NORTH WEST NEEDS WARMER HOMES

Written by Simon Davey on Mon 11th Apr 2005

Better insulation in local homes could cut bills and help save the planet

says County Council Candidate Simon Davey.

Simon Davey wants the Government to make energy-saving its top priority in

the battle against global warming. He says a campaign is needed to ensure

that homes in Britain match the best insulation standards in Europe.

Figures released earlier this month revealed that, despite a commitment to

achieve a 20% reduction of carbon dioxide emissions by 2010, emission levels

in the UK are actually growing.

Private households recorded the largest increase. More electricity has been

generated using imported coal, replacing that formerly mined in Britain.

Simon Davey claims better insulation of walls and roofs could cut

in half the amount of energy used in buildings, which account for 25% of all

carbon dioxide emissions.

He said: "Although many homes now have cavity wall and loft insulation it

is usually not enough. A staggering amount of heat simply goes through the

roof because the thickness of the insulation is inadequate.

"There's a lot still to be done. Taking simple steps to prevent excessive

energy waste, including using low-energy light bulbs and modern boilers, can

cut carbon dioxide emissions and heating bills while creating jobs at the

same time. It's a win-win solution.

From January next year an EU law will set minimum requirements for energy

use in large new buildings.

But the rules will not apply to domestic properties and Mr Davey says that

including these in the scheme could double the reduction in emissions.