Despite the high profile benefits of better insulation, 44% of homeowners have failed to improve the level of insulation in their homes over the last three years.

And despite the fact that only one in five homes have cavity wall insulation and less than 2% of period homes have insulated solid walls, 45% of homeowners believe they have done all they can to improve the energy efficiency of their homes.

The difficulty of installing insulation and the expense are the main factors putting off homeowners, say Thinkinsulation.com.

But Lydia Sharples says the process is simple and can save an average of £145 a year on energy costs, just by bringing the level of loft insulation up to 270 mm.

“People should also be aware that there is funding help available and in light of the Government’s Spending Review we urge people to take advantage of new incentives such as the Green Deal,” she adds.

As part of the Energy Saving Trust’s Energy Saving Week, homeowners are being offered tips about insulation and one will win loft and cavity wall insulation for their home.

source: Energy Efficiency News

Minister of State for the Cabinet Office, Oliver Letwin, reiterated the Coalition Government’s plans for a Green Deal, accelerated rollout of smart meters, a renewable heat incentive, stable carbon price and a Green Investment Bank.

He insisted on continuing support for the previous administration’s feed-in tariffs and incentives for electric cars and plug-in hybrids.

In the face of reported threats to many of these policies in the wake of spending cuts, Letwin argued that each policy fits together into a coherent vision.

“This is a programme that is the result of careful thought and real planning. It is not for tomorrow or the day after, but for the long-term,” he said.

Bolstering those statements was the announcement by Transport Secretary Philip Hammond’s of the Government’s commitment to a new high speed rail network for the country.

While the Government will not consult on the preferred route for the first leg of the network between London and Birmingham until next year, Hammond announced yesterday its preferred route for the second leg north of Birmingham.

The Government favours the so-called ‘Y’ option for two separate routes – one to Manchester connecting onto the West Coast Mainline and a second via the East Midlands and South Yorkshire connecting to the East Coast Mainline north of Leeds.

Green groups have given a cautious welcome to the rail proposals, but say consideration should be taken of opening disused rail lines and stations, as well as increasing capacity on existing routes.

“A fast and efficient electric high-speed rail system could help reduce domestic flights and car journeys, but it will only be a low-carbon travel alternative if it is powered by renewable energy,” says Friends of the Earth campaigner Tony Bosworth.

source: Energy Efficiency News

Installing technologies such as air or ground source heat pumps are more affordable due to government incentives, she noted, but for consumers looking for an even easier way to become more energy efficient, ditching the tumble dryer is one small step.

“Being environmentally aware, and leading a sustainable lifestyle is an increasingly important part of modern life. You can’t just ignore this anymore – and anyone building a new home will be aware that building regulations change next month to a higher efficiency as standard,” she stated.

However, Ms DeSouza claimed that the most important way to save energy is through insulation.

 She remarked: “I can’t stress enough the importance of a properly insulated home. You’ll shave money off your heating bills and provide yourself with a more comfortable living environment.”

Thinkinsulation recently reported that 80 per cent of homeowners have not improved their insulation in the last three years.

source: The Energy Saving Trust

We will get the first hint later today when Ed Miliband addresses the Labour Party Conference in Manchester.

Hopes are high thanks to Ed Miliband’s background as founding minister at the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC).

Under his leadership at the Department, the UK became the leader in offshore wind, now even further ahead at 5 GW following the recent opening of the Thanet wind farm off the Kent coast.

The now-possibly in jeopardy feed-in tariff (FIT) were brought in under his watch, along with plans for a complementary renewable heat incentive (RHI). And promises were made for a green investment bank.

That idea has now been adopted by the Coalition Government and Miliband’s successor at DECC, Chris Huhne, is making all the right noises – but there are concerns that he is being hampered by resistance at the Treasury.

And with Prime Minister David Cameron’s claims that the Coalition will be the “greenest government ever”, Miliband has the chance to make sure he sticks to his promises.

Friends of the Earth’s executive director Andy Atkins welcomed the move, saying:
“Ed Miliband genuinely understands that tackling global warming is essential and he was a key figure in the development and passing of the UK’s ground-breaking Climate Change Act. Developing a low-carbon future and protecting the planet’s natural diversity must be at the core of his leadership.”

And with the Coalition’s forthcoming Energy Bill, Atkins says Miliband has the chance to establish himself and Labour as a “constructive opposition” on climate change and carbon-cutting policies.

source: Energy Efficiency News

The projections reveal that 40GW of new capacity will be added during 2010, ensuring that wind energy now accounts for about three per cent of global energy capacity.Steve Sawyer, secretary general of the global trade association, told delegates at the Husum WindEnergy fair in Germany last week that despite a drop-off in orders from the US market this year, he still expected the sector to double capacity to 400GW by 2014.

“Overall, wind energy continues to be a growth market, weathering the economic crisis much better than some analysts had predicted,” he said.

He added that growth is likely to be driven by China, Europe and a recovering US, but anticipated South American and North African nations will also play an increasing role in the global wind energy market.

