NZL is on a mission to make a project that will thrive in community benefits for residents of Leiston and the surrounding area alongside with supporting our aims of achieving emission reductions to progress towards a net zero future.
As a global context, addressing climate change requires action across multiple sectors where this multi-involvement will be critical in reaching a net zero future. These differing sectors as well as driving global emissions also drive your personal emissions from the utilisation of these sector services therefore reducing your carbon footprint can significantly play a part in addressing these emissions and one area you can get greatly involved in is reducing your household emissions.
Current research has identified that 40% of the UK’s emissions are derived from households. For average carbon footprint emissions, emissions sourced from heating your homes is the largest category indicating a key area where your emission reduction contributions can play a significant part both for the UK and the NZL project. Currently the average carbon footprint is around 10 tonnes this needs to be cut to 5 tonnes to achieve our UK net zero 2050 target.
Carbon Footprint = A tool calculating your personal carbon emissions from understanding your behaviours and choices.
HOW IS ENERGY EFFICIENCY MEASURED?
Energy efficiency can be measured with an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC).
Currently 62,000 Suffolk properties are thought to have the worst EPC grades (E, F and G). Additionally, 28% of homes in Suffolk are suggested to be experiencing fuel poverty. Therefore, these indications highlight the need to address energy efficiency measures that not only tackle emission reductions but can address fuel poverty and energy bill issues.
EPC = a performance rating indicating how energy efficient a property is on a A-G scale with A being the most efficient and G being the least efficient.
BENEFITS OF BECOMING ENERGY EFFICIENT
By adding energy efficient upgrades to your home, you can bring about a range of benefits that will support both you and our Net Zero journey
- Reducing your energy usage can lower your energy bills, which can alleviate financial pressures and anxiety on your bills
- Energy efficiency upgrades can support fuel poverty relief which could long term could reduce community health impacts
- Becoming more energy efficient can support lowering your carbon footprint which can support per capita reductions for Leiston
- Energy efficiency upgrades can decarbonise your homes energy system (both in heating and / or electricity) which will both improve your households EPC and support NZL in decarbonising the domestic built environment.
INSULATION – HEATING IMPROVEMENTS
Insulation in your homes is a critical way of reducing heat loss and heat escaping from your homes.
There are many ways of insulating you homes depending on your homes brickwork type and where you are currently losing the most heat! Even the smallest measures of insulation can have significant impacts to your homes and click on the link below to find out where to get started!
DRAUGHTPROOFING – HEATING IMPROVEMENTS
Draught-proofing is one of the easiest and cheapest methods to cutting your energy costs.
These measures have an overall aim to stop cold air entering into your home and prevent warm air escaping. Click the link below to find out the different examples of draught-proofing
RENEWABLES – ENERGY SYSTEM IMPROVEMENTS
Upgrading your energy system in both heating and electricity is a great way to decarbonise your home and improve your energy efficiency.
Now more than ever is the perfect time to switch over to renewables and click on the link below to find out more about renewables and funding opportunities to support these home improvements!
OTHER ENERGY EFFICIENCY MEASURES
LEDs – these can use up to 90% less energy and last up to 25 times longer than traditional incandescent bulbs
Smart or Room Thermostats – Thermostats can help control your heating that is suitable for you helping reduce energy wastage. Additionally Room Thermostats helps avoid heating unnecessary rooms.
Bleeding radiators in your homes
Turn down the flow temperature of your boiler
Boiler upgrades – boilers need replacing every 15 years with a potential replacement being a new efficient boiler or a low carbon heating system (such as a biomass boiler or a heat pump). Furthermore, upgrading your boiler to an A-rated boiler in efficiency can save you hundreds of pounds.
HOW CAN YOU GET INVOLVED?
Spread the word about the benefits you can get from becoming energy efficient to your friends, family and neighbours
Click below to find out about current pilot schemes available to residents which can support your energy efficiency improvements
