How to Make Your Property Energy Efficient

As COP26 continues, global warming is often at the forefront of a worldwide conversation and there is plenty you can do to contribute to saving our planet from the comfort of your own home.

Glasgow hosts the Climate Change Conference from 31^st October to 12^th November as world leaders come together to tackle the global crisis. Read on for our comprehensive guide on how you can do your bit.

There are a number of ways how homeowners can become more energy-conscious to secure a better future for their families. Firstly, utilising renewable energy:

• Solar panels: these may be pricy, but are also the most productive generators of electricity via renewable energy.
• Air source or ground source heat pumps – these need some outside space and electricity to run. They renew the heat they extract from the ground or air.

The Government recently announced a £450m boiler upgrade scheme which is part of the more than £3.9bn funding to cut carbon from heating and buildings. This will see households be able to apply for £5,000 grants to replace gas boilers The new scheme has been designed to encourage people to install low-carbon heating systems – such as heat pumps mentioned above – which run on electricity and extract energy from the air or ground.

The options don’t stop there. There are a plethora of ways to maximise your property’s energy-saving potential, such as:

• Insulation - cavity wall insulation, external wall cladding, and loft insulation are all brilliant ways to prevent the outside air from creeping into your home – especially in the winter months.
• An efficient boiler – no one wants a boiler that guzzles energy and emits little heat. The market is expanding all the time, so the right option for you is more accessible than ever.
• A smart meter – smart meters do the hard work for you. They update your bills provider by automatically sending current readings electronically, meaning no more estimated bills, and give homeowners excellent insight into their energy usage – creating financial efficiencies in the process. They also improve grid efficiency, meaning they benefit your community as well.
• Double glazing – keeping the heat in is just as important as stopping cold air coming in and installing double-glazed glass is a sure-fire way to do this – it also adds an extra layer of security to your property.
• LED lighting – powering properties is the biggest user of energy at home. LED lights use fewer watts, require less power to run and therefore save not only energy but money, too.

Making these changes to your home lifestyle will no doubt leave you with immediate excess energy, but there’s no need to feel like you’re missing out on what you can’t use. Quite the opposite, in fact. If you generate more electricity than you need, you can sell it through the Smart Export Guarantee.

We practice what we preach. Year on year, we make a conscious effort to lessen our carbon footprint across all branches by committing to the following:

• Disposing of all office waste through our ethical and sustainable supplier, Paper Round.
• Ensuring that all staff are turning their equipment off when leaving the office or desk for a prolonged period, saving as much energy as possible.
• Operating with digital files overprinted versions as much as possible to lessen paper usage.
• Encouraging virtual meetings to reduce travel for face-to-face meetings and the use of public transport for larger distances business journeys.
• Using more environmentally-friendly cleaning chemicals/equipment.

Do you want an energy-efficient home or property?

Browse our properties, or contact your local Michael Jones branch and a member of our expert professional team will help you today!