How to save energy at home

The homes we build are among the most efficient available, scoring a minimum Energy Performance Certificate rating of B. The latest energy price cap, which covers the period from April 1 to June 30, should mean lower bills for a typical household paying for gas and electricity by direct debit. We asked Dominic Griffiths, from Energy Projects Plus, to share his tips on saving energy at home to help you lower your bills even further.

Energy bill savings

The HBF (Home Builders’ Federation) has been examining the potential cost savings and energy efficiency of new homes. Using the Government’s latest EPC (Energy Performance Certificate) registration data (April 2024) it’s compared the potential energy bill cost savings of new build homes with older counterparts. It

found that a new house was £183 a month or £2,195 a year cheaper to run, on average, than an older house. For houses built to Part L regulations, the annual saving rises to £2,575.

“Every home and every household is different when it comes to their energy use,” Dominic said. “We encourage people to think about how they’re using energy and what they can do in terms of saving energy to help reduce their bills and their impact on the planet.”

Save energy heating your home

1. Our new homes benefit from energy efficient heating systems, with either an “A” rated combi boiler or conventional boiler. Many of our homes feature dual-zone heating so you don’t need to heat the whole house at all times. So you could ensure the bathroom is warm in the morning and the living room is cosy in the evening.
2. “If you have a radiator in every room, each one has a thermostat, as well as the main boiler having one,” Dominic explained. “As a general rule, room thermostats should be set so the spaces you use the most are heated most, but within the comfort zone of 18oC to 21oC.”
3. Turn the thermostat down in rooms that aren’t used often. “‘Heat the human not the home’ is a great way of saving energy, particularly for people who are working from home,” Dominic added.
4. Keep windows and doors closed while the heating is on to help keep the warmth in. In winter they should be opened for five to 10 minutes to provide ventilation after showers or cooking, to significantly improve air quality without losing too much heat. Windows should be open in warmer weather, to maximise natural ventilation.
5. Bleed your radiators in autumn to ensure they’re winter ready. We’ve put together a handy guide to explain how to bleed a radiator.
6. Position furniture away from radiators to allow the heat to circulate.
7. Our larger homes include hot water tanks so there’s no need to run your heating constantly for hot water. If your home has a combi boiler, 55oC should be hot enough. “If you’re diluting the hot water in your bath or sink by adding lots of cold water, it’s probably set too high and you’re wasting energy and money,” Dominic said.

Tips for energy saving cookig at home

1. “An air fryer uses half the energy of a fan oven and cooks quicker too,” Dominic said.
2. “A slow cooker is another good energy saving option,” Dominic added. “Typically, a slow cooker uses 100 watts an hour so would use 800 watts if you left it on low for eight hours, whereas a fan oven uses 3kw. If you’re using the fan oven to cook a small meal it could cost four times as much as it would in a slow cooker.”
3. If you’re cooking on the hob, use only enough water to cover the food being cooked and remember to put the lid on the pan. “This will save energy and reduce condensation in the home,” Dominic explained.

Small switches for energy saving

1. We install low-energy light bulbs in the homes we build. They last longer than regular ones and contribute to lowering your energy bills.
2. Turn appliances off at the switch when they’re not in use rather than leaving them on standby.
3. Wait to wash until you have a full washing machine or dishwasher, or use the part load setting if you can’t wait. “Use appliances such as the washing machine on a timer so that you can take advantage of lower cost energy overnight or at weekends, depending on your tariff*,” Dominic added.
4. “The tumble dryer is one of the least efficient appliances,” Dominic said. “Consider hanging your washing outside for line dry freshness. And remember, ‘if the ground is dry, your clothes will dry’. If you do need to dry laundry inside, don’t place it directly onto radiators.”
5. “When you’re replacing appliances in your home, including things like your hairdryer or a TV, think about the energy label as well as your budget and go for the highest energy rating you can,” Dominic suggested. “The initial outlay may be a bit more, but there’s potential for longer term savings.”

Find out more about the energy efficiency of our homes here.

*“Time of use” tariffs tend to be available only to people who either (a) heat their home solely with electricity, and/or (b) have an electric vehicle charging.