HOME: Sustainable Living
Tips from Charlie Luxton reveal how to make your home more sustainable…
New research1 from E.ON has revealed that almost nine in ten (89%) prospective homeowners have become more interested in finding homes with sustainable solutions2 such as solar panels and efficient boilers over having a garden (80%), en-suite bathroom (50%) and a walk in wardrobe (27%).
To help educate the nation on how to make homes more sustainable, EON has teamed up with Architectural Designer Charlie Luxton to share simple, and longer-term advice on how to go about it:
Charlie Luxton’s quick and easy sustainable home proofing tips:
- ENERGY PROVIDER: Switch to an energy provider with electricity backed by 100% renewable sources like E.ON3
- LIGHTING: LED bulbs are available for a wide range of light fittings and they no longer give a cold harsh light. Every one of your bulbs should be replaced with an LED bulb (unless your lighting fixture says you shouldn’t) as they are more energy efficient and help you save on your energy bills… but be sure to turn off the lights when not in use
- WATER USAGE: Think about changing your showerhead to a low flow aerating one. These add air into the water flow and can significantly reduce the amount of water used in a shower without impacting on your enjoyment. To also help reduce water waste at home change your loo cistern to a low flush version or if you have an older loo you can retrofit a dual flush
- ENERGY CONSUMPTION: Install a smart meter. They come with an in-home display that shows you how much energy you’re using. This is a great way to track your energy so you can adapt and become more efficient. Be warned – watching the little screen can become addictive!
Long term success for making your home sustainable:
- INSULATION: It is important to have the right insulation to ensure you are effectively heating your home year-round. In a typical home the biggest area of heat loss is through the walls. By insulating externally or internally – either of which may have a slight impact on the size of some rooms – you will transform the warmth and comfort of your home.
Here are my favourite insulation tips when renovating a house to consider:
- Space heating uses about 60% of energy4 in a typical home so if you can get that right down you are well on your way
- 300mm of loft insulation is a great starting point – this is a cheap and easy solution to efficiently retaining warmth
- Modern houses may have 50mm of insulation, but at least 100mm of wall insulation is optimum
- WINDOWS: If you’re replacing windows go for high performance triple glazing where possible. These will help to insulate your home, be draught free and will feature noise reduction qualities
- SOLAR: To generate low carbon energy for your home, consider installing solar PV (photovoltaics) panels on your roof. Solar panels use the sun’s energy to power your home, helping you to be more sustainable while also helping the planet. They are especially useful if you are planning on investing in an electric vehicle or home battery storage
- BOILERS: If your boiler is over 12 years old, it is likely time to consider a replacement. New boilers are much more energy efficient, meaning there is less waste coming from your home – benefitting the planet and your wallet.
- CRACKS & SEALS: Seal up all the unwanted cracks and holes in your home, as this is the next largest culprit of heat loss. Look around windows, doors, floors walls and roofs – these are key areas that need to be sealed to maintain proper levels of ventilation. To create an even healthier home, you could consider installing a Mechanical Ventilation Heat Recovery (MVHR) to clean pre-warmed air to your living spaces and extract any stale or damp air
At this point your home should be a more affordable, warmer healthier place to live (what’s not to like?). Being sustainable and energy efficient can be done with both big and small changes.
Now is the time to start on the journey to making your home a green healthy living machine.
For more information please visit: www.eonenergy.com/spark/charlie-luxton-sustainable-home
Notes
- The research was conducted by Censuswide between 27.08.20 – 02.09.20 with 1,000 UK respondents who are prospective homebuyers in the next two years.
- Any reference to ‘sustainable solutions’ calculated by combining results for solar panels and battery, home insulation, smart thermostats, intelligent heating/cooling, electric car charge point, double glazing, energy efficient boiler. Any reference to prospective homebuyers in this release refers to the sample of respondents surveyed.
