The best way to reduce your carbon emissions at home is to reduce the amount of heat that is lost through your window, doors, floors, ceilings and walls. Installing draught-proofing or insulation is a simple way to keep your home warm in winter and cool during the summer months. Even little fixes can add up to significant savings on your energy bills.
You’re willing to consider your impact when upgrading your home or thinking about travel – you’re officially part of the solution. Here are our suggestions on how you can play a part in reaching net zero.
What is net zero?
We are facing a climate emergency in the UK, caused by the release of greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide into the atmosphere from our homes, transport systems, industry and businesses.
By changing the way we heat our homes and the way we travel, we can help to address this climate emergency. We need to reach a place where the amount of carbon dioxide added to the atmosphere is no more than the amount taken away.
This balanced state is known as net zero – and it’s really important that we make changes to our behaviour, our homes and our travel to help the UK get to net zero. It’s so important, that the UK passed legislation in 2019 that commits the country to net zero emissions by 2050.
Energy efficiency
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Tackle draughty spots
You could save around £20 a year by blocking up draughty gaps around your windows and doors, as well as keeping everyone at home nice and warm.
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Upgrade your glazing
Consider upgrading your single glazed windows to double or triple glazing to reduce heat loss.
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Insulate, insulate, insulate
Did you know that around one third of all the heat lost in an uninsulated home escapes through the walls? Protect your home through insulation.
Need some help?
Being more energy efficient at home is one way to reduce your bill payments. But often, you need to invest in home improvements before you can access the biggest savings. Financial help is available in a number of circumstances, with the focus very much on keeping warm for less.
Find out whether you qualify for any funding to help you install energy efficiency measures like insulation.
Not sure where to start?
The HACKS calculator reviews the current energy set up at your home and provides solutions to make your home more energy efficient. Answer a series of questions about the energy set up at your home to find the best solutions for you.
Heating your home
Now that you’ve tackled those draughty spots and made sure that your homes is as energy efficient as possible, it’s time to take a closer look at your heating system. In a typical UK household, more than half the money spent on energy bills goes towards providing heating and hot water. Having an efficient and cost-effective heating system is vital, and it’s one of the main steps you can take to reducing your carbon dioxide emissions.
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Get to know your heating
It’s important to understand your current heating system. Whether you use central heating or electric storage heaters, we have some great advice on how to make your heating system more efficient.
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Take control of your controls
Learning how to use your heating controls properly can help you reduce your carbon dioxide emissions and save money on your heating bills.
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Need to replace your boiler?
Heating accounts for about 55% of what you spend in a year on energy bills, so an efficient boiler makes a big difference. If you’re thinking about replacing your boiler, read our advice first.
Energy efficient products
Moving to energy efficient products, including lighting and home appliances, can be an excellent way to save money on your bills, as well as reducing your carbon footprint. You should also consider installing a smart meter if you don’t already have one, which can help you manage and reduce the amount of energy you use at home.
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Look for the label
If you’re looking for a new appliance for your home, check the energy rating label. The labels changed in March, but they can still help you choose the most energy efficient appliance.
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Under the spotlight
If you replace all the bulbs in your home with LED lights, you could reduce your carbon dioxide emissions by up to 65kg a year.
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Get a smart meter
Smart meters measure how much gas and electricity you’re using and come with an in-home display screen to help you visualise your energy usage and reduce your energy consumption.
Low carbon travel
From online shopping deliveries to the office commute, transport is one of the biggest sources of carbon emissions in the UK. And it’s an area that will need to change considerably if we’re going to hit our net zero target by 2050. The decision to ban new petrol and diesel cars from 2030 will help reduce emissions from the sector, but there are other actions you can take right now that will make a difference.
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Get on your bike
Cycling is a great zero carbon way to get around. People are already seeing positive health benefits, with local governments supporting cyclists with plans to convert roads into cycle super-highways. If you need a bit of help to get up those hills, why not consider an electric bike?
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Improve your driving style
If you can’t replace all your journeys with walking or cycling, we have advice on how to improve your driving style through ecodriving. You could save on fuel, reduce carbon emissions and improve air quality by following our driving tips and thinking about your vehicle choice.
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Join a car club
Car clubs offer instant access to cars in your local area without the hassle of owning a car. They’re a great solution if you don’t drive very often, but still want access to a car. With newer models available, they emit around 43% less carbon dioxide.
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