Home Energy

The UK faces an immense challenge. We’ll need to retrofit a million homes a year with energy efficiency measures like insulation and renewables to reach the UK Government’s goal of net zero emissions by 2050. Although challenging, doing so will have immense benefits. Not only are energy efficient homes better for the environment, they’re also more comfortable, healthier and cheaper to run. 

Take action

Install DIY Awnings

These DIY awnings shade sunny windows, stopping the sun streaming in during heatwaves.

Reduce lighting demand

Does any of your lighting need replacing with LEDs or other more efficient options? Work with staff /members to habitually switch off unnecessary lights

Reduce cooling demand

Cooling demand can be reduced by improving your facilities, but also my encouraging the right behaviour in your members and staff, like keeping doors and windows closed, lowering blinds etc.

Reduce heating demand

Heating demand can be reduced by improving your facilities, but also my encouraging the right behaviour in your members or staff, like keeping doors and windows closed, setting the heating to lower temperatures etc.

Switch to a green energy supplier

You can choose from a number of green energy suppliers in the UK. If you share your facilities, you can always encourage your neighbours and landlord to switch.

Develop a decarbonisation plan

Setting yourself challenging targets and developing a plan to decarbonise your operations should be done collaboratively with the leadership and your staff or membership.

Publish carbon emissions online

Having estimated your carbon footprint you can publish and update the results regularly online. Stakeholders appreciate the transparency and you might be able to appeal to customers by showing that you are working to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Learn to make or mend something yourself

You can find tutorials and courses on how to make and endless number of things, from your own bread, clothes, furniture to soaps and cosmetics. Once you’ve learnt something, why not share your new found talents with friends?

Use less hot water

Turn off the tap. Every litre of warm water saved will not only save water but also energy and carbon.

Keep warm smarter

Setting your heating to a lower temperature as well as turning the heating off overnight and every time you leave the house are all easy ways to reduces your energy use

Understand your energy use

Regularly reviewing your household’s energy use will help you identify and track any potential savings. Smart meters can be a great help to keep on top of your usage.

Eliminate draughts

Filling cracks (e.g. around windows or doors) can be a cheap and easy way to significantly improve the comfort of your home and reduce your energy bills.

Install loft insulation

Insulating your loft can be a very quick and cheap way to improve the comfort and energy efficiency of your home.

Install wall insulation

Insulating walls helps to retain heat in your house, reduce your heating needs and make you feel more comfortable. There are various ways to insulate walls effectively.

News

Resources

There’s much we can do to make our homes more sustainable, often at low cost and with relatively little effort. 

The resources in this section will help get you started:

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