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Green Costs

The cost of going green

Everyone is keen to help solve the environment problems that the world faces and reducing one’s carbon footprint is a positive step that house owners can take to achieve this. Although there are costs involved in the installation of various projects they can be offset to some extent by the reduction in running costs. Here are some of the energy-saving measures that can be carried out for both existing and proposed houses:

• ground source heat pumps
• insulation
• boilers
• rainwater harvesting
• solar panels
• wind turbines
• draught proofing.

Ground source heat pumps

This system works by transferring the latent solar energy in the ground via a compressor to a house and it is estimated that the ratio of power generated to that required to produce it is 4:1 in the pump’s favour.
   The cost of installation is about £10,000 for an average sized house but government grants of 30% are available with a maximum set at £1,200. The lifespan of this system is 25 to 30 years which two or three times longer than that for boilers and fuel bills can be reduced by as much as 50%. Look at website www.lowcarbonbuildings.org.uk for more details.

Insulation

Over 50% of heat can be lost through the roof via a loft that is not insulated so the comparatively low cost of carrying out this work is bound to be a high value project. There are several types of insulation that can be used but glass mineral wool is the most environmentally friendly. A contractor would probably charge the following per square metre:

          Glass mineral fibre insulation
          laid between joists, thickness
             100mm                                            £6.00
             150mm                                            £8.00
             200mm                                            £10.00
                                                                      

Government grants are available for this work so Google ‘insulation grants’ for details.

Environmentally Friendly Boilers

The most popular new boiler in use today is the combination (combi) boiler. One of the benefits of installing a combi is that removes the need for a hot water cylinder so makes more storage space available in the house by removing the old airing cupboard. Replacing a traditional boiler with a combi could produce savings of between £250 and £350 a year depending on usage. The output capacity of the boiler will depend upon the size of the house and the number of occupants and it should be possible to have one installed for between £1,100 and £1,400. Google ‘combi boilers’ for details.

Rainwater harvesting

Savings on water bills of £100 a year are claimed for installing a water meter but this depends upon how many people live in the house but further savings can be made by installing a rainwater harvesting kit. This system collects the rainwater for the roof and stores it in a tank and, by minor alterations to the existing plumbing system, the water can be used for flushing the toilet, dishwashers and washing machines. The kit can be installed for between £1,000 and £2,000 depending upon the size of the house and will produce immediate savings on metered water.

Solar panels

There are two types of solar panels – photovoltaic panels that convert sunshine into electricity and thermal panels that can heat water. A photovoltaic panel system could cost £10,000 upwards and thermal panel system about half that sum but the size and location of the house can affect these prices. DIY kits are available at a lower price and the systems should pay for themselves in 12 to 15 years. For more information, look at website www.lowcarbonbuildings.org.uk.

Wind turbines

Unless you live in an isolated and windy location, turbines should be regarded as only a back up source of energy. Typical installation costs are about £2,000 but government grants are available.

Draught proofing

One of the cheapest ways of making your house energy efficient is by making it draught proof as far as possible. On a windy day take a lighted candle to external doors and windows to check for draughts. There are many proprietary draught sealing systems on the market and cutting off the ingress of cold air into the house can have a marked effect on heating costs.

General Green Credentials

Apart from the ‘feel good’ effect of reducing carbon emissions and helping the global fight against climate change, there is a commercial benefit to be obtained as well. In April 2011 a Feed-in Tariff (FiT) came into operation whereby any household producing energy from green sources can receive 41.3p per unit of power for a guaranteed period of 25 years provided that the system was installed by an accredited contractor. So householders producing more energy than they need for their own domestic needs can sell it to the national grid. There has never been a better time to go green!   

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