ENERGY LOSS, NOW A MORAL,
POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC ISSUE.

Information provided by www.ukhomeinsulation.co.uk

The Energy Saving Trust produced a document in 2005 declaring that with 27% of the UK's carbon dioxide emissions being generated from our homes consumers have a major part to play in reducing the damage that carbon dioxide emissions cause to the environment.

It is now widely believed that global warming will have severe implications for future weather and climate patterns with increased world temperatures and higher sea levels, droughts and the destruction of the ice shelves. Global climate change is the single biggest environmental threat facing the planet.

The UK, with only 1% of the worlds population produces 2.3% of the worlds CO₂

Small measures alone can make a significant difference to how we live in the future.

85% of us vastly underestimate the significance of our homes impact on climate change. More than one in twenty that's 6% believe that our homes don't make a significant enough impact. THIS IS NOT CORRECT. Home energy auditing could come into force within the not to distant future. Energy coaches could be available to work with us in the home to teach us better and more efficient ways of saving the planet.

DEFRA : THE DEPARTMENT FOR ENVIRONMENT FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS calls for strong action and unilateral commitment. One of their suggestions for environment protection is to improve the energy efficiency of housing.

There are many simple things that you can do around the home that will save energy and money some of these include insulating your loft and walls. Making your home more energy efficient could reduce your carbon dioxide emissions by up to 2 tones.

MANY PEOPLE DO NOT REALISE THAT GRANTS ARE AVAILABLE TO IMPLEMENT THESE MEASURES. UK HOME INSULATION are one company providing a central point of contact for the general public throughout the UK. They work with reputable insulation surveyors and installers who are already grant approved.

No less than 27% (nearly two thirds) of the UK's CO₂ emissions is produced in home heating. The key to cutting emissions is saving energy by using it in the most efficient way possible. In homes, that means insulation. The zero carbon emission home is a highly insulated design. To meet its overall targets for reducing Britain's carbon footprint the government wants zero emission housing to become the new standard by 2016. In the uk more than half of all homes are more than 50 years old and many of these could benefit from these insulation grants.

LOFT INSULATION

Loft Insulation Basics. We all know that heat rises and thus tends to accumulate in the upper floors or lofts. Ordinary plaster board ceilings are poor insulators, and heat is lost through the ceiling and roof.

The formation of condensation on internal surfaces in cool weather is a very good indication of just how much heat is being lost through a lack of adequate insulation. What makes a good insulator? In simple terms, the insulating ability of a product is dependant on two main factors; the thickness of the insulation, and it's inherent ability to insulate (k-value). Generally, the thicker the insulation the better and the lower the k-value the better. These 2 factors are more often combined and referred to as the U-value. The lower the U-value, the better the insulation.

Insulation Materials There are 3 general types of loft insulation:

blown mineral wool or blown cellulose fibre
mineral wool quilt
loose fill materials such as granules of vermiculite.

Current uk building regulations require 250mm (10 inches) of insulation for the loft.

CAVITY WALL INSULATION

Between 2002 and 2005 around 800,000 households installed cavity wall insulation. It is estimated that this will have saved nearly 400,000 tonnes of CO₂ , enough to fill the new Wembley Stadium 47 times.

In most houses built after the 1920s, the external walls are made of two layers with a small air gap or 'cavity' between them. If your home has unfilled cavity walls, a considerable slice of your energy bills will be spent heating the air outside.

How cavity wall insulation works.
Filling the gap between the two walls of a house with an insulating material massively decreases the amount of heat which escapes through the walls. It will help create a more even temperature in your home, help prevent condensation on the walls and ceilings and can also reduce the amount of heat building up inside your home during summer hot spells.

How the savings add up.
If all the houses with unfilled cavity walls had them filled, the energy saved could heat a staggering 1.7 million homes each year.

How it is installed.
Cavity wall insulation is quick, clean and relatively inexpensive to install. It's injected into the cavity from the outside, taking between two and three hours in a three bedroom semi-detached house.

The savings.
Around a third of all the heat lost in an un-insulated home is lost through the walls. If you have cavity walls, insulating them will make a great difference, and it could save you £130 - £160 a year on your fuel bills.

How to get an insulation grant, click HERE

LINKS TO RELATED ARTICLES.

CLIMATE CHANGE THE UK PROGRAMME 2006

March 2006 Presented to parliament by the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs but the command of Her Majesty.

http://www.defra.gov.uk/environment/climatechange/uk/ukccp/pdf/ukccp06-all.pdf

ENERGY EFFICIENCY COMMITMENT 2205-2008

http://www.ofgem.gov.uk/temp/ofgem/cache/cmsattach/10651_8305.pdf?wtfrom=/ofgem/work/index.jsp&section=/areasofwork/energyefficiency

FRIENDS OF THE EARTH- BRAINY WAYS TO BEAT CLIMATE CHANGE

http://www.foe.co.uk/campaigns/climate/case_studies/home_insulation.html

THE INDEPENDANT ONLINE EDITION

Energy Performance Certificates: a green bill of health
New certificates will mean buyers can assess a home's energy efficiency and heating costs, says Graham Norwood
Published: 21 February 2007
http://news.independent.co.uk/environment/lifestyle/article2290727.ece

ADVICE ON KEEPING THE WINTER BLUES OUT

Hastings Borough Council's advice on Energy Efficiency

http://www.hastingstoday.co.uk/ViewArticle2.aspx?SectionID=479&ArticleID=2057570

HEADING FOR ZERO

Planet save. The key to cutting emisions at home means insulation.

http://www.planetsave.com/ps_mambo/The_News/Green_Living_Tips/Heading_for_Zero_200702158487/

HOME OWNERS BECOME GREEN TO SAVE MONY NOT THE PLANET

http://www.easier.com/view/UK_Property_News/General/article-101199.html

"Lets make 2007 a landmark year for climate change." Speech delivered to the GLOBE Forum by David Miliband MP

http://www.egovmonitor.com/node/9455

BLAIR ARGUES FOR TRUST ON CLIMATE

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/3657120.stm