Would you like to reduce your Carbon Footprint for FREE?
Would you like to help stop Climate Change for FREE?
Would you like to improve the energy efficiency of your home for FREE?
What are the benefits of increasing the energy efficiency of your home?
Well. here are a few:
It would increase the energy rating of your property in an EPC (Energy Performance Certificate). An EPC is legally required to sell or rent out your property and last for 10 years.
Slowly, but surely buyers are taking more notice of the energy rating of properties that they are considering to buy. This is from both environmental and the “cost to run” view points.
For the last couple of decades, Governments have offered the “carrot” of free grants for insulation, feed in tariffs for solar panels and so on, and with some success. However, Carbon Emissions from homes in the UK is still the third highest sector (behind power production and transport) – producing about 18% of all UK carbon emissions.
So, over the past few years eyes have turned to possible “sticks” to use in an attempt to further reduce carbon emissions. One idea that has been looked at is to link energy efficiency to Council Tax. But, it is not that simple. The main factor affecting your energy rating is the type of fuel you use to heat your home.
Mains Gas is the best of the mainstream options and electricity is the worst, such as electric storage heaters. 80% of Ceredigion homes are miles from the Gas grid – so should they be penalised?
Renewable Heating could be an option, but should people be forced to cough up £10,000+ to install heat pumps?
If you installed a heat pump you would receive a Government incentive payable over 7 years – this would in fact amount to more than the initial cost, but you would still need to find the money in the first place. In some parts of Wales however, you may qualify for “interest free” loans of up to £10,000 over 10 years, which could be repaid using the Government Heating Incentive.
That sounds like a “no brainer”, and it would massively reduce your Carbon Footprint whilst greatly increasing the energy efficiency of your home.
It would of course also reduce your fuel bills, and it would increase the value of your home.
A lot of people doing a little bit can make a significant difference.