- New research highlighting the energy savings and cost of implementing 8 popular eco-friendly technologies into the most common UK home
- UK needs to eliminate most greenhouse gas emissions from homes which accounts for around 14% of UK total emissions – 64 million CO2e tonnes per year
- Combined installation of technologies cuts 6.16 tonnes of CO2 emissions every year – the equivalent of driving 17,000 miles
- Including Solar Panels & Heat Pumps, the average overall installation totals £26,415 (w/o Government grants) – but saves £27,510 over 20 year period
A new concept for the modern ‘Eco-Home’ has just been launched by The Eco Experts, a leading UK authority in eco-friendly technology. Using the most common UK property type – a semi-detached, three-bedroom house (31.4% of UK housing – 7,755,800 homes) – the Eco Experts have found that installing 8 main carbon-saving domestic technologies can save over 6 tonnes of CO2e per household every year. The total cost for installing all the tech is £26,415 (w/o Government grants) – but saves £27,510 on energy bills over a 20 year period.
The technologies that the research has been based on are: solar panels, a storage battery, double glazing, wall and roof insulation, an air source heat pump, an electric vehicle charger, and a smart thermostat. Please see the table in the appendix with more details on each of these.
Cutting CO2e by the Tonne
Serious changes are needed to address UK housing’s contribution to greenhouse gas emissions. According to the Committee on Climate Change (CCC), the UK won’t meet its climate change targets unless it eliminates most greenhouse gas emissions from homes, which currently account for around 14% of UK emissions (64 million tonnes).
From the research into the Eco-Home, with all of the technologies implemented, 6.16 tonnes of CO2 emissions could be cut every year. Over a 20 year period, this comes to a huge 123.2 tonnes per home – the equivalent of staying off the roads for 79 years. If all of the eligible households implemented the technologies, they could potentially cut up to 46 million tonnes of CO2e every year – cutting 75% of the UK’s household emissions.
Of the 8 technologies, the ones that contribute most to CO2e slashing are an air source heat pump (2.5 tonnes per year), solar panels and battery (1.59 tonnes), and cavity wall insulation (0.66 tonnes).
Money Spent, Money Saved
The average total amount for installing all of the technologies is £26,415 (note: this is without accounting for Government grants). While this is a large amount for a total initial investment, the Eco-Home savings on energy bills over a 20 year period comes to £27,510, essentially paying off the initial payments. Having these technologies would mean more energy independence for UK homeowners from factors such as the energy price cap increase, and the global rise of fossil fuel costs.
Realistically, most homeowners would implement these technologies one at a time rather than all together. The most expensive of the technologies are an air source heat pump and solar panels however both products come with some form of government assistance.
From April 2022, through the Boiler Upgrade Scheme 90,000 homeowners in England and Wales will be able to get £5,000 off a new air source heat pump, and up to £6,000 off a ground source heat pump. Since January 2020, the Smart Export Guarantee has required all large energy companies to pay households for any solar-generated electricity they send back to the National Grid. There are more schemes highlighted in the Important Things to Consider section of the Eco-Home guide.
Learn how to meet the requirements for free loft insulation grants under the ECO scheme by referring to Warma UK’s comprehensive guide.
Eco-Powering Property Value Increase
Besides being good for the environment, creating an Eco-Home is also good for house value. A 2019 study showed that solar panels raise a home’s value by an average of 4.1% – which would increase the average UK home’s value by £9,500. It’s similar for wall insulation – a government report from 2019 suggests that wall insulation can increase property value by more than 25%.
A high Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating will also have a significant impact on house prices in the future. The UK government recently proposed that all rental properties will need an EPC rating of ‘C’ or above by 2025, and that all homes across the UK – whether rentals or not – will need to reach a ‘C’ rating by 2035.
The Eco Experts writer Beth Howell states: “With the ever-increasing need to make our homes more environmentally friendly to address climate change, we hope the Eco-Home guide will provide straightforward information and a clear example of what domestic, carbon-cutting technologies are available to the average UK home.
Although most homeowners won’t be able to afford to go all out, it’s definitely worth getting one or even a few of the featured low-carbon technologies – you’ll slash your energy bills, help the planet, and keep your home warm. Not only will you be doing your part to reduce carbon emissions, but you’ll also have a chance of avoiding sky-high energy prices in the coming years.”
Please see the Eco-Home design and guide on The Eco Experts website: https://www.theecoexperts.co.uk/blog/eco-home
