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'Greenest family in London' save £600 a year on fuel bills
Mark Prigg5 Mar 2009
A London family has saved £600 a year by insulating their home and taking green lifestyle advice.
The Broughton family have been taking part in a year-long contest to find the most effective ways to reduce energy use, cutting it by nearly 35 per cent. Their four-bedroom Victorian terrace house in Chiswick was named the capital's "greenest" home.
The Broughtons, one of 64 households in the British Gas Green Streets contest, were given £2,500 to spend on making their home eco friendly. Smart electricity and gas meters were then installed to monitor and display their energy usage and calculate how long it would take for the investment to pay for itself.
Their £600-a-year saving meant they would break even in just over four years. The best performing UK household was in Leeds.
Experts from British Gas used thermal cameras, before advising on methods to cut energy usage. The Broughtons concentrated on insulating, and changing behaviour.
"We have been really surprised by how much we have saved," said Mel Broughton, 41, who lives with her architect husband, Hugh, 43, and their three sons, aged six to 11.
"We didn't have the 'glamour' items like solar panels or a wind turbine. Yet the series of small, relatively cheap measures we took have made a huge difference.
"I think the key for us has been the change in behaviour. Even the children now automatically turn off the lights when they leave a room, and we re-use shopping bags. They are small measures, but make a big difference.
"For instance, we've got sash windows, and it's amazing the difference draught-excluding material has made. Now the heat stays in."
Phil Bentley of British Gas said: "With £1 in every £4 that people spend heating homes being wasted due to poor insulation, savings can be made easily."
The Institute for Public Policy Research has overseen the project, and today published its findings. It called for smart electricity and gas meters to be given to all consumers.
It also called for finance options to cover insulation costs and the purchase of greener appliances, which together cost on average £3,750 per home.
To persuade consumers to take action, the Ippr suggests creating a national competition, with a £4million prize.
Matthew Lockwood, who wrote the report, said: "The UK has steep carbon reduction targets of 80 per cent on 1990 levels by 2050. We were surprised at the commitment of the Green Streets householders in showing how we might meet them."
Reader views (3)
I've just looked at the gas and electricity bills I have received for the last four quarters.
3 bedroom house, four occupants. Total for all bills £630.00.
What were they doing to have bills so huge that a £600 reduction made them the "greenest family" (ack) in London? Even with their 35% reduction, their total bills are nearly double mine...they can't be that "green", can they?
- Escobar A-Lop-Lop, Camden County, 05/03/2009 16:39
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£600 a year! Think of all the mung beans and vegan sandals that will buy them, and yes I'm joking. Let's be honest here, they were given £2,500 to make the improvements, how many Londoners have made the changes out of their own pockets, are they not more deserving of an article?
- Bob, Cheam, 05/03/2009 15:28
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Probably costs them £1000 to install the systems and maintain them, per year.
- Dhanraj, basildon, 05/03/2009 14:17
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