Energy Performance Certificates have been introduced as mandatory to help improve the energy efficiency of buildings within the United Kingdom to meet EU standards. If you are buying or selling a home, an energy performance certificate will be required whenever a home is being built, sold or rented out. The certificate is set out with letter bands to highlight how energy efficient a home is, A being the most efficient and G being the least. Currently the average stands at a D, but the government has plans to rise to average to C, especially with newly built homes. This article looks at ways of making your home energy efficient. Although we are nearly into summer, it is time to start preparing for winter. This may sound slightly odd, but in order to achieve a cosy home come November, plus reduce your carbon footprint then time for action is now rather than later. The carbon emissions from our homes within the UK make up for 27% of the total emissions. There are a few simple and cheap things you can do to help reduce your homes personal carbon footprint, such as changing all your light bulbs for energy efficiency ones. They are more expensive that normal ones but they last much longer and have far less glare and hum less. Another trick you can do to lower your carbon emissions is to place around your hot water cylinder a jacket. These 80 mm thick coat only costs about a mere 12 pounds and will save you about 20 pounds a year in heating bills and 160 KG a year in emissions. If everyone managed to do this it would make a big difference on the carbon emission of this country, hopefully changing the average house's energy rating. By changing your heating settings can also help you lower your emissions, your thermostat, time programmer and thermostat radiator valves should only be heating rooms that you are in at times that you use them. Also, make sure that you bleed radiators to release all trapped air. To do this turn off all of your heating and carefully loosen the globe valve at the very top of the radiator, to catch all the trips hold an old rag near the valve. The introduction of the Energy Performance Certificate will helpfully make people far more aware of the energy that their home wastes and in the future have a great impact on the environment. By changing just small and simple things we can take control of the wastage we as a country create each year, which can only be a positive thing. Dominic Donaldson is an expert in the energy industry. Find out more about and how the services available can help you with lowering your carbon emissions.

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