What is an energy-efficient property?
In most cases, an energy-efficient home is a house or a flat with an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating between A-C. In many cases, having a high rating also means you reduce your negative impact on the environment, and you pay less in energy bills.
How energy efficient is my home?
Every home should have an energy certificate, including an EPC, in which you can see how energy efficient your home is. The EPC rating also offers suggestions as to what improvements you can make to become more energy efficient. If you’ve misplaced or can’t find the energy certificate, you can research it on the Government website.
5 quick and easy tips to make your home more energy-efficient
To help you make “greener” choices and save some money at the same time, here are our top tips and quick-wins to help you save energy and money.
- Turn the lights off in rooms you don’t use.
- Don’t leave appliances in stand-by mode.
- Install a smart meter that allows you to easily adjust your heating schedule, even when you’re not at home.
- Turn the heating down. By turning down your heating by 1 °C, you could reduce your energy bills by up to 10%.***
- Use energy-efficient lightbulbs. Although an LED lightbulb may have a larger up-front cost, it will last longer and help you reduce your energy consumption.
What further energy-efficient home improvements can I make?
In addition to the above tips, there are many more “green” improvements you can do to make your home more energy efficient.
Below, we’ll explore various other energy-saving options that you may want to consider:
Insulation
Insulating a property is a key component in energy-efficient homes. Various types of insulation exist to help regulate the temperatures in a flat or house, including ground floor insulation, solid, and cavity wall insulation and loft insulation. For this reason, you’ll often find that newly built properties tend to have better energy ratings. If you're interested in buying a new build, why not explore available homes today.