Helping to make your home more Energy Efficient

Helping to make your home more Energy Efficient Energy efficiency makes Good sense Good Energy s mission is to make it easy for people who are concerned about climate change to make a difference. An easy way to do that is by switching to 100 percent renewable electricity. But we also need to reduce our energy usage overall. The UK Climate Change Act 2008 has set legally binding emission reduction targets for 2020 (reduction of 34 percent in greenhouse gas emissions) and for 2050 (reduction of at least 80 percent in greenhouse gas emissions). The energy we use at home accounts for around 15% of the UK s overall emissions, so as individuals we have an important role to play in achieving those reductions. In the average home, heating water and keeping the house warm accounts for over 80 percent of our overall fuel costs. Much of this energy is wasted by poor insulation, house design and bad habits. By implementing some sensible energy efficiency measures, not only will our homes be more comfortable and environmentally friendly they ll actually cost less to run too. Also, all homes, bought, sold or rented now need an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) as part of the obligatory Home Information Pack (HIP), so any investment that you make to improve your home s energy efficiency could also help improve its value. Good Energy, good financial sense. www.goodenergy.co.uk 0845 601 1410

Contents Energy efficiency makes Good sense 1 Contents 2 1. Our Energy Efficiency Advice Service 3 2. Keeping the Heat In 3 3. Saving Gas 8 4. Saving Electricity 11 5. Our References 15 6. Useful Contacts 16

1. Our Energy Efficiency Advice Service Good Energy has a partnership with the Energy Saving Trust which has trained our customer care team to offer expert, impartial energy efficiency advice. Our specialist staff welcome your call and can be contacted in any of the following ways: Telephone: 0845 601 1410 or 01249 766090 from mobiles Email: Website: Post: customerservices@goodenergy.co.uk www.goodenergy.co.uk Good Energy Monkton Reach Monkton Hill Chippenham Wiltshire SN15 1EE Our online shop sells energy-saving products, from eco-friendly kettles to children s toys visit www.goodenergyshop.co.uk. You ll also find lots of useful energy-saving advice there. And visit our blog www.greenenergyrepublic.com to keep up to date with new developments in both renewable energy and energy efficiency. 2. Keeping the Heat In When it s colder outside than inside, all houses will lose heat. Identifying where the heat in your home is being lost is key to making your home more heat efficient. Fabric heat loss is when heat is lost through any part of the house structure which is exposed either to the outside air, or to some other unheated space, such as the building materials used to construct the house. Ventilation heat loss is when heat escapes as a result of airflow into and out of the house. This can be via controlled ventilation openings such as windows, doors, airbricks, grilles and vents, or through uncontrolled gaps in the fabric of the building such as cracks in the windows, doors, electrical and plumbing outlets, or between skirting and floorboards. The rate at which air flows into and out of a house is known as the Ventilation Rate.

Ensuring that your home has the appropriate level of insulation and draught proofing measures will reduce its heat loss considerably. You may even be eligible for a government grant that could help towards the cost of insulating your home (for more information visit www.government-grants.co.uk). Improving insulation is one of the most cost-effective energy efficiency measures you can take. a. Draught Proofing Gaps in windows and doors are amongst the biggest heat loss culprits in your home, so draught proofing these areas should be a priority. Actions Typical Costs Typical Savings Compression seals Plastic-covered foam strips or rubber tubes fixed in a metal or plastic carrier, which are pinned onto the door or window frame. Low friction/wiper seals Fine nylon brush pile or a rubber blade fixed in a metal or plastic carrier. Gun applied sealants Silicone or polyethylene sealants sold in tubes and used for filling gaps which are very small or irregular, or in places where other draught proofing materials would be ineffective such as metal windows. from 50 (DIY) 150 (Installed) 35 to 45 per year Floor insulation is not usually practical for most homes, although thick carpets with underlay will reduce heat loss. Filling the gaps between the floorboards and skirting boards with newspaper, paper, beading, mastic and plastic wood can also help towards draught proofing your home. PLEASE NOTE: It is extremely dangerous to block ventilators or air bricks which supply air for gas boilers, gas fires or open flue wall heaters. A supply of fresh air is vital to ensure the efficient and safe operation of these appliances. b. Loft Insulation To prevent heat that rises through the ceiling area from continuing through the loft space to escape through the roof, insulating material needs to be laid between and across the wooden joists directly above the ceiling.

