Advice for saving energy
Improving your home’s energy efficiency can help to lower your energy usage and save you money, whilst also helping to reduce the amount of greenhouse gas emissions you produce.
There may be funding available to help eligible households make energy efficiency improvements to their homes. Please see our funding webpage for more information. You can also sign up for our Climate Action email newsletter to be informed about new schemes and keep up to date with the council’s climate emergency work.
Improving the energy efficiency of your home
You can get recommendations on steps you can take to make your home warmer and cheaper to run on the GOV.UK Energy Efficient Home webpage.
Additionally, the government’s It All Adds Up campaign, which is part of the Help for Households service, can help you find more energy saving advice.
Some examples of improving energy efficiency in your property include:
- Fixing draughts: Draughts are caused by unwanted gaps that allow cold air in and let warm air escape. Draught-proofing your home is one of the cheapest and easiest ways of reducing heat loss and can help lower your energy usage and bills. More information on how to fix draughts at home can be found on the draught-proofing webpage on the Energy Saving Trust website.
- Installing LED lighting: LED light bulbs are more energy efficient than traditional or halogen bulbs, meaning they use less electricity. According to the Energy Saving Trust, switching the lighting in your home to LED could save you up to £40 a year on your electricity bill, whilst also lowering your carbon footprint.
- Insulating your property: There are many types of insulation available, from smaller measures such as fitting your hot water cylinder with an insulating jacket (costing around £20), to larger jobs such as wall, floor, roof or loft insulation. See the Energy Saving Trust reducing home heat loss webpage for suggestions and advice and visit our funding webpage to see if you are eligible for support.
More information on ways to improve the energy efficiency of your home can be found on the Energy Saving Trust website or Centre for Sustainable Energy website. You can also contact your energy provider to see if there is additional support or funding available.
For advice on improving energy efficiency in traditional or heritage properties please visit Historic England's retrofit and energy efficiency in historic buildings webpage or search the knowledge base of the Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings website.
Lower carbon heating systems
To meet the UK’s climate targets, we will need to phase out oil, coal, and gas heating systems and replace them with renewable or low carbon alternatives. The three most common low carbon heating systems you may have heard of are air or ground source heat pumps, biomass boilers and solar-powered water heating. You can find more information on these below as well as links to useful sources of information.
- Heat pumps: A heat pump takes in heat energy from a colder area, usually outside, and increases the temperature before transferring the heat into your home. They are considered a low carbon source of heating and there are two main types – ground source and air source, although you can sometimes get water source heat pumps too. Answers to commonly asked questions surrounding heat pumps can be found on the government’s heat pumps explained webpage.
- Biomass boilers: This is also considered a low carbon energy source which generates heat by burning organic material (usually wood, especially when acquired from sustainable sources). Although biomass boilers produce carbon dioxide, this is considerably less than fossil fuels and the carbon dioxide emitted when the wood is burned is the same as the amount of carbon dioxide absorbed when the plant is growing. Biomass boilers are considered an affordable heating system as the price of wood is usually cheaper than alternatives.
- Solar water heating: Solar thermal panels (designed for heating water not generating electricity) can be installed on your roof and uses heat from the sun to pre-heat water. As solar energy is ‘free’, you will save money on your energy bills. When solar energy is unavailable, you can continue to use a conventional boiler or immersion heater. These panels (solar thermal panels) are different from the ones used to generate electricity (solar PV panels) and will connect to a hot water tank in your home.
For more information on these lower carbon heating options, please visit the Energy Saving Trust heating your home webpage. You can also explore the renewable technologies suitable for your home using the Go Renewable tool, powered by the Energy Saving Trust and MCS.
For advice on generating your own electricity, such as solar PV panels, please see our renewable energy webpage within the Energy theme.
In some cases, you may be eligible for full or part grant funding for upgrading your heating system. See our funding webpage for the latest information on funding available.
Reputable installers
If you are interested in installing renewables, please ensure you appoint a reputable company. MCS (Microgeneration Certification Scheme) is an organisation which maintains standards for low-carbon energy products, contractors and installers including heat pumps, biomass and solar panels. They also have tools to check for local installers and information about installing renewable energy and low carbon heating systems in your home.
Smart meters
Smart meters measure your electricity and gas usage and automatically send readings to your energy supplier, enabling more accurate energy bills. They also come with an in-home display screen which monitors your energy usage in pounds and pence. This enables you to better track your energy usage and therefore reduce your consumption whilst also lowering your carbon footprint.
You can find more information about having a smart meter on the get a smart meter webpage on Ofgem’s website.