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Link between flooding and home consumption

UK consumers are still failing to make the link between their energy consumption at home and their homes being flooded, says the Energy Saving Trust.

With over 2 million UK homes at risk from flooding this winter, the Trust has issued a warning to all UK residents to reduce the amount of energy used in the home, which will help reduce the devastating impact of flooding for future generations.

Mr Philip Sellwood, Chief Executive of the Energy Saving Trust, said, "The UK bill for flood damage was a staggering £700 million last year, so it is important that we all take the time look at how our actions in the home are affecting the environment.”

"While there is no short term solution to coastal and localised flooding, our own homes are an intrinsic part of the problem and are responsible for a quarter of all UK carbon dioxide emissions, which is having a direct impact on the weather patterns around us."

Despite one of the driest summers on record, the annual flood season is now fast approaching and the threat to UK homes has never been greater with floods now twice as frequent as they were 100 years ago - a fact many experts link to global climate change.

By introducing the following three simple energy efficient measures to the home this autumn, UK households can help address the risk of flooding in years to come.

• Boiling point. One of the most effective ways households can reduce their energy consumption is to install high efficiency condensing boilers. If every home in the UK did this tomorrow, we would prevent 17.5 million tonnes of carbon dioxide being emitted every year. The UK would also make a collective annual saving of £1.2 billion worth of energy.
• Insulating for the future. If we all insulated our homes' cavity walls tomorrow, we would prevent 9 million tonnes of carbon dioxide being needlessly emitted every year - that is enough to fill over 50 million double-decker buses. We would also save £670 million worth of energy a year.
• Top marks for A-rated. If every UK household replaced their old domestic appliances with new 'A-rated', energy efficient ones, we would prevent 7.6 million tonnes of carbon dioxide being emitted every year - that is enough to fill over 1.5 million hot air balloons. The UK would also stand to save £1.16 billion worth of energy a year.

Mr Sellwood added that acting now to address domestic energy consumption makes sound financial, environmental and social sense.

For free, impartial advice on how to make the home more energy efficient and save money on household bills, consumers should contact the Energy Saving Trust at www.saveenergy.co.uk or 0845 727 7200.