b. Loft Insulation To prevent heat that rises through the ceiling area from continuing through the loft space to escape through the roof, insulating material needs to be laid between and across the wooden joists directly above the ceiling. Actions Typical Costs Typical Savings Mineral Fibre Quilt The one most frequently used is mineral fibre quilt, which is sold in rolls and normally laid to a standard thickness of 250mm. Loose-Fill Mineral Fibre A contractor can be called in to install loose-fill mineral fibre or cellulose fibre materials using a mechanical blowing in process. Remember not to block the air space under the eaves, this allows the loft to be ventilated. Natural Wool Insulation Not only does natural wool provide excellent thermal performance, it is also made from a renewable, sustainable source. Good Energy now offers a natural wool insulation solution which is also reusable, recyclable and biodegradable. It is also so safe to use that you do not need gloves or protective clothing to install it. Visit the Good Energy Shop for more information. from 75 (DIY) to 200 (Installed) Heatkeeper Natural Wool insulation can be purchased from the Good Energy Shop for 100.37 per 9.6m 2 (DIY) 50-100 per year Tanks & Pipes Your hot water cylinder should be insulated to reduce heat loss, and your cold water tanks and pipes should also be insulated for protection from frost damage if the loft floor has been insulated. 2 meters of pipe insulation= 2 Cold water tank jacket = 4 Hot water cylinder jacket = 8 Up to 20% on your heating bill Flat roofs and loft conversions We recommend that you seek specialist advice. N/A N/A

c. Wall Insulation Wall insulation can be carried out for both cavity and solid walls. A specialist installer should be used. Sometimes local authority permission is required in advance of the work. Actions Typical Costs Typical Savings Cavity walls The original purpose of cavity walls was to prevent the spread of dampness to internal walls. Therefore, it is important that any material used to fill a cavity is moisture repellent. Whatever the solution, cavity wall insulation should reduce a walls U-value (see below) from around 1.5 to 0.45 making cavity wall insulation one of the most cost-effective solutions you can implement in your home. from 400 Up to 160 per year Solid Walls Dry lining Plasterboard laminates, or wooden battens filled with insulation and covered with a plasterboard top layer are added to the inside of the walls. Internal solutions like these require doors, window mouldings, skirtings and electrical points to be removed and re-fixed, and redecorating will also be necessary. Solid Walls External rendering External solutions include: Rendering insulating material directly onto the external wall. Metal carrier systems which are fixed to the external wall then cement/sand rendered over to provide a protected finish. Rigid insulation boards reinforced with a thin decorative render finish. Most external solutions involve major structural refurbishment and may require planning permission. from 1,500 75-150 per year

d. Window Insulation The rate at which heat flows through various parts of the house structure is called the U-value. The lower the U-value the lower the rate at which heat will escape and the better the energy efficiency. Fig.1 illustrates the typical U-values of common building materials used in UK homes today. As you can see a single glazed window loses heat very quickly so insulating your windows can have a significant impact on reducing the heat loss in your home. Fig.1 Building material Typical U-Value Single glazed metal framed window 5.8 Single glazed wooden framed window 4.7 UPVC double glazed window/door 2.0* Double glazed wooden framed door 2.0* Solid brick wall 2.1 All brick cavity wall 1.5 * to comply with current building regulations. Data source: National Energy Services database 2004 Actions Typical Costs Typical Savings Double Glazing Double glazing cuts heat loss using an insulating layer of trapped air between the two panes of glass. The insulation barrier can also help to reduce noise and condensation. E-Glass Also ask your glazer about low e glass, which saves as much energy again by reducing heat radiation from the glass. Secondary Glazing If double glazing is too expensive, you could try secondary glazing which involves adding a second pane of glass (or Acrylic) to existing single glazed windows. DIY Additional Glazing An alternative to double-glazing, which costs only a few pounds, is to tape polythene stretch cling film sheets across non-opening window frames available from DIY stores. This is almost as efficient as glass and is easy to fit. From 75 per window From 130 per window From 36 per window 1 x pack = 6 (enough to cover 6 sq/m) Up to 140 per year Up to 220 per year Up to 90 per year Up to 60 per year Thermal line your curtains Curtains with thermal linings will help to reduce heat loss on cold winter nights. 20 Up to 90 per year

