We take a look at the month’s hot topics for the elemental audience.
The government has created a tool allowing households to see where they could make improvements to the energy efficiency of their homes – a useful way to see if there are any cost-saving measures that can be implemented to cut energy bills. As MANY people in the elemental community – and elsewhere on social media – have pointed out though, the advice is only for homeowners, which means the five million households in the UK that rent from a private landlord (2018 figures) are told the service isn’t for them.
The response to the tool has been largely positive, though, with many commenting on how sorely needed energy-efficiency advice is ahead of the energy price cap rise in October when households will be facing gas and electric bills hitting record levels.
On Twitter, Adam Vaughan, chief reporter at the New Scientist described it as “pretty good” and Jack Richardson from the Conservative Environment Network, said the move was “really positive and exactly the sort of thing the gov needs to be doing”, but not everybody agreed in his replies.
Reinier Zeldenrust, founder of Yourkuppa, said: “It’s great this topic is getting attention but honestly the recommendations are all over the place. Spend £350-450 to save £12 a year for 12 years? Not helpful.”
Daniel Newport, Head of Net Zero at the Tony Blair Institute, said “it’s the right idea” but pointed out the flaws in how it works. He said: “I just had a go at Gov’s new home energy MOT website. It’s the right idea but, why on earth hasn’t it asked me if my boiler is condensing or not? And why has it said nothing about flow temps? Instead it tells me that spending £3-6k on new windows could save me £45 a year.”
I just had a go at Gov's new home energy MOT website.
It's the right idea but, why on earth hasn't it asked me if my boiler is condensing or not? And why has it said nothing about flow temps?
Instead it tells me that spending £3-6k on new windows could save me £45 a year.😖 https://t.co/Jh7bmizOQ5
— Daniel Portis (@danielrportis) August 1, 2022
The ‘energy MOT’ website gives recommendations that the government say could help save households hundreds of pounds a year on bills, and was launched to complement the Help to Heat schemes, which includes the £800 million committed to the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund in the Heat and Buildings Strategy, along with £950 million for the Home Upgrade Grant.
Social housing decarbonisation is the topic of elemental’s upcoming digital festival, which kicks off on 13th September with a series of free-to-attend webinars covering affordable heating, whole house retrofit, energy storage and data-led retrofit plans. Registration to attend these has just opened and their popularity has highlighted the appetite for practical advice and guidance from local authorities and social landlords tasked with improving the energy performance of their housing stock.
To sign up for any of the sessions, simply visit our Crowdcast channel.
