Blackburn, UK -- (SBWIRE) -- 04/23/2013 -- New statistics and research have revealed the positive effects that installing energy efficient changes to a property can have. The statistics demonstrate both the environmental and financial benefits that the property owner can enjoy as a direct result of implementing energy efficient alterations. The research carried out by property surveyor and green energy specialist EPCarlson demonstrates the most effective investments that can be made in green energy.

With the costs of running a home going through the roof, it is more important than ever to make savings where possible. The graphic shows that electricity and gas costs have grown a staggering 45% since 2007. The average household is now spending an average of £479 a year on electricity and £800 on gas.

Using an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC), these annual costs can be cut. The EPC demonstrates how much energy a property is using and how much that energy efficient changes can reduce this. Reducing the energy usage can lower the costs and the level of harmful emissions that are created by energy inefficient homes.

The EPC measures properties on a scale from A-G with A being the most energy efficient and G the least. The certificate determines where changes can be made to move the property up the energy efficiency rankings and improve its performance.

Simple alterations to the home such as installing new and efficient insulation through all of the walls and in the loft or replacing inefficient bulbs with energy efficient alternatives. The research team discovered that simple loft insulation can save a household upwards of £180 a year and £83 a year can be saved by using insulation to fill wall cavities. In total, the UK could save £720m in the next year by installing effective wall insulation.

The environmental benefits of making energy efficient changes to the home are just as impressive and the financial advantages. Simply moving the EPC rating of a home from G to E can reduce the home's emissions from 22 tonnes of carbon dioxide to a mere 8 tonnes. Almost two thirds of the harmful emissions can be immediately cut with simple energy performance changes.

The surveyors hope that the research presented in the form of an informative graphic will help property owners throughout the UK make changes to reduce their monthly costs and help keep the environment healthy.

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A builders’ federation hopes to convince George Osborne to include energy efficient homes in his next budget.

Lancashire, England -- (ReleaseWire) -- 02/25/2013 -- The Federation of Master Builders (FMB) is urging the Chancellor of the Exchequer to reconsider his timeline for energy efficient and zero carbon homes by including it in the next budget. The body has advised the government of the important of increasing the energy efficiency of Britain's buildings.

The group which is the UK's largest trade association within the building industry hopes that their pressure will influence the government to use funds that have been acquired from carbon taxation to increase efficiency. They hope that the funds will be used to help householders and property owners decrease their fuel and energy bills.

The association is trying to encourage the government to increase the efficiency of existing homes whilst creating more zero carbon homes. The Federation of Master Builders hopes that the UK will aim to see all news buildings nearly zero carbon by the year 2020. This ambition is in keeping with that of the EU timetable.

Brian Berry, chief executive of the Federation of Master Builders revealed: "We need action now to help get Britain building towards growth, and independent economists estimate that diverting funds into a massive public-sector programme to improve the energy-efficiency of Britain's existing 26 million homes would boost GDP by 0.2%, create 130,000 jobs and help the government meet its own targets for cutting carbon emissions."

Furthermore, the federation hopes to see VAT cuts for householders who are making changes to their home with energy efficient repercussions. The proposed VAT would drop from 20% to 5%.

Berry continued: "Britain's ageing housing stock is deteriorating as home-owners can't afford to get work done. Cutting Vat on renovation and repair would give a shot in the arm to beleaguered builders, create jobs and encourage householders to make their homes more comfortable, affordable and energy-efficient."

Currently homeowners can discover how much energy and money their home is wasting with the aid of an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC). The EPC determines how much energy that a home is using and how little it could potentially use if the right installations were made. The government ran Green Deal is offering a loan to UK property owners who want to make energy efficient alterations to their properties. The Green Deal loan allows property owners to offset the installation costs whilst ensuring that they do not have to repay a higher rate than they are saving. The government hopes that these changes will allow property owners to make significant savings whilst causing fewer energy emissions.

About EPCarlson
EPCarlson provide Energy Performance Certificates and help property owners understand how much they could be saving on their energy bills.

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