e. Avoiding Condensation Dampness affects many homes in the UK. It causes mould growth, staining and damage to walls, window frames and furniture. Excess moisture in your house makes it difficult to heat effectively as drying out damp materials absorbs energy. Condensation generated from washing, bathing and cooking should be minimised by ensuring your bathroom and kitchen have appropriate ventilation. Lids should be used on pans when cooking. Burning gas or coal also produces water vapour so cookers and fires should be well vented. 3. Saving Gas Making hot water and keeping our homes warm accounts for 82% of overall household energy use so improving the efficiency of our heating can make a big difference to the environment and our bills. a. Heating our homes Gas Central Heating If you are buying a new heating system you should install an A-rated condensing boiler. A modern system should have both a room thermostat to regulate room temperatures and thermostatic radiator valves fitted to individual radiators which can be used to control the temperature in different rooms. The hot water tank thermostat should be set no higher than 60 0 C. Set the timers on your central heating and boiler to reflect the times you are at home for most people, setting the central heating to come on 30 minutes before you get up and go off and 30 minutes before you go to bed is about right. Set the timer on your hot water according to whether your family prefers to take showers or baths in the morning or at night it is a common myth that it is more economical to keep the boiler on constantly. Ensuring that your boiler receives regular maintenance checks will help to minimise running costs. Gas heaters should have access to adequate ventilation to prevent the buildup of carbon monoxide, and gas central heating should always be installed by a registered heating engineer. Electric Storage Heaters Electric storage heaters are a less expensive way of using electricity to heat homes than fan heaters, oil filled radiators or radiant electric bar heaters. Storage heaters are best powered by electricity supplied at a cheaper, night-time rate, (although some tariffs also have a mid-afternoon or weekend boost) to store heat in special heatretaining bricks. These then give out heat slowly and are designed to keep warm for the whole of the following day. You can get cheaper night-time electricity if you have an Economy 7 meter. Modern, slim-line storage heaters often have a charge control (or an automatic charge control) which adjusts the amount of heat stored overnight. An automatic charge control does this by measuring the temperature in the room (or more rarely, outside the house) and if it is milder, stores less heat (saving money in the process). If the storage heater has a manual charge control, you will have to make this adjustment yourself. Here are a few suggestions on how you can save energy on your heating bills:

Actions Typical Costs Typical Savings Lower your room temperature by 1 o C Recommended room temperatures for comfort are 20 o C (68 o F) in living rooms and 16 o C (60 o F) in bedrooms. However, if you have young children or elderly people living in your house, you may need to increase these room temperatures by a further 1 C. 0 Could reduce your overall heating bill by up to 10% (source: Energy Saving Trust) Avoid covering your radiators with curtains. Most radiators work best by circulating hot air in a room. So fit your curtains so that they cover the whole window alcove, and if there is a radiator beneath it and your curtains are long, tuck the remaining curtain behind the radiator as this will encourage more heat to flow into the room where it is. needed, rather than towards the cold window where it is not. Improve the circulation of heat generated by your radiator When your radiator warms up, its rear surface usually radiates heat onto your wall which in turn is lost through conduction. But there are solutions to improve the circulation of the heat. For example, a Radiator BOOster TM on your radiator could suck up' the heat before it gets a chance to reach the wall and then distribute more evenly around the room. Alternatively, you could simply place a shelf above your radiator to encourage the flow of rising warm air into the room and away from the wall. Place reflective material behind radiators situated on outside walls Up to 70 per cent of the heat emitted from the back of a radiator is used to heat the wall behind it. This heat is then transferred to the outside of the wall where it is lost, particularly in older houses. Reflective material, such as the Heatkeeper Radiator Panels fit behind the radiator and convects warm air away from the wall. Unlike other reflective materials the Heatkeeper Radiator Panels are profiled to accelerate air flow and direct the heat back into the room. They can also be cut to size and are simple to install using double-sided tape which is provided in the pack. *Quoted Good Energy Shop prices were correct at time of publishing 0 Radiator BOOster TM can be purchased from the Good Energy Shop for 19.99* each. They have an adjustable design so that they can be used on small and large radiators. Shelf = 20 (DIY) A 10 pack of Heatkeeper Radiator Panels can be purchased from the Good Energy Shop for 34.25* (Size: 450 mm x 570 mm x 8mm) The manufacturers estimate that if a Radiator BOOster TM is installed on every radiator in the house an average household could achieve savings of up to 140 Heatkeeper estimate that an investment in Heatkeeper Energy Saving Radiator Panels will pay back in less than one year

