Share this page
Print this page:
Add this page to:
Go retro to boost energy efficiency
10/11/09
Edited by Sophie Griffiths. Improving energy efficiency can cut household bills as well as CO2 emissions, so it is important to cut as much waste as possible - and one expert has offered some tips on retrofitting an existing residential property to enhance its green credentials.
With figures from the Energy Saving Trust (EST) showing 26 per cent of heat is lost through the roof, the Guardian's Felicity Carus said the top of the house can be a good place to start.
Installing mineral wool insulation to the EST's recommended minimum of 270mm would reduce annual carbon emissions by 800kg and knock around £150 a year off energy bills. The work would pay for itself within two to three years.
Another 33 per cent of heat is lost through a building's walls, so Ms. Carus recommended investigating cavity or solid wall insulation. Properties built from around 1920 onwards are likely to have cavity walls.
Double glazing can make a major contribution to tackling heat loss, while replacing an old G-rated boiler with a new A-rated condensing model could cut annual heating bills by around £235.
Residential property owners can further enhance their boiler's performance with a kitemarked insulation jacket, which could save a further £12 a year, Ms. Carus noted.
