After a long winter of freezing temperatures and rising energy bills, the average homeowner will now be pleased they can finally turn down the dial and cut their energy consumption.

However, there is still likely to be the odd cooler day, and are we really prepared to go through the same thing when winter rolls around again sometime in mid-September?

In order to combat the rising energy prices, some homeowners have been doing everything they can to make their property more efficient and cut down on excess consumption.

As well as leaving them with some extra pounds in their pocket this will also help them do their bit for the environment and the summer seems the perfect time to compound those efforts and for others to follow in the same vein.

The Winds Of Change

In the wake of new environmental initiatives that have been brought by the government, there are now much more stringent rules and regulations involved in the construction and development of properties.

Not only do all new dwellings and those proposed to be expanded need to have an SAP calculation carried out in order to determine the property’s energy performance certificate (EPC), but there are also regulations to meet regarding airtightness and air leakage.

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When you are looking for an eco-friendly car you can choose between a hybrid and a PZEV (partial-zero-emissions vehicle).

• Hybrid cars can function both on gas and electricity, and as conventional vehicles usually get 30 miles per gallon, most hybrid cars normally run an average of 50 miles per gallon. By 2017, conventional vehicles are expected to get an average of 35 mpg, and in 2025 up to 55 miles per gallon. Hybrid cars are more expensive than conventional cars ($5,000 more and up), but this will be compensated by the savings in fuel.

•  Another development is PZEVs, partial-zero-emissions vehicles. This type of vehicles take regular gas, but thanks to modern new catalytic converter technology, the vapor emission of these cars is 85 percent cleaner and less polluting than conventional cars The majority of the main car manufacturers have PZEV varieties available, Ford features the Focus PZEV model that uses the same quantity of fuel than the standard version and is only around $200  more expensive.

 Should you care about emissions and mileage?

The correct answer is that all car buyers really have to keep mileage and emissions in mind. We know that carbon dioxide is a key pollutant and reduction of carbon dioxide is very important if we want to fight climate change. Just take a look at this chart by the Department of Energy that speaks for itself.

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Energy Monitors

One thing that’s for certain is that home energy prices and costs are not going down. In fact, in the UK the cost of electricity and gas are one of the largest aspects fuelling inflation.

Home energy monitors can provide you with a better understanding of the amount of energy use there is, how much is being used and also the areas that you can make cuts. These devices show all sorts of other details too, including how much CO2 is being emitted from your home, when your highest usage times are and a range of other information.

These monitors are simple to install and require just some simple tools. A transmitter is then clipped to a cable on your gas or electric meter. This will then send information to the monitor itself.

The whole system is very easy to set up and usually involves just entering details regarding unit rates of power or heat.

Cash

One thing to note is that these energy monitors don’t save cash per se, but they do show you where you are wasting energy and where you can change habits.

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