Energy Top Tips

Saving energy makes sense. Not only will it help to protect the environment and reduce carbon emissions, it will also save you money.

You can save energy:

• at home
• at work and
• while you are on the move

Below are some tips on changes you can make to help cut your energy usage:

At home

We can all play our part in reducing energy use by making changes to our homes, and also being more careful with the way we use appliances:

• Around 33 percent of the heat lost in your home is through the walls, so insulating them can be the most cost effective way to save energy in the home. Installing cavity wall insulation can save you up to £150 per year on your heating bills.
• Laying your loft with 10 inches of insulation can save you around 25 percent of your home's energy use. An adequate amount of insulation (270mm) can also save you around a quarter of heating costs and up to £200 every year.
• Double glazing cuts heat loss through windows by half and can save up to £100 off your annual bill.
• Replace your light bulbs with energy saving recommended ones: just one can reduce your lighting costs by up to £78 over the lifetime of the bulb - and they last up to 12 times longer than ordinary light bulbs.
• Replace boilers over 15 years old with a new energy efficient one. High efficiency condensing boilers are the most energy efficient and can save up to a third of your annual heating bills.
• Turning your thermostat down by 1ºC could cut your heating bills by up to 10 per cent and save you around £100 per year.
• Is your water too hot? Your cylinder thermostat shouldn't need to be set any higher than 60ºC/140ºF.
• Don't leave appliances on standby and remember not to leave appliances on charge unnecessarily.
• When you need to buy a new appliance, make sure it has got an A or A+ energy efficiency rating.
• If you're not filling up the washing machine, tumble dryer or dishwasher, use the half-load or economy programmes.
• Only boil as much water as you need (but remember to cover the elements if you're using an electric kettle).
• A dripping hot water tap wastes energy and in one week wastes enough hot water to fill half a bath, so fix leaking taps and make sure they're fully turned off.

There is additional information and advice on keeping your home insulated on the home heat loss page in the Housing Advice section of the website.

If you spend more than 10 percent of your income on heating your home then you may be considered 'fuel poor'. This means you can get additional advice and support to reduce your energy bills - for more information visit the fuel poverty page.

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At work

There are lots of ways that we can help to save energy when at work:

• Do not leave your mobile phone charger plugged in.
• Be sensible about the heating and air conditioning - avoid running both at the same time!
• Turn off your lights and heating/air conditioning before leaving the office at the end of the day.
• Only print documents when it is absolutely necessary.
• If you are making a cup of tea or coffee, check whether your colleagues want one too - boiling a kettle once for five people is more energy efficient than boiling it for one person five times!

For more information on how to make your business greener, visit our advice for businesses page.

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On the move

Transportation accounts for a significant proportion of our personal carbon footprints, so changing the way we get around can make a real difference:

• Walk or cycle if the length of your journey is feasible.
• Use public transport where you can.
• For most journeys in the UK it is quicker to take the train rather than fly, and this will also use less energy.
• Long-haul holidays can seem attractive, but if you only want to sit on a beach for a week then why go all the way to Dubai or the Caribbean? Re-discover what Europe has to offer, and save on energy in the process.

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