5 Ways to Save on Your Energy Bills

When it comes to saving money on your energy bills this winter, there are a number of ways to go about this. According to the Energy Saving Trust, some simple measures can help to save you as much as £400 a year!

1) Replacing Appliances: If you have old appliances they could be using a lot more energy than they should. Replacing your old appliances with new ones means you can opt for products with a good energy efficiency rating, helping to save you an average of around £20 a year to run your fridge-freezer, for example.

2) Replace Your TV: If you spend a lot of time watching television then having an older model could be costing you a lot of money. Plasma screens are also notoriously bad for sucking energy. If you choose a low energy LCD model instead you can save over £20 a year – even more if you start turning it off rather than switching to standby.

3) Cavity Wall Insulation: This is a huge energy saving option, helping to save over £100 every year. If you don’t have cavity insulation you could be losing a third of the heat of your home through the walls.

4) Loft Insulation and Double Glazing: If you really want to see the biggest savings, as much as a 25% reduction in bills, then insulate your loft and fit double glazing windows and doors.

5) Check Your Boiler: Lastly, it’s important to get a professional to check out your boiler. An inefficient boiler could be losing you money every year.

Eco-Friendly Housing Refurbishments in Notting Hill

The Notting Hill Housing Trust is developing an eco-refurbishment project that will see many of its Victorian properties fitted with a number of eco-friendly, emission-reducing measures.

In total, the scheme will be piloted on 14 flat conversions in Hammersmith as well as one of its Victorian streets. The project has come about after calls to improve energy efficiency of homes were made by the Residents Repairs Working Party and the construction consultants Bailey Garner.

The first measure undertaken as part of the project was to fit replacement windows into the properties, which will help to save the tenants hundreds of pounds each year on their heating bills.

In total, the project will mean that carbon emissions will be cut by almost 80%. In line with the recent energy performance ratings, these properties will be moving up from a Band E to a Band B (where Band A is the highest level of energy-saving property).

United House have been appointed to make the necessary changes to improve the energy efficiency of these homes. Not only will they install double glazing in windows and doors, they will also integrate certain new fixtures and fittings, add solar panels, install worktops made from recycled materials, collect and recycle rainwater, low energy light bulbs and more.

A resident of the Notting Hill Housing Trust states that they have spoken with local residents to understand what’s important to them when it comes to their home.

The work is planned for completion by the end of the year, after having started in July 2009.