Cut costs with eco insulation
Location, location, location: a snappy catchphrase for estate agents and TV property shows but house-buyers are increasingly valuing a home’s running costs alongside its setting in their decision-making.
Consumers are recognising the long-term economic and environmental benefits of demanding homes that offer lower energy bills and maintenance costs.
Formerly the exclusive domain of green enthusiasts, sustainable building practices have become mainstream. It’s true that people are becoming more environmentally conscious but, with the cost of living continuing to rise, they are also looking to make financial savings.
It’s estimated that running a home, including bills and repairs, adds up to almost half of all household income, so taking care to reduce energy means serious savings can be made over a property’s lifetime. In fact, the European Commission estimated that worldwide energy efficiency measures would result in energy savings of between €280 billion and €410bn a year.
As well as consumers driving demand for sustainable, high-quality homes, UK building regulations are quite rightly introducing stricter standards to meet legally binding carbon reduction targets.
The struggle for housebuilders is to meet demand, but also to deliver on quality to keep owners’ running costs low and properties desirable. It’s a difficult balancing act but getting it right can pay dividends.
Some developers try to demonstrate a property’s sustainable credentials and low running costs by installing “eco-bling” – smart home gadgets, for example – but the most efficient approach is to take a fabric first approach to saving energy.
It may not be the most glamorous aspect of sustainable building practice, but having a well-insulated house is paramount to reducing the lifetime running costs of a property. Our mantra is “Wrap it then heat it” and we believe the most straightforward way to improve a home’s energy efficiency is to effectively and completely insulate it. Our glass wool prolongs the lifetime performance of other environmental technologies, is made from up to 84 per cent recycled glass and can save around 300 times the energy used to manufacture it.
Ultimately, we spend the majority of our time indoors, so the affordability, comfort and simplicity of energy-saving measures within a property should never be secondary priorities.
High quality insulation adds value to a home, by reducing the financial burden of heating and improving the efficacy of smart home technologies.
Given the legislative and customer-driven demand for homes that are energy efficient over the long term, building sustainable and eco-friendly solutions is now essential for the construction industry, home buyers and, most importantly, the environment. Bob Dalrymple, head of marketing, Superglass