- Residential buildings are responsible for a fifth of the UK’s carbon emissions
- Low carbon tech like solar panels and heat pumps, are becoming more accessible through government funding schemes and finance options
- 78% of the British public is willing to make the changes needed to reduce household emissions
The Action Wheel is a series of simple steps take in your everyday life to reduce your reliance on fossil fuels and cut your carbon emissions.
According to a survey from Oxford University’s Environmental Change Institute, the vast majority of the British public (78%) is willing to make the changes needed to reduce household emissions, but unfortunately many of us are held back by barriers to action – whether they are functional, financial or emotional.
Residential buildings currently contribute to 20% of the UK’s greenhouse gas emissions, so taking action to reduce fossil fuel use in the home is something that can have a huge impact.
What’s more, taking action yourself at home means reducing your reliance on fossil fuels immediately, rather than waiting for intergovernmental change, that can take years.
Small actions, like switching to eco-friendly lightbulbs, switching from gas to electric based cooking appliances or even using fewer appliances overall, can help make a difference, but ultimately, making more long-term investments in decarbonising your home will cut your carbon footprint much more dramatically, saving you money on your energy bills from day one.
Rightmove’s 2024 Greener Homes report found that the 18 million UK homes with an energy performance certificate (EPC) rating of D or below (which is generally considered a poor score) face significantly higher energy bills than more efficient ones.
While EPC ratings are definitely in need of an update to make them more fit-for-purpose, saving money on energy bills is certainly something that all of us could benefit from.
Even for those motivated to make changes, knowing where to start can be the biggest hurdle.
This is where practical guidance from The Action Wheel comes in, here are the 7 steps they recommend taking to cut carbon at home.
7 steps to cutting carbon at home
Trying to reduce your personal carbon footprint can feel overwhelming, but you don’t have to do it alone. Here’s how to take immediate action in your own home:
1 – Switch to renewable energy
Energy consumed for heating, electricity, and hot water in residential buildings continues to make up a significant portion of the UK’s overall greenhouse gas emissions.
Investing in low-carbon tech for your home is undoubtedly one of the best ways to slash your home’s impact on climate change. Swapping out fossil fuel systems for more sustainable alternatives can mean cutting your energy bills too, providing an extra incentive for UK households whose energy bills have shot up over the last few years.
Combining low-carbon tech like solar panels, a storage battery, an EV and a heat pump is the best way to drastically reduce your reliance on fossil fuels, while also making the biggest dent in your energy bills.
Here are some steps you can take to switch to renewable energy:
- Purchase rooftop solar panels – Installing a solar panel system on your roof can reduce your home’s CO2 emissions by roughly 725kg annually. What’s more, UK homes installing a standard 3.5–4.5 kWp solar PV system can expect to cut their electricity bill by around £400–£500 per year – according to the Energy Savings Trust, equating to roughly 40–60% of their pre-solar electricity spend (depending on their consumption and SEG payments).
- Install a water turbine – This requires a consistent, reliable source of flowing water, so you’d have to ensure your water source would be suitable for micro-hydro generation.
- Join a wind turbine co-op – This would involve finding a suitable co-op in your region, applying to become a member, or purchasing shares to fund the development.
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2 – Refurbish or renovate your home
Making small changes at home could considerably reduce the amount of energy you waste, and you won’t have to completely renovate your house to make a difference. Take a look at our guide to saving energy at home, which includes 14 measures you can take to recue your energy bills and cut your carbon footprint.
Here are three practical ways you can make your home more sustainable according the Action Wheel:
- Insulate hot water pipes – Insulating your water pipes can save you up to £315 each year. You can do this yourself by measuring the pipe, buying the right size foam insulation, and fitting it around the pipe.
- Upgrade or replace window seals – To avoid warm air from escaping your home, you can use self-adhesive foam strips or rubber seals to block out gaps in your window. For larger gaps, you may need to replace your windows altogether.
- Install LED lightbulbs – LED lightbulbs are much more energy efficient than incandescent bulbs. Installing them is easy too, just turn off your power, remove the old bulb, and replace it with an LED bulb.
3 – Invest in a heat pump
Heating remains a major source of carbon emissions for UK households. Even lowering your thermostat by one degree Celsius could cut your household’s carbon emissions by an average of 275kg per year.
Meanwhile, replacing your gas boiler with an air source heat pump would cut your carbon emissions by around 1,400kg per year – that’s nearly one and half metric tonnes of CO2.
Here’s what The Action Wheel recommends:
- Install a heat pump – This can reduce your annual carbon footprint by around 44%. First, you’ll have to choose what type of heat pump to install: air source, ground source, air-to-air, or water source. An air source heat pump is the most suitable type for the majority of UK homes. Then, you’ll have to find an MCS-certified heat pump installer to guide you through the process and help you access £7500 in government funding towards installation through the Boiler Upgrade Scheme.
