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A-Z of Energy Efficiency

With the environment hot on the political agenda, have you considered ways in which you can make your property as energy efficient as possible? Although some forms of saving energy can be quite expensive, there are also many smaller things you can do to make your home as environmentally friendly as possible that won’t involve you turning from green to blue…

A is for…. aspect – think carefully about rooms and their position in relation to the sun. South-facing rooms will catch the most sun during the day, so if you are adding windows to the property, try to make sure they face southwards in order to utilise solar energy.

B is for… bulbs – buy energy efficient light bulbs to help cut energy waste by up to 75 per cent. Although they cost more than normal bulbs, they last up to twelve times longer.

C is for… curtains – close them at night to trap heat in during cold winter nights, and stop any draughts from coming through

D is for… draughts – stop them coming through to the house by ensuring gaps in doors and windows are blocked as effectively as possible

E is for… energy – obvious really! Consider the amount of energy you can conserve by making changes to your property. Saving energy need not be as arduous as you might think, and it will help you to think twice about your daily lifestyle.

F is for… filters – changing filters regularly can help to increase air flow and improve efficiency in the process. Filters are generally inexpensive, disposable and easy to replace, so it worth making the effort of changing them regularly.

G is for… going green – it might sound like a lot of hard work but think of the good you will be doing the environment in the long run!

H is for… hedges – these can be great as wind breaks in the garden. Cold wind usually comes from the north-east so grow them strategically to cut down on winds.

I is for… insulation – ensure anything that can be insulated is, so heat can be retained as effectively as possible. It will improve your homes energy efficiency and save you money over time.

J is for… jacket – get an insulating jacket for your hot water tank as this will help to reduce heat loss by up to 75% and is relatively cheap to get at a price of roughly £10.

K is for… kettle - did you know that if we used only the required amount of water when we boil the kettle for a quick cup of tea that enough energy would be saved to power two thirds of street lighting in the UK?

L is for… lights – do you really need to have them all on? Every time you leave a room, switch the lights on to save energy and money.

M is for… money – it is estimated that the average household could save up to £300 per year simply by being more energy efficient.

N is for… number crunching – if you weigh up the initial costs of making your home energy efficient against the amount of money you will save in the long term on energy bills, you will have a better idea of what to aim for to make your home as energy efficient as possible without leaving you out of pocket.

O is for… the obvious – many people fail to realise that the smallest things make a large contribution to energy waste. By doing obvious things such as switching off central heating in the summer, washing clothes only when you need to, and switching off plugs after using household items, you can do a lot to save energy.

P is for… PC – ensure that when you finish using your computer or television that you do not fall into the convenient trap of using ‘standby’. It might take a few minutes longer to turn on when you come back, but its one of the biggest contributors to energy waste.

Q is for… questions. If you are concerned about how much energy you waste and want to find out what further steps you can take to improve your home’s energy efficiency, visit http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Environmentandgreenerliving

R is for… ratings – when you buy new appliances, check their energy efficiency rating. Look for the Energy Efficiency Recommended Logo when buying a product to see how high its efficiency rating is. It’s easy enough to do!

S is for… settings – check them on household appliances such as washing machines, refrigerators, dishwashers, and tumble dryers, and change them to a more energy efficient level. For instance clothes will clean just as well at 30 degrees as at 40 degrees.

T is for… trees – do something for the environment and make your garden look nice by planting shrubs and trees that can help prevent the build up of wind on your property, stopping drafts in the process.

U is for… under floor insulation – this is highly recommended if you have a cellar in your property as it will help to keep warmth in – reducing heat loss.

V is for… valves – ensure your radiator valves have thermostats included so you can have more control over the central heating, and adjust it at times when heating is not needed.

W is for… walls – getting cavity wall insulation can help to reduce heating bills, and will help to prevent heat loss in winter as well as stopping heat build-up in summer.

X is for… the x factor that comes with following an energy efficient lifestyle – it will help to make you feel good about yourself, help save money, and make you more conscious of the environment.

Y is for… years – becoming energy efficient is undeniably expensive to begin with, but you can calculate the ‘payback’ years quite easily. This is the amount of time it will take for the initial costs to be covered by the energy savings you make in the long run. For instance, floor insulation has a payback of 2-3 years, while cavity wall insulation pays for itself in four years.

Z is for… zero energy waste – well, you might as well aim high!