Simple savings at home


There are many simple ways that we can reduce the energy used by our homes. The cash savings may be relatively small per household (though still worthwhile), but cumulatively they make a big impact on national demand.

Simple solutions

Energy saving light bulb

Switch to energy-saving light bulbs

The standard incandescent light-bulb, which many of us have in our homes, is inefficient and costly compared to today’s energy-saving bulbs, which produce the same amount of light whilst being responsible for the emission of 80% less carbon dioxide.

Switching to the low energy equivalents can make a big difference: if every household swapped old fashioned bulbs for modern, low energy versions, we would not need to replace all of the power stations scheduled to close down over the course of the next few years.

Switch off appliances instead of using stand by

The ‘Stand-by’ option on our remote controls seems like a useful feature but in-fact uses power unnecessarily. Nationally, TV and other audio equipment left on stand-by use the equivalent of two power stations worth of electricity and contribute 800,000 extra tonnes of CO2.

Bigger investment = bigger savings

There are a host of ‘bigger fixes’ which require higher levels of investment but which in turn offer greater opportunities for energy saving.

Loft and wall insulation

Good quality loft insulation and double glazing can cut a home’s energy use by 30%. Heat escapes through walls too, of course, but this is often overlooked: nationally, seven million homes that could have cavity wall insulation do not have it. Modern boilers and thermostats also drastically reduce the amount of energy used by a home. The combination of cavity wall insulation with a new A-rated boiler and heating/hot water controls can easily cut a home's energy bill in half.

Learn more about increasing your home's energy efficiency

Learn how smart metering and generating your own energy can change the way you use energy in your home.

The UK Energy Savings Trust has more more information on improving the energy efficiency of your home.