Improving the energy performance of your home is a great way to reduce your carbon footprint whilst reducing your utility bills. Moreover, if you are a landlord you will need a minimum energy performance rating of E to let your property. This article provides some tips on how to improve the energy performance of your home and reduce your spend.
1. Look at your Energy Performance Certificate
An energy performance certificate (EPC) is the result of a Standard Assessment Procedure (SAP) calculation which determines the energy costs, emissions and efficiency of a property. A SAP score is between 1 and 100 (best) and 6 SAP bands determine a property’s EPC rating.
- EPC rating A = 92-100 SAP points
- EPC rating B = 81-91 SAP points
- EPC rating C = 69-80 SAP points
- EPC rating D = 55-68 SAP points
- EPC rating E = 39-54 SAP points
- EPC rating F = 21-38 SAP points
- EPC rating G = 1-20 SAP points
The SAP score of a property is generated from the architectural plans of the property, the lighting and ventilation systems, appliances and thermal elements such as walls, floors, roofs and openings.
The EPC includes recommendations for the cost-optimal or cost-effective improvements of the energy performance so this is the first place to look to improve the energy efficiency of your property.
2. Smart meters
In order to optimise your energy performance, you first need to measure your energy consumption. A smart meter is a device that connects to your electrical system and transmits information about usage to the utility company. By connecting directly to the machinery in your home, smart meters allow you to objectively measure your consumption across your property. Measuring your energy consumption will then allow you to identify which parts of your property consume the most which will help you identify appropriate solutions
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3. Energy saving appliances
The energy consumption of your home will be heavily influenced by the types of appliances and electrical devices you use. Replacing standard light bulbs with certified energy efficient LED bulbs is a great first step for any homeowner to adopt greener lighting practices. Using energy efficient home appliances is worth the investment especially if you use them frequently.
4. Insulation
It is best to insulate your home to save on electric bills as 35% of heat loss is through walls and gaps, in and around windows and doors. Adding insulation to your walls is a great way to reduce heat loss but the feasibility of this solution will depend on whether your walls already have cavity insulation or whether they are solid like in old properties. The former might require replacing the insulating material whereas the latter might require external insulation. Floor and roof insulation are other solutions for preventing heat loss. Eco-friendly designs for windows and doors are also a good option for insulating your home.
To improve the energy performance of your home, start with looking at your EPC certificate for actionable solutions, measure your energy consumption with smart meters, adopt energy efficient appliances and finally improve the insulation of your property if you can. The investments you make to improve the efficiency will pay for themselves thanks to reduced utility bills. As a landlord by making your property more energy efficient, you will be safeguarding yourself against future regulations requiring higher EPC ratings for rentals and by passing utility savings to your tenants, they will be more inclined to rent from you longer.
About Legislate
Legislate is an early stage legal technology startup which allows large landlords, letting agents and small businesses to easily create, sign and manage contracts that are prudent and fair. Legislate’s platform is built on its patented knowledge graph which streamlines the contracting process and aggregates contract statistics to quickly unlock valuable insights. Legislate’s team marries technical and legal expertise to create a painless, smart contracting experience for its users. Legislate is backed by Parkwalk Advisors, Perivoli Innovations and angel investors.
The opinions on this page are for general information purposes only and do not constitute legal advice on which you should rely.