Measuring your

Measuring your home’s effi ciency

Although Energy Performance Certifi cates (EPCs) are not quite making the grade, home improvements have never been more important • •

The UK government has pledged to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2050, and with this fastapproaching goal on our minds, it’s little wonder that so many of us are looking for ways to make our • homes more eco-friendly.

Around 19 million homes in the UK will have an Energy Performance Certifi cate (EPC) rating below the minimum target of band C by 2035, if they are not retrofi tted with better energy effi ciency. As many as 29 million homes will need to replace their heating systems with greener technology. Improving Britain’s energy-ineffi cient housing in time is a mammoth task itself – but experts are warning that the reliance on EPC certifi cates is something of a ‘green herring’ and could impede Britain’s progress towards its eco-home goal.

First introduced in 2008, EPC acts as a guide to show the energy effi ciency of a property, and must be produced whenever a residential building is built, sold or let. Since then, well over 20 million have been issued and certifi cates can be easily accessed for free online by entering your postcode into the government-backed EPC website.

“EPCs do give prospective buyers or tenants an idea of how well insulated a home is and what it will cost to heat it,” said Chris Gardner, co-founder of the development lender Atelier. “But all too often, EPCs are treated as a box-ticking exercise by those required to get one, and the environmental impact element is based on a series of assumptions that may not always refl ect reality.”

Many experts believe that EPCs aren’t fi t for purpose anymore – and are especially useless when it comes to working out the carbon impact of new homes – for the simple reason that EPCs don’t count any of the carbon emissions released during construction. Several key building materials, like steel and concrete are highly carbon-intensive, a fact often glossed over by property developers. • As many as 29 million homes will need to replace their heating systems with greener technology

“A newly-built, well-insulated home could quite feasibly be awarded an EPC ‘A’ rating because of its energy e ciency, but this would be entirely misleading if the property was packed with embodied carbon,” said Chris. “More importantly still, EPCs do nothing to encourage property developers, builders or their supply chain to build more sustainably.”

Worryingly, homeowners’ lack of trust and understanding of EPC ratings mean few are willing to invest in improvements on their home based on the recommendations.

“More than three-quarters of people don’t know the rating of their own home and there’s also often a misconception that any improvements will involve a large initial outlay,” said Andrew Asaam, mortgages director at Halifax.

But it is not all bad news. There are better ways to check a property’s green credentials – and start improving your own. Banks such as Halifax, now off er an energyeffi ciency health check,providing a tailored action plan for green improvements to your property so that homeowners can go beyond the recommendations found in the EPC. If you’re feeling confi dent, you can carry out a DIY home-energy audit with fantastichandyman.co.uk as your guide. In the spotlight Ecotalk + RSPB

By swapping your SIM to Ecotalk + RSPB, your mobile phone bill will help to buy more land for nature – protecting some of Britain’s most precious wildlife. Tariff s start at just £5.50 per month, running on the EE network. Visit ecotalk.co.uk

There’s a wide range of government grants to incentivise property owners to improve their homes. Banks are also lending a hand, off ering funding including personal loans and the ability to borrow money on an existing mortgage if the owner is planning to make green home improvements. Homes with the highest energy ratings are worth more on average, than less sustainable properties and making small changes today can help you to save money on bills.

“Homeowners at the lower end of the energy-e ciency scale are likely to see the greatest returns on their investments, even from making simple changes like switching to LED bulbs or adding loft insulation,” said Andrew. “There’s a huge opportunity for more people to get on board with this and reap the rewards.” by Kirsty McKenzie

Plan your roadmap and mitigate rising energy costs

Zenergi is built on the belief that there is a better, brighter way forward for the energy industry

Organisations can no longer ignore their responsibility to reducing energy use and tackling climate change. The scale and pace now need to be accelerated, but, with a wish list of energy effi ciency measures, compounded by budget pressures, it can be diffi cult to prioritise the upgrades and plan for the transformation required.

