Did you know that in the UK, around 22% of carbon emissions come from our homes?
Our heating, lighting and household appliances all need energy to work – and when this energy comes from burning fossil fuels like coal and gas, harmful emissions are released into the atmosphere.
We need to reach a place where the amount of carbon emissions added to the atmosphere – from heating our homes and using our appliances – is no more than the amount taken away.
This balanced state is known as net zero, and the UK has legally committed to reaching net zero emissions by 2050.
We can reach this net zero balance, but everyone will have to play their part. It’s not just up to governments and businesses to change – we can all take steps to reduce our carbon emissions.
Making changes to your behaviour at home – as well as making improvements to your home itself – can all help to reduce carbon emissions. There are options to suit all budgets and lifestyles, so there’s something for everyone.
Follow these simple, no-cost tips.
We can help you play your part in net zero.
Consider committing to some bigger lifestyle changes.
To show you how even small changes can make a difference, we’ve done the maths and calculated how much these five actions could reduce your carbon emissions.
If the average household replaced all the bulbs in the home with LED bulbs, it would reduce carbon dioxide emissions by around 65kg a year. This is the equivalent to the carbon dioxide emitted by driving your car approximately 220 miles, which is roughly the distance between London and York.
If you have a full set of heating controls, turning down your room thermostat by just one degree could reduce your carbon footprint by 310kg, as well as save you around £60 a year on your energy bills.
Even little fixes around the home can mount up to significant savings. Fitting your hot water cylinder with an insulating jacket will save you £20 a year in heating costs and 150kg of carbon dioxide emissions.
Most homes have some roof or loft insulation, but often it’s not enough. If you live in a semi-detached home heated with a gas boiler, topping up your roof insulation to 270mm could reduce your carbon emissions by 55kg a year – and save you £14 on your heating bill.
An average solar photovoltaic (PV) system on the roof of a home in the south of England can generate around 3,700 kilowatt hours of electricity a year – that’s more electricity than the average home uses in a year. It could also save you around 1,000kg of carbon dioxide every year.
Last updated: 30 April 2024