b. Water Heating Heating water requires large amounts of energy. Significant savings can be made by: Reducing wasteful loss of heat. Reducing the volume of heated water. Reducing the temperature so the water is only raised to the maximum required. There are cheap and simple ways to do this without affecting your comfort. For example: Actions Typical Costs Typical Savings Buy your tank a jacket Putting a cylinder jacket round the hot water tank can pay for itself within a few months, as long as you choose an approved British Standard (e.g. BS 5616:1985) 80mm thick jacket. However most new tanks are foam insulated during the manufacturing process and therefore do not need any further lagging. Exposed hot water pipes should also be lagged. Lagging your hot water tank and pipes can save up to one third of the cost of water heating. You should also lag hot and cold water pipes in roof spaces. Take control As with space heating, your water heating system should have suitable controls. A gas or oil fired boiler should have a cylinder thermostat to measure the temperature and control the burner. An immersion heater should be set no higher than 60 C (140 F). If you want hotter water, mix in less cold water when filling your sink or bath. From 35 20 to 40 per year 0 Taking better control of your heating controls and reducing your water temperature could save over 17% on your heating bill Use a shower rather than a bath A five minute shower uses less than 50% of the water used to fill a bath, and it s quicker. However, avoid power showers as they can actually fill a bath tub in less than 5 mins. If you want to achieve better water pressure, invest in an aerated shower head which doesn t use excessive volumes of water. If you do have a bath, don't make it too full or too hot. A shower timer from the www.goodenergyshop.co.uk costs only 4.99 and can help you keep your showers short. Put a plug in it Avoid cleaning dishes under running hot water. Putting the plug in the sink or using a washing up bowl uses much less water. If you have a dishwasher, make sure it s full before you turn it on. Your dishwasher may have a half-load setting but that doesn t necessarily mean it only uses half the energy and water. Stop the dripping Turning taps off properly and repairing ones that drip is well worth the money. A typical bath uses up to 80 litres. A 5 min shower only uses only 30 litres A running tap can use as much as 5 litres of water per minute A new tap washer can cost as little as 50p Up to 50 litres of hot water The average washing up bowl has a volume of up to 10 litres. An efficient dishwasher uses no more than 20 litres per cycle. A single tap dripping once a second could waste 1400 litres of water in a year

