Whether you want to keep your heating costs down or generally live more sustainably, Gloucester-based charity, Severn Wye Energy Agency, has been advising homeowners on how to make energy-efficient improvements for more than 25 years.
With an award-winning team of expert energy assessors, its advice is always impartial and designed around each individual home and homeowner — no matter the age or style of the property.
Domestic energy services manager at Severn Wye, Anna Wellicome, said: ‘We often find homeowners have had multiple approaches from installers or other companies with information about making energy efficiency changes to their property — what’s known in the industry as retrofitting.
‘The problem is that this advice typically takes a one-size-fits-all approach — or it can just be a sales pitch for a product that could do more harm than good.’
So how can homeowners be confident that they're getting the right advice?
Severn Wye offers a range of home energy services, from a straightforward EPC to an in-depth home survey and assessment with a bespoke action plan for the right improvements to make in the right order — so people can make sensible plans based on their own budget and timescales.
Its team is always on top of the latest developments but never push one product over another. Plus, they can be there through the whole process, helping to compare supplier quotes and make sure everything is working as it should once installers have left.
Research shows that potential buyers and renters increasingly favour more energy efficient homes with a higher EPC rating. According to MoneySuperMarket research, homes with an EPC of A to C can achieve a market value around 14 per cent more than one with a G rating — lower EPC's can mean more haggling from buyers.
And for those wondering about the cost-saving potential, the same report found the average annual energy bill of a home with an EPC rating of F was £4,312, whereas improving to a C rating brought bills down to an average of £1,681 — a staggering saving of £2,631.
Having a greener home will have wider benefits too, with around 16 per cent of the UK’s total emissions coming from residential housing. Improving the energy efficiency of our homes is going to be crucial to reaching the country’s net-zero target by 2050.
Homeowners can arrange a home energy survey with Severn Wye by visiting severnwye.org.uk/my-home/home-energy-surveys.
You may also qualify for funding towards an energy survey. South Gloucesteshire homeowners can find out more at severnwye.org.uk/retrofit-west-home-assessment-vouchers and information for landlords can be found at severnwye.org.uk/south-gloucestershire-landlords-support-with-mees.