“As wind power is becoming more competitive, it is rapidly expanding beyond the traditional markets in North America and Europe,” he said. “In fact, around half of the growth is now happening in emerging economies and developing countries. We are seeing very encouraging signs from countries in Latin America, including Brazil, Mexico and Chile, as well as Northern and Sub-Saharan Africa. ”

Greece is another nation with an expanding market for wind energy, as its mandatory EU targets for renewable energy loom large. To ramp up its domestic sector, the Greek Regulatory Authority for Energy last week approved a €1.5bn (£1.27bn) investment in a 700MW wind park by Rokas Group in the northern Aegean. The project forms part of a wider €2.1bn programme of renewable energy projects.

source: The Guardian

From this date, installers will no longer be allowed to fit Band B condensed boilers into properties as part of changes to Part L of the UK building regulations.However, consumers who have already ordered a Band B condensed boiler will still be allowed to have one installed until April 2011.

Band B oil-fired combination boilers can still be installed in properties.

Online retailer Plumbclick noted that not only are Band A boilers more energy efficient, they also offer consumers flexibility in its positioning and flueing.

“Another benefit of the Band A boilers is that when you link them to under floor heating systems, it proves to be one of the cheapest methods of heating your home, which is always an important factor and especially so in tough economic times,” a spokesperson from the company said.

Later this year, details of the government’s Green Deal will be announced, which could provide the up-front costs of home energy improvements such as replacing an old inefficient boiler.

source: The Energy Saving Trust

The social housing will be built by Radian Housing and will all meet Level 6 of the Code for Sustainable Homes.

They will be built with a timber frame and high performance insulation and glazing, as well as a centralised biomass wood pellet boiler.

Each home will also have rainwater harvesting systems to help tenants conserve their water use and solar photovoltaic panels to power the homes, with the excess energy being sold back to the grid.

Councillor Peter Baillie, Southampton City Council’s cabinet member for housing, commented: “These future homes will have much better insulation and lower heat losses and with the vastly improved use of green technologies they will be more sustainable in the widest sense as well as easier to maintain and cheaper to run in the long-term.”

It comes after one of the largest zero carbon housing developments was opened last week in Slough.

source: The Energy Saving Trust

The Government’s Green Deal to radically overhaul the energy efficiency of homes and small businesses could support a quarter of a million jobs over the next 20 years, Chris Huhne said today.

The Green Deal will be a new and radical way of making energy efficiency affordable for all, whether people own or rent their property. The upfront finance will be attached to the building’s energy meter. People can pay back over time with the repayments less than the savings on bills, meaning many benefit from day one. It will help save carbon, energy and money off fuel bills.

 It’s the first estimate on the potential job creation from the projected £7 billion of Green Deal private sector investment per year. Were all 26 million households to take up the Green Deal over the next 20 years, employment in the sector would rise from its current level of 27,000 to something approaching 250,000, working all around the country to make our housing stock fit for a low carbon world.

Energy and Climate Change Secretary Chris Huhne said:

“The Green Deal is a massive new business opportunity which has the potential to support up to a quarter of a million jobs as part of our third industrial revolution. Insulation installers and the supply chain all stand to benefit from this long overdue energy makeover.

“Energy efficiency is a no brainer. We need to tap in to this huge market to save people money on fuel bills, save carbon and help the economic recovery.”

 National Insulation Association Chief Executive Neil Marshall said:

“The Green Deal is an exciting new initiative which has a key role to play in significantly increasing the uptake of insulation, creating new jobs, whilst also reducing energy bills and tackling climate change. The NIA and its members look forward to continuing to work with Government in developing a robust delivery plan which will ensure a major increase in insulation volumes whilst maintaining the highest levels of quality and customer service.”

source: The Department of Energy and Climate Change

This is the view of Gordon Miller, sustainability and communications director of Sustain Worldwide, an organisation that raises awareness of environmental and social sustainability.

He claimed that the industry needs to motivate Britons to consider sustainable options by “providing the powerful economic, environmental and social rationale behind it”.

“This will in turn convert awareness and desire into sales,” he explained. “It will simultaneously propel even more house builders and developers to develop and work sustainably as consumer demand increases.”

Mr Miller likened the industry to a virtuous circle that as legislation dictates greener homes, home buyers will become more aware of the benefits and demand green buildings.

This month Building for Life reported that there has been a 50 per cent increase in the number of housing schemes achieving the design criteria, suggesting a rise in housing quality.

There was a record 55 schemes that reached the standard in 2010.

source: The Energy Saving Trust

Speaking to the Energy and Climate Change Select Committee yesterday (September 15th), Mr Huhne apologised for the misunderstanding held around the future of the RHI, which he “forgot” to put in the coalition negotiations.

“People saw these incredibly detailed documents coming out about other incentives and programmes but nothing on the RHI,” he noted, but said that plans for a form of heat incentive is still on the cards.

His comments come after business groups such as the Confederation for British Industry called for renewable incentives to be clarified and guaranteed otherwise firms will be reluctant to invest in a green economy.

Mr Huhne added: “Make no mistake we see heat as essential to meeting the 15 per cent [renewables] targets by 2020.

“I don’t think it will be possible to meet them without heat measures,” cited BusinessGreen.com.

source: The Energy Saving Trust