Six reasons for improving our home energy efficiency

1.       Warmer homes save lives

Across the UK, it’s estimated that an average of 10,000 excess winter deaths are attributable each year to cold and insufficiently heated homes.2 Warmer homes are not only more comfortable, but they are also vital for our health and wellbeing, especially for vulnerable groups such as the elderly and those living with chronic illnesses.

2.       Reducing emissions

Research shows that almost 16% of net UK greenhouse gas emissions are estimated to come from the residential housing sector. As such, making the incremental changes to decrease our domestic energy demand – including measures such as improved insulation, new heating systems, solar panels and draft-proofing – can have a big impact on carbon use. Indeed, the independent non-departmental public body, the Committee on Climate Change recently identified the retrofitting of the UK’s 29 million existing homes to low-carbon and low-energy as a key priority.

3.   Saving money

Energy efficiency is one of the best ways of defending against high energy prices, and if implemented in an affordable way, will benefit a significant amount of people. We also know that there is strong demand from consumers, with our Greener Homes Attitude Tracker showing that around 63% of the public want to make their homes more energy efficient.1

4.     Helping to future proof properties

Improving energy efficiency also makes sense for households longer term. With increasingly stringent building standards, such as the Future Homes Standard, coming into place, retrofitting can help future proof against energy compliance requirements. It also enables homeowners to access preferential lending terms through products such as green mortgages. Invariably, this makes energy efficient houses more attractive than less sustainable homes.

5.    Increased skills and jobs

Home energy efficiency will be a vital part of delivering our national net-zero ambitions and this, we believe, opens huge opportunities for businesses. Our ‘Springboard to Sustainable Recovery’ report, published in 2021, shows that SMEs can deliver a significant amount of the UK’s abatement targets. From the installing of heat pumps to the fitting of solar panels, a substantial raft of new jobs can be created from the delivery of energy efficiency.

6.   National energy security

Our national exposure to international energy prices has become starkly apparent in recent years, with geopolitical factors and global market volatility contributing to soaring energy costs. Decreasing our energy demand by improving the energy efficiency of our homes and buildings presents a logical, fast and impactful solution to managing energy bills, as well as helping to improve national energy security.