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Making the most of your Home

Greening the Nation

November 2, 2008

With rising fuel prices and the prospects of an economic downturn, the latest news to hit homeowners is that our homes are not green enough. Latest statistics show that Britain's housing stock is responsible for nearly 27% of the entire country's emissions of carbon dioxide. This does not come as a real surprise. I am sure we have all sat round at Aunt Nellie's house and experienced cold ankle syndrome caused by draughty houses. These stamina-building experiences, which will remain with us for the rest of our lives, could soon be a thing of the past. In this world of targets, are you aware that by 2016 all new homes will have to meet zero-carbon standards? However, this is only the start. By 2050, the country will be required to have reduced carbon emissions by a staggering 80%. In order to realistically get anywhere near meeting this target, attention is beginning to turn to the existing housing stock and what can be done to reduce their contribution to carbon dioxide emissions.

Did you know that last month, the Prime Minister took the first step toward achieving this target by making cavity wall insulation ad loft insulation available half-price to every household and free to the poor and pensioners.

There is no doubt that we all feel a moral obligation to doing our bit for the environment. However, how many of us have wanted to make that life-changing move but have been stumped by the initial cost of installing solar panels or a wind turbine for example?

Here at least are a few ways we may attempt to green our houses:-

• Installing a biomass-burning boiler would cost between £5,000 and £10,000 to install but can produce up to £1,000 worth of energy and save up to 6 tons of carbon dioxide compared to a traditional boiler.
• Wind turbines can help meet your energy bills but are the subject of planning controls and can cost anything form £1,500 to £5,000 to install albeit grants may be available. Further information on where are available will follow suit.
• Did you know that it is now possible to purchase triple-glazed windows and are more efficient than the traditional double-glazed windows?
• If you have a river or indeed a stream running through your property, technology in the form of a hydro turbine can harness this natural energy. Whilst the capital outlay for such a system is between £4,000 and £10,000, hydro turbines are considered efficient in that approximately 90% of the water's energy can be converted into electricity.
• Extracting heat from the ground is not reserved purely for the realms of science fiction. Again, whilst the initial outlay is not cheap, for between £6,000 and £12,000, you can purchase a system which extracts heat from the ground and can generate up to £1,000 worth of electricity a year.

If the above are eye watering and are not financially within reach, there are measures we can all implement today:-

• We can begin by putting on another layer of clothing and turning the thermostat down a degree.
• Make sure the loft is well insulated and if it is not, seek out the subsidised offer that the Prime Minister is putting forward.
• Use energy efficient light bulbs and when changing your white goods, try and buy "A" rated goods.
• Avoid leaving gadgets on standby
• Keep a bucket by the sink and shower and use the water we would other wise waste whilst waiting for the tap to run hot for flushing the toilet with.

To find a company who may assist you further, simply click on the free links located on the right hand side of the page.

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