Latest news with #energySaving
Daily Mail
19 hours ago
- Business
- Daily Mail
Aussie builder reveals the top five ways to cut your power bill before prices surge again
A builder has revealed his top five tips for lowering household power bills ahead of the market electricity price increasing by up to 9.7 per cent from July 1. According to tradies, Aussies aren't just bracing for the spike - they're taking action - with a recent surge in energy-saving home improvement jobs. Glass and glazing installations have gone up 68 per cent in 2025, and insulation jobs are up 34 per cent, hipages data reveals. Double glazing Fouad Reaiche, the managing director at ETH Construction Group, told Daily Mail Australia that people would be surprised by the effectiveness of glazing. 'Thermal blocking blinds and double glazing should be added if you have that opportunity,' he said. 'If you're going to spend the money, get double or even triple glazing. It's definitely something that you want to be doing. 'It makes all the difference in the world and people don't actually realise it until they've done it to their house.' Double glazing creates a layer of insulation, slowing down heat transfer between the inside and outside of a home. It means less heat is lost in winter and less heat enters a building in summer, leading to lower energy bills. 'It makes a big change for both summer and winter. It keeps the cold out in winter and the heat in,' Mr Reaiche said. 'It deflects heat on the outside in summer, so it works all year round. 'A lot of people who just did standard glazing were pushed out of the market.' Double-glazed window costs in Australia typically range from $300 to $1,500 per square metre. According to Bradnam's Windows and Doors, Aussies could save up to 20 per cent more on their energy bills if they were to utilise double-glazed over single-glazed products. Draft blockers Mr Reaiche said another simple way to reduce a power bill is to ensure cool or warm air isn't seeping into a house. 'One thing that we see people buying a lot is draft blockers for all their entry doors to stop drafts coming through,' he said. 'It's a big energy saver.' Newer air conditioners Air conditioning consumes 15 per cent of Australia's total generated power, and more than half the energy used in homes is the result of heating and cooling devices. That's why many Aussies are also looking to upgrade their air conditioning units. 'Putting energy efficient heating and cooling in is another thing to consider. People are ditching their old A/C units and upgrading to ones that are more energy-efficient,' Mr Reaiche said. Installing the correct insulation Home insulation is crucial for maintaining a comfortable indoor temperature and reducing energy consumption. Roof and ceiling insulation can save up to 45 per cent on energy consumption for heating and cooling, according to the Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts. 'Insulation is a big one as well,' Mr Reaiche said. 'If you're building a new home, you need to put in the right insulation based on the climate that you're in.' Mr Reaiche's final piece of advice was to simply shop around and not become complacent by showing loyalty to a power company. 'Switching energy providers is one of the most efficient ways to reduce your energy bill by getting a better deal,' he said. 'People don't think to find a new provider. They're just happy to sign up and stay with them.'
Yahoo
21-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Paralympian visits Glasgow primary school to teach kids about energy saving
Stephen Clegg visited a Glasgow school to deliver a workshop on the importance of saving energy (Image: Supplied) A Paralympics GB athlete visited a primary school to teach pupils about energy saving. Stephen Clegg visited Cadder Primary School in Glasgow on June 18 to deliver a workshop on the importance of saving energy, in partnership with British Gas. Advertisement The event was part of British Gas' Get Set for Positive Energy Roadshow, which is designed to educate pupils across the UK on energy-saving behaviours and habits. A total of 84 pupils participated in the workshop, which was led by the paralympic swimmer and representatives from British Gas, and included a wide range of activities for the youngsters to participate in. The pupils were asked to design posters to encourage energy saving at home and school, identify ways to prevent energy misuse and suggest improvements to make their school more environmentally friendly. Read more: New lab aiming to become world's most advanced opens in Glasgow, creating jobs (Image: Supplied) Advertisement (Image: Supplied) Damian Nicholas, headteacher at Cadder Primary School, said: "The energy-saving workshop hosted by Stephen Clegg and British Gas was such a fantastic opportunity for our students, and we can't thank everyone enough for their time and passionate attitude, which certainly inspired the children. "We believe it's so important to shape the minds of tomorrow and encourage them to engage in energy-saving habits from a young age, and it was great to see our pupils so engaged in activities on the topic." Hannah Lawrance, strategic brand partnerships lead at British Gas, said: "We really enjoyed visiting Cadder Primary School yesterday alongside Stephen Clegg for our Get Set for Positive Energy workshop. "We met some brilliant pupils who threw their all into the energy-saving activities we had planned, which was great to see. Advertisement "The programme aims to educate children on building a more sustainable future, which helps us to create a more sustainable community for all. "We're using our partnership with Team GB and ParalympicsGB to inspire schools to get more active and consider different ways to create a positive impact." (Image: Supplied) (Image: Supplied) (Image: Supplied) Read more: Do you really have to pay to sit with your children on a flight The Get Set for Positive Energy Roadshow is part of the broader Get Set for Positive Energy initiative. This free cross-curricular programme hopes to educate young people aged five to 11 on the importance of saving energy to drive change, getting active, and building healthy everyday habits. Advertisement Through this initiative, British Gas hopes to reach up to 8,500 schools and 1.5 million young people and families across the UK by 2028. They aim to inspire young people to take an active role in creating a greener future for themselves and their community, motivated by the Olympic and Paralympic values. For more information on the programme can visit the Get Set for Positive Energy website.
