CO2 emissions from UK flats and houses account for an estimated 27% of our carbon footprint, so what can you do to make your block more energy efficient?
Green issues are high on everyone’s agenda these days. For most of us, recycling is second nature and not taking your ‘bag for life’ to the supermarket is almost a criminal offence. Our behaviour may have changed in recent years, but what about our homes?
We all know we should turn the heating down, switch off the lights and buy an A or B-rated appliance next time we need a new fridge, but many of us don’t think too hard about whether the blocks we live in are helping or hindering our environment.
If you live in a new block, the chances are that the developer has done a lot of the groundwork for you. Housebuilders are increasingly aware that incorporating the latest green technology into flats can prove a major plus-point for residents.
Set the standard
Developer Barratt Homes is looking to set the standard for the house building industry by exploring new technologies and reducing carbon emissions through passive design and by embracing renewable energy. Barratt East London’s St Andrews development comprises 964 apartments housed in three courtyard blocks and two towers. Green technology has been employed to keep fuel bills to a minimum and encourage greener lifestyles.
The development features a communal energy system which cuts out the need for individual heating equipment, green sedum roofs which act as natural insulation and recycling facilities in all kitchens, which are also equipped with A-rated appliances. Providing one cycle rack per resident ensures a safe place to store bicycles, thereby encouraging their use.
In contrast, for residents of older blocks it is often hard to make homes more sustainable. In the UK one in five of us live in homes built before 1918. What this means in terms of energy efficiency is that the only way many of us can improve the carbon footprint of our homes is via refurbishment. The problem for the majority of leaseholders is that green technology that impacts on the fabric of the building such as cavity wall and roof insulation, double or triple-glazed window systems or solar energy, is the responsibility of the landlord.
Many residents will not be willing to pay for such improvements via their service charge, so unless all are in agreement that this is the way forward, the majority of blocks are unlikely to increase their green credentials in this way. The exception to this is where the block is held in commonhold or where there is only a small number of like-minded and committed residents willing to invest in technology that will provide future benefits.
Cost savings
However, where there is the will to make blocks more sustainable, green technology can often be incorporated into older buildings without too much disruption. For example solar panels can be installed onto existing roofs and connected to certain types of existing hot water systems. There may also be considerable cost savings to be made if routine repairs and maintenance are carefully planned so that, for example, solar energy is incorporated into a block at the same time as undertaking a re-roofing project or installing a new heating system.
Admittedly these are major projects but across the whole life of a building, they will have to be undertaken at some stage – and this is the time to be considering green elements, not a year before or after the work has been done. The same applies to windows – if the block is due for a window replacement programme, one of the new generation window systems such as Energikare from Pilkington could be used. These innovative vacuum double glazing units are so slim that they can even be incorporated into original sash windows if required.
Major projects may not be appropriate for all, but there are ways in which individual residents can be encouraged to reduce their impact on the environment. One easy way to do this is by replacing worn out bathroom and kitchen fittings with water efficient systems, now available from all the leading manufacturers.
One example is the Melange range of taps from Ideal Standard. The company claims that its ‘click’ cartridge technology, which limits water flow and hot water temperatures, could save up to 5,000 litres of water each year. That adds up to savings on water bills as well as improving efficiency and reducing waste. There are many other similar products on the market including water-limiting low-flow showers and ultra-low flush toilets.
Although RMCs cannot take decisions on these issues for their fellow leaseholders, if they are committed to improving sustainability, they could have a key role to play in encouraging residents to consider these simple and affordable home improvements.
If you are looking for ways to make your home more eco-friendly, while keeping your household bills down, you can find some quick fixes at www.energysavingtrust.org.uk.
