Island Life Magazine Ltd August/September 2012 | Page 156

EcoGUIDE
Facts, tips and advice by Ben Lansley-Brown

Did you
know...?
Free loft
insulation, is it
for me?

Installing LED
bulbs in your home
could save you up
to £10 a year for
each bulb and with
the average house
using as many as
50 bulbs that’s a
massive saving of
£500 a year!

Watch-out for ‘Green Deal’
The Governments new

such as Solar, Ground

'Green Deal' launches this

and Air-source heat

Autumn, aimed at reducing

pumps, more efficient

carbon emissions cost

boilers and energy saving

UK meet its Statutory Carbon

effectively by revolutionising

improvements with no

reduction targets. Under the

the approach to improving

up-front costs and just pay

scheme a 100% insulation grant is

the energy efficiency of

back the investment in your

available to cover the cost of loft

British properties.

home through the savings

insulation; helping to reduce the

The idea is simple, install

on your energy bill over a

UK’s carbon footprint.

practical new green

period of time.

In 2008 the Government
launched CERT (Carbon Emission
Reduction Target) to help the

What many do not realise is

technology into your home

that all homeowners and private
tenants irrespective of age or

Solar Panels - not for everyone

income can apply, the terms and
conditions are simple and the
grant does not need to be re-paid.

Whilst solar panels

A simple survey identifies what’s

offer a lot, they are

best for any home and the work

not for everyone. The

can be completed by a qualified

initial cost can be high

technician within a matter of
hours.
Up to 25 percent of the heat in
your home can be lost through
your roof – loft insulation can
reduce this to as little as five per
cent. With the high cost of energy
bills the opportunity to save
money with free loft insulation in
your home whilst the 100% grant
is still available makes perfect
sense.

156

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and many see them as

Using a voltage
optimiser on your
main electric
supply can save
you around 10
per cent on your
annual bills.

unattractive on their
properties, but there
Air-Source unit

are other technologies
to consider. How

about Solar Thermal, Ground and Air Source Heat Pumps all
of which can reduce the energy needed to heat water and
your home by a significant amount. Did you know that under
the Governments Renewable Heat Premium Payment (RHPP)
you can claim between £300 - £1200 towards the cost of
installing these alternative technologies in your home?