Smarten up your act and keep bills down
MANCHESTER has been hailed as being among the energy savviest cities in the country, after new research revealed how many residents have introduced energy-saving measures to try to keep their bills down.
The survey found that 87 per cent of Manchester’s residents put energy-saving measures into their homes in an effort to lower their bills, beating London and Aberdeen but falling behind Liverpool in the league table of Britain’s most ‘energy smart’ cities.
Of those surveyed, more than four in 10 have a more efficient new boiler, while a third of homes introduced other energy efficient appliances to help save on bills.
Four in 10 people questioned said they would welcome a smart meter to help manage their household outgoings, according to the new research from British Gas.
Smart meters replace traditional meters and come with a free smart energy monitor that shows how much energy is being used in near real-time, in pounds and pence, helping customers compare energy use over time and see the impact of energy efficiency measures in their homes.
The research also found that homeowners are more likely to invest in smart or connected home technology to save energy.
Nationally, half of homeowners said they have smart meters or Hive technology in their home to help them keep bills down, compared to just 19 per cent of renters who said the same.
British Gas smart energy expert Emran Uddin said: “People are thinking more about energy efficiency to help reduce their energy consumption and lower their bills.
“There’s definitely a growing interest in connected home devices like Hive Active Heating, which allow people to control the heating in their homes.
“Smart meters help customers to see how much it costs to boil the kettle for example – and they put an end to estimated bills or submitting meter readings.”