, we are also partnered with the only company in the world to run a purpose built recycling plant that takes old windows and turns them into new ones.
- As well as reducing heat loss, double glazing also provides a good deal of sound proofing.
-Modern windows also come with modern locks, improving security.
- You can also choose to go one step further with your glazing by having argon gas between the panes, or a low-E coating on the glass to further improve efficiency.
- Self cleaning glass is also available.
Cons
- Replacing your windows is not something you should consider if you simply want a return on your investment.
- The work involved will obviously produce a great deal of mess and inconvenience.

Underfloor Heating - Back to top

Learn More	Cost	Yearly Saving	ROI	CO₂ Saved	Feasability
£3,500	£120	N/A	1 tonne per year	Should only be considered for new builds or if you are considering a complete renovation of a property. Property should meet or exceed current building regulations, with filled cavities, 270mm of loft insulation and double glazing throughout.
Pros / Cons
Pros - Because underfloor heating has a larger surface area than radiators, it can be heated to a lower temperature, saving fuel, CO2 and money. - Because underfloor heating runs at half the temperature of radiators, it is ideal to connect to renewable energy sources such as solar thermal or a ground/air source heat pump. - Pleasant to walk on warm wood or tile floors. - Even temperature throughout the home with no cold spots. - Unlike radiators, underfloor heating provides warm feet and a cool head. - No need for radiators, freeing up floor and wall space and providing a more aesthetically pleasing appearance. Cons - Retro fitting underfloor heating to an existing property involves a huge amount of work and mess. Ground level floors will need to be dug up and upper storeys may lose some room height as pipes are laid between the existing floor and a new floor laid on top. - For ecological and cost benefits to be realized, the house must first be extremely well insulated so that the heating system does not have to work too hard. In older properties, this level of insulation may not be achievable and so the heating system will use as much energy as a regular radiator system. - Electric undertile heating is available, but should not be confused with underfloor heating. Undertile heating is much easier to install, but is not really designed to heat your home, only the cold tiles, and so will have to be combined with a traditional radiator system.

Underfloor Heating

Learn More

Cost

Yearly Saving

ROI

CO₂ Saved

Feasability

£3,500

£120

N/A

1 tonne per year

Should only be considered for new builds or if you are considering a complete renovation of a property.

Property should meet or exceed current building regulations, with filled cavities, 270mm of loft insulation and double glazing throughout.

Pros / Cons

Pros
- Because underfloor heating has a larger surface area than radiators, it can be heated to a lower temperature, saving fuel, CO2 and money.
- Because underfloor heating runs at half the temperature of radiators, it is ideal to connect to renewable energy sources such as solar thermal or a ground/air source heat pump.
- Pleasant to walk on warm wood or tile floors.
- Even temperature throughout the home with no cold spots.
- Unlike radiators, underfloor heating provides warm feet and a cool head.
- No need for radiators, freeing up floor and wall space and providing a more aesthetically pleasing appearance.
Cons
- Retro fitting underfloor heating to an existing property involves a huge amount of work and mess. Ground level floors will need to be dug up and upper storeys may lose some room height as pipes are laid between the existing floor and a new floor laid on top.
- For ecological and cost benefits to be realized, the house must first be extremely well insulated so that the heating system does not have to work too hard. In older properties, this level of insulation may not be achievable and so the heating system will use as much energy as a regular radiator system.
- Electric undertile heating is available, but should not be confused with underfloor heating. Undertile heating is much easier to install, but is not really designed to heat your home, only the cold tiles, and so will have to be combined with a traditional radiator system.

Rain Water Harvesting - Back to top

Learn More	Cost	Yearly Saving	ROI	CO₂ Saved	Feasability
£2,000	£350	6 years	Carbon: N/A Water: 60,000+ litres per year	A site feasibility study will have to be conducted for larger systems.
Pros / Cons
Pros - Can provide up to 40% of water consumed, including for WCs, laundry, car washing and garden irrigation. - Exempt from hosepipe bans. Cons - If you choose an underground tank, then obviously a large hole will have to be dug in your back garden. - Filter will require cleaning every couple of months.

Rainwater Harvesting

Learn More

Cost

Yearly Saving

ROI

CO₂ Saved

Feasability

£2,000

£350

6 years

Carbon: N/A

Water:
60,000+ litres per year

A site feasibility study will have to be conducted for larger systems.

Pros / Cons

Pros
- Can provide up to 40% of water consumed, including for WCs, laundry, car washing and garden irrigation.
- Exempt from hosepipe bans.
Cons
- If you choose an underground tank, then obviously a large hole will have to be dug in your back garden.
- Filter will require cleaning every couple of months.

Based on average three-bed 1930’s semi-detached property. Figures are based on averages; they are not definitive and are affected by numerous variables.