Open Space Meeting Report: Energy Efficiency
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This was a very rambly discussion and it touched on a lot of points and came to few conclusions
- the Energy Saving Trust EST gives advice on energy efficiency in the home
- but it is not always easy to understand
- home improvements such as insulation involves hassle and investment
- a limited budget can be a big barrier to installing improvements
- limited spare time is also a barrier
- may involve significant internal rearrangements e.g. for boiler siting
- and wall thickness if you do not have cavity walls which is common in Cambridge in older houses
- people who do not have the time or skill to do it themselves need to hire someone to do it
- more expensive
- needs to be someone they can trust - how do we know who to trust?
- could we get cheaper assistance e.g. from apprentices at CRC?
- there is lots of information available but not always easy to understand
- it would be helpful to be able to share experiences with other people in similar situations
- residents associations might be able to help - often there are whole streets of similar houses
- can copy solutions from one to the other
- heating
- insulation really helps but see above
- housing associations limit flexibility in e.g. choice of fuel
- but they often have similar houses
- water
- solar thermal heating is an option at least in summer
- can we use less hot water? (our parents did not shower or bathe nearly so much as we do)
- water softeners can make a difference in hard water areas as otherwise e.g. kettle furring reduces efficiency
- appliances
- it is difficult to keep track of the energy use of appliances without e.g. a smart meter
- do people really check ratings before they buy a product - the ratings should be more prominent
