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Saving cash key to cutting carbon, says EST
09/02/10
Edited by Tom Bardsley. Showing home owners how green home improvements can cut energy bills is the key to cutting the carbon emissions from residential property, an expert has said.
Dr Paula Owen, head of knowledge services for the Energy Saving Trust, said around £8 billion worth of energy is wasted each year through poorly insulated homes, inefficient or badly controlled heating systems and unnecessary electricity use.
"This is enough to give every man, woman and child in the UK £125 a year," she noted.
More than three-quarters of consumers say lower bills would motivate them to cut their carbon emissions and Dr. Owen said there are a number of green home improvements that can help to achieve this.
They range from "basic measures" like adding loft insulation or having a plumber replace an old boiler with an energy efficient model to more advanced approaches, such as installing renewable energy sources.
Dr. Owen said home owners can access a number of grants to help pay for these measures.
According to figures from the Department of Energy and Climate Change, carbon emissions from residential property rose by 3.2 per cent in 2008.
