A project of the Elham Environment Group

There are lots of ways to save money on energy bills, enabling you to both cut costs and reduce your home's carbon footprint.

There are 2 serveys of homes in Elham currently underway.  Please do complete the forms and treat members of the Elham Environment Group as friends who will not only help you reduce carbon emissions but money as well.  Thermal Images such as the one below showing where heat may being wasted are being taken of some buildings.  Come to the ECO FAIR on March 25th. 2009 in Elham School. (See home page).

 

---

Save Energy
Small changes to the way you use energy can have noticeable effects on your bills - and your home's CO2 emissions.

• Switch off appliances completely - not leaving them on standby could save you up to £37 per year.
• Turn your thermostat down by 1°C and save up to £65 on your heating bill.
• Close the curtains at dusk to keep the heat in.
• Choose energy efficient appliances when it's time to replace them. Look for the Energy Saving Recommended logo to find the most energy efficient products.
• Fit energy saving lightbulbs and you could save up to £50 per year.
• Watch your water to cut heating bills. A typical bath uses around twice as much water as a shower and fix any dripping taps.

---

Make some home improvements
Making bigger changes to your home in the form of home improvements can give you significant savings. There are also grants and offers available for people who want to make their homes more energy efficient.

• Insulate cavity walls, lofts, tanks and pipes to give significant savings on heating bills as well as reducing CO2 emissions. Simple draughtproofing to fill gaps around windows can help.
• Fit energy saving glazing - it can save around £140 per year in heating costs, as well as 720 kilograms of CO2.
• Consider a condensing boiler. Upgrading to a high efficiency condensing boiler could save around £170 per year.

Source: Energy Saving Trust
For more information go to www.energysavingtrust.org.uk

---

Energy Conservation in Traditional Buildings
Does your home have:
Solid-wall construction?
Bay or sash windows, single glazed?
No damp-proof course?

There are still many things you can do but it is important to remember that many traditional (historic) buildings perform very differently from modern buildings.

For more information download the English Heritage document:
'Energy Conservation in Traditional Buildings':
English Heritage
(scroll down to the bottom of the page)