Local councils have committed to reduce carbon dioxide emissions to help meet European targets in 2012. Part of this commitment involves encouraging home owners to have an energy assessment to identify energy waste in the home. The assessment is the same as the audit performed for an Energy Performance Certificate. This is an interesting move because until now Energy Performance Certificates were only required as part of a home information pack; but the new move, promoted to residents as part of a money saving initiative could raise the awareness about energy efficiency in the home.
The need to reduce emissions has been highlighted after the rising concern over global warming caused by the release of greenhouse gasses into the atmosphere. One of the gasses, carbon dioxide, is produced from burning fossil fuels such as oil and coal to heat homes. The initiative proposed by local councils aims to reduce the amount of carbon dioxide released by homes in the UK by proposing energy saving strategies to UK residents.
An Energy performance Certificate gives a home a rating between A and G according to how energy efficient it is. The audit looks at how much insulation is in the home and whether there is central heating and double glazing. The energy auditor will also analyse bills for electricity, gas and oil to determine how much money is being spent annually. This information combines to give an indication of how energy efficient a home is.
The Energy Performance Certificate will also come with recommendations of how the residents can improve efficiency to not only reduce emissions but to also reduce utilities bills. Recommendations such as insulating the loft, installing double glazing and switching to a sustainable energy provider are all ways in which an auditor may encourage households to reduce their energy use.
Raising awareness about energy use cannot be achieved however without the cooperation of the householders. To encourage residents to obtain an Energy Performance Certificate, local councils are informing them that it is possible to reduce energy bills by 300 GBP per year, and offering help with costs of loft insulation. Not everyone is aware of the loft insulation grant, and other similar grants available to improve the energy efficiency of the home.
It is hoped that the strategy will help UK residents become aware of the energy they use and the help that is available which could in turn reduce the carbon emissions to meet European Union targets.
Dom Donaldson is an energy expert.
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Energy Performance Certificate available for commercial and domestic buildings at National Energy Rating.
