Why your home is central to helping the UK reach net zero
Home energy efficiency may not get the same attention as pollution or deforestation, but it’s key in the battle against greenhouse gas emissions.
The UK is a powerhouse. It's the world's sixth-largest economy, home to four of the world's top 10 universities, and it's a leader in technological innovation.1 But you may not know that the UK is also the second highest overall emitter of both greenhouse gas (GHGs) and carbon dioxide (CO2) emitter compared with EU14 countries.2
Fortunately, work is being done to reduce CO2 emissions, with many businesses and people making changes to reduce their environmental impact. The government has also committed, by law, to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2050. So, there's good news for the planet. But much more needs to be done.
To achieve net zero, we need to clean up our transport, reduce industry emissions and continue to invest in renewable energy. Most importantly for homeowners, we need to reduce residential energy use, which is responsible for 21% of the UK's total greenhouse gas emissions.3
At Snugg, we help make homes more energy efficient through our online energy assessment and planning tool. And we're helping the UK reach its net zero goals by helping homeowners across the country make sustainable changes that could reduce their energy bills, increase the value of their homes and reduce their home's environmental impact.
Why is home energy efficiency so important?
Achieving net zero emissions might seem like a lofty goal, but the journey towards it is made up of many small steps. Even minor changes in energy efficiency can lead to big benefits, such as reducing energy bills.
Small changes you could make to your home include:
- Fitting a smart meter to better manage your energy
- Draft-proofing windows to stop warm air from escaping
- Switching to LED lighting, which can use 90% less energy than conventional light bulbs
With 25 million homes in the UK, we could significantly reduce our collective carbon emissions if we all made small efficiency improvements to our homes.
And to put extra icing on the cake, it's not just the environment that would benefit, it is great for your wallet too! Larger improvements, such as adding insulation or solar panels, could even increase the value of your property by as much as 10%.
It's important to understand your home's Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating if you're to use your time and money wisely. This rating not only impacts energy costs and carbon emissions but also affects your home's value and attractiveness to potential buyers or tenants - over a third (35%) of their clients say that rising energy costs will influence them to buy a more energy-efficient home in future.
Snugg's commitment to energy efficiency
We're committed to making energy-efficient homes simple and affordable for everyone. That's why we've developed a free online tool that allows you to:
- Understand your home's current energy efficiency
- See the impact of making different energy efficiency upgrades
- Identify available grants and the best ways to pay
- Get quotes from trusted local installers
Accessing grants and finding trusted installers with Snugg
Some homeowners are put off from improving their home's energy efficiency by the perceived cost of upgrades. But there are several government grants available which, depending on eligibility, could make your energy bills more affordable and reduce your home's carbon emissions. You can use Snugg to easily identify the grants you may be eligible for and the best ways to pay for improvements.
We also connect homeowners with local installers who can carry out energy-efficiency upgrades such as insulation and solar panels. This removes the tricky task of searching for reliable, local professionals, making the process of upgrading your home as smooth as possible.
Whether you want to reduce your environmental impact, reduce your bills or improve your quality of life, you can use Snugg to make your home more energy efficient. And by doing so, you'll also contribute to the UK's collective journey towards net zero.
Want to start your journey to net zero today? Get a free home energy efficiency plan from Snugg.
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1 https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/global-trade-outlook-february-2023-report/global-trade-outlook-february-2023-html-executive-summary#:~:text=The%20UK%20was%20the%20sixth,to%20around%202.7%25%20by%202050
2 https://www.ons.gov.uk/economy/environmentalaccounts/articles/comparinggreenhousegasemissionsukandeuropeancountries/2020
3 https://www.theccc.org.uk/publicationtype/0-report/03-carbon-budget/
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