If you are carrying out work to your home, what are the most
effective things you can do sustainably? Here are some examples
of how to be green and invest in a low energy future:
-
Replace your boiler with an up to date condensing type of the
correct rating for your insulation levels.
-
Add insulation to external walls, floor and roof.
-
Draught strip loose windows and external doors. Repair wood
windows.
-
Seal any other air leakage paths (e.g. at external walls
between floor joists).
-
Add controllable ventilation (e.g. window trickle vents,
passive stack ventilation system).
-
Replace WC with dual flush
type.
-
Buy energy saving appliances and light bulbs.
-
These are some of the most effective measures for reducing
CO2 emissions. The payback
period will be of the order of 10 years.
Looking to longer term payback periods, some of the other things
you can install would be:
-
Solar thermal systems - providing for your hot water needs by
circulating water through solar panels mounted on south facing
roof slopes.
-
Photovoltaic systems - providing for your electricity needs by
generating electricity with solar panels mounted on south
facing roof slopes.
-
Grey water recycling systems.
-
Ground source heat pumps.
-
Wind power generation.