Action on Climate Change: Housing

The Energy used to heat, light and power homes produces around 27 per cent of the UK’s carbon dioxide emissions. There are small changes that can be made to building that can help prevent heat loss and make buildings more energy efficient. This will lower carbon dioxide emissions and help save money.

Examples of what Wealden is doing in Council Owned Housing

Ensuring insulation is effective
Wealden is ensuring that where possible all Council owned housing has Cavity Wall insulation, we have also introduced a programme increasing loft insulation to 250mm thick. This helps to trap heat, making heating systems more efficient and lowering energy use and costs.
Reducing heat loss
Council housing pre-1980 has double glazing and high performance doors to reduce drafts and heat loss. High performance joinery was fitted to all properties after 1980, the performance of these products will be reviewed over the next 10 years.
Pilot project – eco homes
The council is in the process of selecting two families to pilot a project in increasing the energy efficiency and reducing running costs. It is hoped that a number of different systems will be trialled on these properties over the next 12 months, allowing us to monitor running costs, as well as helping to further raise public awareness of the need for energy conservation and sustainability. The emphasis will be on using renewables where possible such as microgeneration.

What you can do

Check your house is properly insulated.
More heat is lost through walls and roofs than any other part of the home. Proper insulation will not only reduce carbon dioxide emissions as your heating won’t have to work as hard to maintain temperature, but you will save money too.
Grants are available to help with insulation costs.
Look to reduce heat loss
Make sure your home is double glazed to help prevent heat loss, there are also other things that can be done such as draft excluders on doors.
When redecorating look at environmentally friendly options
For example using low-VOC paints which are less toxic, wood from sustainable sources, and other reclaimed and recycled materials.