Government funding schemes designed to reduce carbon emissions and support decarbonisation have made it possible for some organisations to make progress, although many are unable to benefi t and those that are should not rely on accessing fi nance from these highly oversubscribed and limited funds. Because of this, it is now essential that organisations prepare a strategic plan that seeks to reduce energy usage.

The cheapest kilowatt hour is the one you don’t use

The recent turbulence in the energy market has heightened the awareness of many to look towards reducing their energy consumption. Investing in an energy audit will provide a comprehensive review of the energy used across your building portfolio, identifying a range of practical low-cost and no-cost measures that typically pay for the audit within a year, together with a range of longer-term investment measures.

Recent years have seen a shift towards the education sector building on young people’s passion for protecting the environment to help their energy reduction ambitions. Educational institutions that have shared their energy audit results and encouraged behavioural changes have benefi tted from energy savings of as much as 20% when consistently applied. Interactive resources that educate and engage the energy users of the future in the critical dialogue around climate change, including Zenergi’s Climate Crisis game, help educators to enhance the work they are doing with pupils to eff ect change.

A step back after Covid

For other sectors, such as healthcare, the Covid-19 pandemic has set the industry several steps back in terms of reaching ambitious net-zero targets. Huge increases in single-use plastics and hospitals at full capacity have challenged the NHS. The sector must now accelerate the development and delivery of its ‘green plans’ if it is to meet its carbon reduction targets.

Energy Freedom

Increasing numbers of organisations are considering options that allow them to reduce their reliance on the grid. The upfront cost of fi nancing renewable energy projects has often prohibited implementation, but many are recognising the value of a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) to fi nance technology such as solar PV, helping them generate on site electricity, while reducing spend on imported energy.

Building a better future means starting in the right way today

Eco Hotels, the world’s fi rst net-zero hotel brand are setting a new standard for the hospitality industry

Eco Hotels are currently making their mark as the world’s fi rst carbon-neutral hotel brand, with a mission to spearhead sustainable development and make those goals a practical reality.

With a full market launch set for 2022, the company’s business model grounds itself fi rmly on a careful, venue by venue, monitoring of global CO2 output, designed to mitigate and then off set emission levels, not only to meet the demands of today’s increasingly environmentally conscious travellers, but also to ameliorate the impact of global warming on future generations, protecting the precious planet in the process.

Unlike alternative (outmoded) concrete and steel buildings, the Eco Hotel is designed from the ground up, with reconstruction in mind: making increased use of recyclable materials, reducing waste through adoption of prefabrication techniques, and ensuring the entire process fi ts readily within the parameters of a circular economy. Waste and build times are kept to an absolute minimum by adopting modular construction technologies.

Eco Hotels is an incubation by Red Ribbon, a Mainstream Impact Investment company following the principles of the ‘triple p bottomline’ of planet, people and profi t. Given this ethos, it comes as no surprise to fi nd that local communities are high up on Eco Hotels’ list of priorities – employees are recruited locally and supplies are sourced to create employment opportunities in the area where the hotel is sited. All of this is important because a sustainable world won’t happen by itself – it needs, and demands, careful planning. Eco Hotels are showing the way by setting a new standard for hospitality.

Unwind and get back to nature on this green and organic farm

It’s time to escape from the hurly burly of life to relax, unwind and recharge yourself and your car

Enjoy wonderful views, and a stillness only broken by nature where you can walk for miles without seeing another person.

This is a 200 acre organic farm, adjoining a wilderness hill within the Brecon Beacons National Park. They off er eco-friendly cottages, with fresh spring water on tap and an opportunity to fi nd out more about organic farming with hands on experiences.

Abercottages have free EV charging using electricity made using Welsh rainwater, organic cotton bedding, wool carpets, and duvets made from recycled plastic bottles.

Quality food is important to them. During your stay you can enjoy a local, organic veg box, home produced organic meat or local organic breakfast hamper and collect your own fresh eggs for breakfast.

Children are welcome. Families can practice their den building skills together, melt marshmallows over a campfi re or you could simply lay back and enjoy the twinkling stars above.

Find out more

Are you interested in a truly eco break without compromising comfort? Check out their website for more details abercottages.com