- Install low-temperature heating systems – Heat pumps work most efficiently when producing heat at lower temperatures. Therefore, to optimise energy output, you should consider switching to low-temperature heating systems, such as underfloor heating or larger radiators.
- Install forced air systems with a high-efficiency fan – If your home has a ducted air system, make sure that the fan is highly efficient so heat is able to be distributed more effectively throughout your home.
Learn more about the low-carbon energy system in our complete guide to heat pumps.
4 – Downsize your living space
It doesn’t sound very aspirational to say it, but larger homes naturally require more energy to heat and power.
Decreasing the size of your living space, or making better use of it can mean living more sustainably.
- Downsize to a smaller living space – If areas in your current dwelling are going unused, relocating from a larger house to a smaller house or flat will significantly cut your carbon footprint overnight.
- Move into a co-housing community – Moving from a private home to a shared, co-housing community where you share common facilities is another way to radically lower your emissions. You could start by browsing co-housing groups in your area.
- Rent out extra rooms in your house – If rooms in your house are lying vacant, opening them up to a housemate or lodger will spread your home’s energy footprint across more people.
5 – Improve your thermal insulation
One of the most eco-conscious adjustments you can make to your current living space is installing insulation. A detached house with robust insulation can cut its CO2 emissions by up to 1,500kg per year.
It can also slash heating bills by up to £380 a year, so it tends to pay for itself within a couple of years.
- Insulate hot water pipes – Preventing your hot water system from leaking heat is simple and cost-effective. All you need to do is fit foam pipe insulation sleeves around your water pipes a secure them in place with adhesive.
- Install triple-glazed windows – Triple-glazing saves an average of £235 annually on energy bills, offering bigger savings and emission reductions than double-glazed windows. Find out how much triple glazing could cost you here.
- Increase loft insulation (to R60) – Insulating your roof, loft, or attic can significantly reduce heat loss in winter and heat gain in summer, specifically if you use highly efficient materials like R60 insulation.
You may be able to fund your insulation efforts through the Great British Insulation Scheme too, helping you have a well-regulated, carbon-friendly home for less.
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6 – Keep your home nice and cool
Optimising your indoor temperature, especially throughout the summer months, can significantly reduce your household’s carbon consumption, not to mention its electricity bills.
Here are some simple, low-cost ways you can cool your home:
- Keep shades drawn in summer – By blocking the heat from direct sunlight, you won’t have to use up as much energy on cooling systems like fans or air conditioning. Light or reflective blinds are some other useful ways to block sunlight from your window.
- Turn down the AC on hot days – Air conditioning is extremely energy-intensive. While air conditioning isn’t very commonplace in UK households, if you do have a system, setting it at a higher temperature or turning it off completely is an important energy-efficient action.
- Install better-insulated windows – Older windows are common culprits for heat loss. Upgrading your windows to double glazing with better insulation can help keep your home cooler over the summer months.
7 – Use fewer appliances
From our mobile phones to TVs and toasters, appliances contribute to our energy consumption – even when we aren’t using them.
Making small, mindful decisions about the way we purchase and use gadgets can be an effective way to do our bit for the environment.
Here are some realistic changes you can take today:
- Unplug unused appliances – Even if they’re turned off, plugged-in electronic devices can continue to consume small amounts of power. Forming a habit of unplugging these ‘vampire devices’ and leaving common household appliances unplugged can make an impact. One way to do this easily is to use a multi-socket powerbank for groups of devices (e.g. your TV, sound bar, and gaming console or your laptop, printer and monitor) and to turn the powerbank off at the wall socket when your devices are fully charged or not in use.
- Purchase multi-functional appliances – Instead of using a variety of single-purpose gadgets, reduce your energy usage by opting for appliances that can perform multiple tasks in one, from pressure cookers and air fryer combos, to smartphones.
- Sell infrequently used appliances – Someone else could be using your unused tech, instead of having to buy new models. So, if you have a pile of old phones, tablets or kitchen appliances, consider selling them on online marketplaces like eBay, Vinted or Facebook Marketplace.
How to take action today
As you can see from the steps outlined by the Low-Carbon Action Wheel, you don’t need to overhaul your home to curb its environmental impact. Simple, small changes, combined, can make a lasting impact.
Here are some pointers to kickstart your journey to a lower-carbon home.
- Pick one or two easy-win actions from the guide, like unplugging your electronics or insulating your water pipes, to get you started.
- Explore funding and support by researching government grants or local schemes.
- Identify what barriers stand in your way, and then it’ll be easier to begin to address them.
- Focus on the benefits of your home-based actions, not the challenges. This could include cost savings or improvements to your overall well-being.
Watch Lucy Shea talk about taking action towards a Low Carbon Lifestyle on episode 8 of Positive Energy below:
