New initiative aims to reduce energy bills

A new initiative in conjunction with the Government and verified by the Energy Saving Trust has been set up to assist homeowners seeking to reduce their energy bills.

By encouraging the installation of energy efficient windows in homes, its aim is to assist people in reducing their household bills by as much as £461 per year.

The exact amount of money people can expect to save may be higher or lower depending on the size of their home, and on the size and the condition of their existing windows.

We’re already accustomed to seeing energy rating labels on many household goods, and now we can expect to see an increasing number of ‘rainbow’ labels appearing on energy efficient windows, much as they do on washing machines and dishwashers.

Energy efficient windows are made from so called ‘low E’ (short for emittance) glass. It contains an invisible metal coating sandwiched between the layers of glazing that makes it reflective and helps keep homes warmer in winter and cooler in summer.

The windows are rated on a scale of ‘A’ to ‘G’, with A being the most energy efficient. These labels will help homeowners make informed purchases that will properly suit the requirements of their property.

To make sure they choose the right windows, the Glass and Glazing Federation has co-developed an online resource with the Energy Saving Trust called the Carbon Calculator. This is a simple, online tool that allows homeowners to find out how much they can save on their energy bills and by how much they can reduce their carbon footprint through the installation of Energy Efficient Windows. It can be found online at ggf.co.uk.

Giles Willson of the Glass and Glazing Federation, comments:

“If you have done all the obvious things to make your home more energy efficient then you should turn your attention to other measures such as installing energy efficient windows. The Carbon Calculator on ggf.co.uk will tell you how much carbon and money on your energy bills you could save.”