What Is the Government Doing to Improve Energy Efficiency?
The Government is focused on improving the standards of UK domestic properties. The aim is to upgrade 700k homes by 2025 and in 2050, all homes will have low carbon heating.
Investments have been made in improving low-income housing with a target of increasing the Energy Efficiency Rating to a C or higher.
The sale of gas boilers is set to be phased out from 2030 with a move towards heat pumps in all domestic homes.
Incentives include zero rating on VAT for the installation of energy saving materials such as insulation and low carbon heating. A Boiler Upgrade Scheme and Green Home Finance Accelerator programme, to help decarbonise homes.
Energy Efficiency Certificate
The Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) was introduced to help households become more aware of their energy consumption, with a view to reducing their carbon emissions.
The EPC measures how much energy a property consumes and the average cost of bills. It also contains recommendations for improving the energy efficiency of a property. By improving your EPC rating, you can help to make your home more energy efficient.
Energy Efficiency Rating
EPCs rate residential dwellings on a scale from A to G (with A being the most efficient) and a certificate must be provided when selling or renting a property.
Currently, all rental properties are required to have a minimum EPC rating of E. There is a proposal for all rental properties to be a band C, but this is to be confirmed.
For all domestic properties, the emphasis on having a house that is energy efficient is becoming more important. Right now, the legislation applies to rental properties only, but that doesn't mean that in the near future, all homes will have to meet minimum standards.
Improving your EPC rating will not only improve your energy bills, but it can also increase the value of your property and make it more desirable for sale.
How to Make a House More Energy Efficient
There are many ways to improve the energy efficiency of your home. When considering where to start, think about a fabric-first approach – this means that you focus on improving the infrastructure of the building first. When you have a leaking bucket, you need to plug the holes before you keep pouring water in.
Good insulation should be the first priority to make sure you retain heat in the home and stop cold from getting in. Apart from cavity wall insulation and loft insulation, energy efficient windows can make a big difference in how much heat escapes from a room.
Once you have plugged in the gaps, you can focus on making your heating and hot water as efficient as possible to reduce bills.
If you have an EPC, refer to the recommendations section that will have advice on what you can do to make your home more energy efficient.
You could reduce your heating bills by 20% if you make your house more energy efficient.