Irish Times
19-05-2025
- General
- Irish Times
Novel scheme where householders get rewarded for basically not doing things
Did you know you can get free prosecco for delaying household chores? It's all part of a novel scheme where householders get rewarded for basically not doing things. Do the laundry? Not right now. Switch on the dishwasher? I'll do it later. If the idea of being rewarded to postpone chores appeals, then check out 'Is this a good time?' – an energy-saving campaign from ESB Networks . You might have heard the ads running on the radio this month. The campaign asks participants to wait until the right time to use energy-intensive appliances. Doing this can relieve pressure on the national grid and reduce emissions. READ MORE Electricity customers or other occupiers of residential premises in Ireland are eligible to participate. Participants are invited to take part in 'energy events' where they can earn an e-gift card by taking specific actions and reporting back on them within 72 hours. How it works is that, on about a weekly basis, participating householders receive a text message from ESB Networks, notifying them of an imminent 'flex event'. The text is both a weather forecast and an incitement to postpone chores all in one. It reads something like this: 'There will be a flex event tomorrow between 9am and 11am. It's forecasted there will be excessive renewable electricity generation in your area. 'If you're catching up on household chores, consider using appliances such as your washing machine or tumble dryer between 9am and 11am to make the most of the elevated renewable electricity.' [ How does retrofitting your house pay off? Opens in new window ] So if it suits you, don't bother with the laundry before 9am or after 11am that day. Switch your washing machine on, or programme it to run between 9am and 11am instead. This way, you'll spare the grid some energy and reduce emissions. Confirm you've taken action and you'll also earn an e-gift card voucher for yourself that will be sent to your email address. Participants took 84,000 actions last year over 25 energy events, helping to support Ireland's security of supply and reduce our reliance on fossil fuels, according to ESB Networks figures for the year. It's estimated that 76MWh of energy was 'shifted' – this is based on the assumption that each action taken by a householder equates to shifting one dishwasher cycle of the typical home in Ireland to a better time. That's enough to power a home for 18 years. Some 10,960 participants were rewarded for shifting electricity use. The counties with the highest action rates were Carlow, Waterford and Cork. You don't have to be an ESB customer to take part: you can sign up at regardless of your electricity supplier, you just need to set up an ESB Networks online account first. You can do this using your MPRN. You'll find that at the top of your bill. [ Take fewer flights or switch to an EV – what's the best way to reduce my carbon emissions? Opens in new window ] You don't need a smart meter and signing up won't change your tariff. ESB Networks isn't actually giving participants prosecco, I should clarify. This is just an example of what you could treat yourself to with your accumulated e-gift cards, which can be used in places such as Tesco, Lidl, Aldi and Penneys. You won't make a fortune from participating, but you'll get something. One participant has accumulated about €21 between January and April this year just for postponing chores until a better time. ESB Networks has extended the scheme until March 2027. Cheers to that.
Times
19-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Times
The Times Luxury cartoon: May 19, 2025
Bio Vilnissimo (real name Vilnis Vesma) lives in Gloucestershire. He has been a keen cartoonist since school but chose engineering as a profession, becoming a specialist in energy saving techniques. Retirement has allowed him to pursue cartooning obsessively and since 2018 he has been a frequent contributor to Private Eye, and occasionally other UK titles such as the The Spectator, The Critic and The Oldie. In America his work has appeared in the Wall Street Journal, Woman's World, and the Journal of Alta California.
