Where our energy such as the electric and gas we use at home, is important as it has a great impact on the environment. From source to use, each stage creates emissions that are harmful to the planet. Luckily, there are energy sources like, Wind, Solar and Hydro-energy which emit little to no emissions at source.
Chelmsford City Council are committed to reaching Net Zero by 2030 in our operations. Simply put, this means emitting no emissions into the air from our operations or taking the emissions out of the air to meet Net Zero. Where we obtain our energy from and how we use it is very important.
We have invested in Solar photovoltaic (PV) on some buildings to generate their own electricity, through converting sunlight to energy. Within our buildings we are committed to reducing our consumption of energy by transitioning our lights to LEDs and we are setting out plans to decarbonise our heating systems.
Aside from our operations. The Chelmsford Local Plan is in review, and will support national and local planning obligations for energy efficient and zero carbon new homes.
You can find out more about our commitment to reducing emissions from our Climate and Ecological Emergency Action Plan.
As a society, we need to adopt green behavioural changes, to achieve a brighter future together, as residents, visitors and businesses.
We all play our part in cutting emissions to protect our environment for future generations.
So, how can you help?
The easiest thing you can do is switch to a green energy tariff, in most cases, this option does not cost more than a standard tariff!
Another is to adopt energy efficient behaviours in the home.
Turn off lights and appliances when leaving the room – this will save energy and also expand the life of your bulbs and appliances. Turning TVs and computers off standby can have the most annual cost savings!
Turn down your thermostat- for every degree you turn down, it is reported that £80 plus is saved on the energy bills annually. 18 degrees in an insulated home, is recommended by energy companies, and the World Health Organisation supports it as the ideal temperature for sleeping.
Empty room? Use the frost setting on radiators- turn down the radiator by putting it on the frost setting, this ensures the room does not go to freezing and nor do your pipes! A cost-effective way to expel the heat from the radiator directly into the room is installing radiator reflectors.
Fill up the kettle to what you need or use a flask for the day- using a flask could give you up to 5 cups of tea (depending on the size).
Do you have a dishwasher? The drying cycle is costing you energy and money, stop it and open the door to dry items naturally. Don’t forget that most have an ECO option which uses less power and water (yes, even if it takes longer).
Wash clothes colder, on a fuller load and avoid the tumble dryer- an average tumble dryer cycle uses 4.5kWh, opt to air dry where possible. Did you know that natural dryer balls can reduce the time in the dryer by up to 50%?
Boilers- if you have a combi-boiler, you can turn down the temperature to 60 degrees for older homes and 50 degrees for new homes, but get to know your boiler controls first. A recent study by Nesta, estimated a saving of 9% of gas usage by doing this.
PS. Check if your boiler has an option to pre-heat water, so it only heats up when you need it!
Doors- can be draught-proofed with keyhole covers and brushes to cover the bottom gaps and letterbox. But what about the doors inside? There are reusable fabric options, that slide under the door and you cut to size (yes, it works better than a traditional excluder).
Windows- leaky areas through windows between the frame and the pane, can be blocked with self-adhesive foam strips, metal or plastic strips cost a bit more but are longer lasting. Make sure the width of the strip is sufficiently blocking up the gap but you are still able to open it for ventilation.
Chimneys- unused fireplaces may allow colder air from the outside to flow into your home, to stop this buy a chimney draught excluder for cost-effectiveness or get a professional to install a chimney cap.
Floorboards & skirting boards– use flexible fillers to fill gaps and prevent air escaping and still allow for the wood to expand.
Pipework- if you have exposed holes around pipework in the external walls, use silicone fillers to fill smaller gaps, expanding polyurethane foam for bigger ones.
Loft Hatches- air rises so block the draughts to avoid heat escaping. For those in use, you can add a compression seal cheaply or a foam strip.
Don’t forget any old extractor fans or cracks in walls can also result in heat loss.
Whilst retrofitting now is not cost-effective for everyone. Chelmsford City Council are facilitating government-funded green grants when available.
Home Upgrade Grant Phase 2 is now live to March 2025- a new government grant scheme to fund energy-saving upgrades aimed at people living in cold homes that struggle with fuel bills.
ECO Flexible Eligibility requires large energy companies to improve the energy efficiency of households in fuel poverty.
The Sustainable Warmth Grant was a government-funded scheme to help people improve the energy efficiency of their homes, the measures will include improvements such as; insulation upgrades, new low-carbon heating system with an air-source heat pump, solar panels. This scheme is closed for applications.
To keep up to date on grants and loans run by Chelmsford City Council keep an eye on the Housing and Grants page
Other grants:
Boiler Upgrade Scheme- GOV.UK is providing funding up to £7,500 for upgrading your boiler to a heat pump or biomass system.
Free Cavity Wall Insulation- does your home have cavity walls? Check out your eligibility.
Other schemes:
Solar Together is a group-buying scheme that enables residents and businesses to install solar panels at an affordable price. Essex County Council has brought this to all residents in Essex.
Advice on making Listed Buildings Energy Efficiency
If you don’t have the money or the ability to make the changes we talk about on this page, please don’t worry, the weight of the world is not on your shoulders. It’s important to point out that with all environmentally friendly choices that your best is always enough. This is not to say that we don’t all have a responsibility to make changes, but if your financial situation is your limiting factor then it’s okay that waste reduction and recycling is not your priority.