Consider installing solar-thermal panels If you have a south-facing roof, you should consider installing solar-thermal panels for heating your hot water and Good Energy will reward you with the UK s only renewable heat incentive, a payment for the heat you generate. To find out more, visit www.generateyourown.co.uk. Typical costs are from 3,900. Typical savings are up to 70% of your water heating costs, plus a payment of around 85 per year from Good Energy s HotROCs scheme. 4. Saving Electricity a. Measuring your consumption The key to reducing your electricity usage is effective monitoring. Eventually all homes in the UK will be equipped with Smart Meters; until then an Energy Monitor can be very effective at helping you measure and reduce your electricity usage. An Energy Monitor is a device which gives you real-time information about your current electricity usage and cost, and research suggests that they can help you cut your electricity consumption by up to 15%. We sell a wide range of different energy monitors in the Good Energy Shop www.goodenergyshop.co.uk. b. Lighting Lighting in the home typically accounts for 10-15% of electricity usage. Replacing oldstyle incandescent bulbs with low-energy ones can provide significant energy savings. They are available in a variety of shapes, sizes and ratings so they should be selected to suit the fitting and the space available. A low energy lamp uses about a fifth of the energy of an equivalent ordinary light bulb, saving up to 10 a year in electricity costs if used for about 4 hours a day. They can last up to ten times longer than ordinary bulbs so they don't need to be changed as often. A wide range of energy-saving bulbs is available from the Good Energy Shop www.goodenergyshop.co.uk. The table shown in Fig.2 is a buying guide for low-energy light bulbs. It gives the power ratings of the old and new types of bulb, which give off an equivalent amount of light. Fig.2 Standard Light bulb Rating 25w 40w 60w 75w 100w 120w 150w Equivalent Low-Energy Light bulb 5w 7-10w 11-14w 15-18w 20w 23-25w 32w LED bulbs are the next generation of energy-saving lighting, using between 1 and 3 watts per bulb a saving of up to 95% on standard bulbs. However until recently the

quality of light from LED bulbs has not been suitable for domestic situations. With recent improvements in technology however, we have started to sell some types of LED bulb in the Good Energy Shop www.goodenergyshop.co.uk. Environmental note: Low-energy bulbs contain mercury which means that if they break or come to the end of their life they must be disposed of very carefully. However LEDs contain no toxic materials so they can be safely recycled. OTHER TIPS: To light your home efficiently, use as much natural daylight as possible. Curtains or blinds should be drawn well clear of the windows during the day, lamps carefully positioned and light colours used on the walls in darker corners. Consider the use of individual task lighting for reading or sewing. This is more efficient and will be cheaper than lighting an entire room. Keeping lamps and accessories clean is important, especially in the kitchen where grease and grime tends to accumulate. c. Electrical Appliances Some of the biggest carbon criminals in our homes are the white goods that live in our kitchen/utility area. Fridges, freezers, washing machines, dishwashers, cookers and microwaves all generate heat which means that the electricity input is usually quite high. Therefore, when it s time to buy a new appliance, it s a good idea to choose the most energy efficient model you can afford as it will save you money in the long run. Nowadays most electrical appliances are required to carry a label showing their energy efficiency rating from A (most efficient) to G (least efficient). These stickers tell you exactly how efficient the appliance is by calculating how much electricity it uses to operate it in relation to its output value. Once you have an A-rated appliance, make sure it keeps running efficiently by having it serviced regularly (see the user manual provided for guidance). To illustrate why the energy rating of an appliance is so important, Fig.3 compares the typical running costs of the most efficient (A-rated) and least efficient (G-rated) appliances.

Fig.3 Appliance Typical Annual Running Cost Typical savings A Rated model G Rated model Fridge 11 27 16 Freezer 13 34 21 Fridge/Freezer 18 47 29 Washing machine 14 32 18 Tumble dryer 23 45 22 Please note: These figures give estimated annual running costs based on typical appliances being used under standard conditions. As well as the Energy Efficiency sticker, here are some more symbols that you should look out for when buying your next electrical appliance: These symbols are only accredited to products that have been recognised by industry experts for their energy efficiency, or for the ethical way they have been manufactured. www.goodenergy.co.uk 0845 601 1410

