HOME OWNERS MISSING OUT ON ENERGY EFFICIENCY OPPORTUNITY
ONE OF THE BEST TIMES TO MAKE ENERGY EFFICIENCY UPGRADES IS WHEN YOU’RE ALREADY DOING WORK ON YOUR HOME – BUT OUR UK PULSE SURVEY SHOWS THAT IN MOST CASES, THIS ISN’T HAPPENING. Two-thirds of British home owners have taken on some improvements over the last three years, but only a third upgraded their boiler at the same time, and even less tackled their windows. CUT THE HASSLE – AND THE CASH But why is home improvement such a key ‘trigger point’ to spark energy action? “Why r
GOVERNMENT TELLS TRADE BODY – NEW EPC REGULATIONS FOR RENTAL PROPERTIES WILL START APRIL 2018
The Residential Landlords’ Association has been told in no uncertain terms by the government that changes to Energy Performance Certificate scheduled for April 2018 will not be delayed – and the lettings sector should prepare now. The government will be publishing detailed guidelines in October to clarify the new rules and the obligations of agents, landlords and others. This is expected to include news on a possible cap on improvements – an initial figure of £5,000 has been
BUSTING EXTERNAL WALL INSULATION MYTHS
We often hear claims about external wall insulation that are completely untrue so we thought we’d round them up to prove why we believe in it so strongly as an energy saving measure. 1. EXTERNAL WALL INSULATION STOPS BUILDINGS BEING ABLE TO BREATHE It is certainly true that properties need to allow moisture to escape. If you live in a solid wall or system built property, when choosing External Wall Insulation materials it is very important to select a ‘breathable’ render, suc
IS EXTERNAL WALL INSULATION SAFE?
As you might expect, we have had a huge number of calls and emails over the last couple of days regarding external wall insulation. It was with great sadness that we all witnessed the events at Grenfell Tower, in North West London – our deepest sympathies are with all those involved. It is clear that much of the media have already begun to blame the rainscreen cladding system as a contributing factor to the accelerated spread of the fire. Obviously, a full investigation will
UK ‘MUST INSULATE 25 MILLION HOMES’
More than one home every minute will need to be refurbished in the UK between now and 2050, experts say. The authors of a report to Parliament say 25 million existing homes will not meet the insulation standards required by mid-century. The UK needs to cut carbon emissions by 80% by then – and a third of those emissions come from heating draughty buildings. The government said it would devise policies as soon as possible. But critics say ministers have been far too slow to im
A TALE OF TWO HOMES: HOW WARM HOUSES CHANGE LIVES
John Flynn from Hartlepool is 72. He’s paying £180 a month to keep warm this winter in his north-facing end-terraced house. Les Fawcett from nearby Middlesbrough is 76. He’s paying just £45 a month to keep his home cosy. What separates the two is not a greedy energy supplier – it’s four inches of wall insulation. Both men are owner-occupiers living on pensions. Les had his solid walls clad with the help of a subsidy from the Government, but the public money ran out before Joh