OTHER TIPS Switching appliances off standby can save around 20 a year. When boiling water, heat only the amount of water you need in the kettle and always keep the lid on a saucepan. We sell a range of energy efficient kitchen appliances, including kettles and toasters, at www.goodenergyshop.co.uk. The optimum temperature for a fridge is 30c to 50c, a freezer works best at 180c. Both appliances function more efficiently if they are kept full and regularly defrosted. Where possible wash clothes at 300c this uses up to 40 percent less energy. Try not to use a tumble drier but line dry your washing outside wind and solar power, au naturel! Lots more useful tips at www.goodenergyshop.co.uk To give you a better understanding of the typical energy consumption of the most common electrical appliances please see fig.4 below: Fig.4 APPLIANCE TYPICAL POWER RATING ENERGY CONSUMPTION ALTERNATIVE SOLUTIONS Available at the GOOD ENERGY SHOP LIGHTING Outside security light 500W ½ hour s light per unit Solar Motion Sensitive Light 29.99 Electric light bulb 100W 10 hours light per unit For our full range of energy Fluorescent strip 40W 25 hours light per unit saving bulbs visit www.goodenergyshop.co.uk Compact fluorescent 20W 50 hours light per unit HEATING Electric Shower 7000W 8½ minutes use per unit Ecosaver Shower Timer 4.99 Immersion heater 3000W 20 minutes heating per unit Fan heater 2000W ½ hour s warmth per unit Morphy Richards Eco Underblanket from 29.99 Towel Rail 250W 4 hours heating per unit KITCHEN APPLIANCES Kettle 3000W Boils 12 pints of water per unit Morphy Richards Ecolectric Kettle 37.99 Cooker (Oven) 2000W Cooking one week s meals for the average Morphy Richards Ecolectric Slow Cooker 39.99 Cooker (Hob) 1000 2000W family uses about 20 units Microwave 600W Typically 20 ready meals per unit Fridge 40W 1 day's refrigeration per unit

OTHER APPLIANCES Washing machine (automatic) Weekly wash 1200W Based on 2 units per load, a family of four uses 5 units. 4kg of cottons washed at 90oC (with pre wash) uses 2½ units. 2kg of synthetics at 50oC uses less than 1 unit. Tumble dryer 2000W 4 units per load. Drying 4kg of cotton garments and towels uses about 2½ units. Drying 2kg synthetics uses less than 1½ units. Hair Dryer 1000W 1 hour s use per unit Vacuum cleaner 500W 2 hours cleaning per unit Extractor Fan 25W 2 days use per unit Iron 500W 2 hours ironing per unit LEISURE Computer 200W 5 hours use per unit Ecosaver Standby Kits from Television (51cm colour) 150W 7 hours viewing or 1 week on standby per unit Video 20W 50 hours use per unit 14.99 Stereo 50W 20 hours listening per unit Eton Wind-up Radio 39.99 GARDEN Lawn Mower 500W 2 hours cutting per unit Pond Pump 120W 8 hours pumping per unit Please note: Actual running costs depend on how appliances are used. These figures have been compiled to illustrate running costs based on typical appliances being used under standard conditions. *Good Energy Shop prices quote were correct at time of publishing this document 1 unit equates to 1 kwh of electricity 5. Our References The information used within this document has been sourced from the following websites and publications: NEA Energy in the Home, 6th Edition, Published 2006 Good Energy Good Energy Shop Generate Your Own Energy Saving Trust www.goodenergy.co.uk www.goodenergyshop.co.uk www.generateyourown.co.uk www.energysavingtrust.co.uk

6. Useful Contacts The information used within this document has been sourced from the following websites and publications: Act on CO2 http://actonco2.direct.gov.uk/actonco2/home.html 0800 512012 Boiler Efficiency Database www.sedbuk.com Building Research Establishment (BRE) www.bre.co.uk/index.jsp 01923 664000 Centre for Sustainable Energy www.cse.org.uk/pages/ 0117 934 1400 Combined Heat and Power Association www.chpa.co.uk/ 020 7828 4077 Energy Savings Trust www.energysavingtrust.org.uk/ 0800 512 012 Envirowise www.envirowise.gov.uk/ 0800 585794 National Energy Action NEA (Campaigning for Warm Homes) www.nea.org.uk/ 0191 261 5677 National Energy Centre NHER www.nher.co.uk/ 01908 672 787 National Energy Foundation (NEF) www.nef.org.uk/ 01908 665555 National Insulation Association NI www.nationalinsulationassociation.org.uk/householder/index.php 08451 636363 Warm Front www.warmfront.co.uk/index.htm 0800 316 2805