Ours to Protect is a unique and exciting audio project – a collaboration of local and regional broadcasters from across the country who have come together to tackle climate change, champion climate action, and inform and educate audiences all over Ireland about how they can make a difference.
Today on ‘Ours To Protect’ John Morley talks to Dermot Bannon about how to energy proof your home.
Did you know…
- WillowWarm, an Irish company, make 100% carbon neutral briquettes that can be used to heat your home in place of peat briquettes.
- Willow has a lifespan of around 36 years, so once planted, willow provides 36 years of crop production without the need for annual ploughing, re-seeding, or re-planting.
- Room to Improve presenter Dermot Bannon believes insulating your walls should always be the first step when energy proofing your home.
Why is it important to energy proof your home?
- By reducing the amount of energy your home uses, you'll automatically lower your utility bills.
- Proper insulation and air sealing can help maintain a consistent and comfortable temperature, reducing the need for constant adjustments to your heating and cooling systems.
- Energy-efficient homes are becoming increasingly desirable to buyers. Making energy-saving improvements can potentially increase the value of your home when it comes time to sell.
What can I do to energy proof my home?
- Simple behavioural changes such as skipping the dryer whenever possible and hanging clothes to dry naturally is a low-effort way of starting to energy proof your home.
- Another simple way to energy proof your home is to replace old appliances with Energy Star certified ones. These models use significantly less energy.
- A significant investment into energy proofing your home would be to generate your own clean electricity with a rooftop solar panel system. While this is a big investment, it can lead to substantial energy cost savings in the long term.
Here’s a few websites if you want to know more!
www.willowwarm.ie – You can learn more about WillowWarm’s carbon neutral briquettes here.
www.seai.ie – Here you get some more tips on energy proofing your home.
www.renovationhub.ie - This website is an initiative from the Irish Green Building Council. It provides a roadmap for homeowners interested in undertaking energy-efficient renovations.
For more info go over to galwaybayfm.ie, click on Our to Protect image on home page. You could try out the ‘Ecological Footprint’ calculator and you can take a quick survey.
‘Ours To Protect’ brought to you by Galway Bay fm, the IBI and funded by Coimisiún na Meán with the television licence fee – check out ‘ours to protect.ie for more info.
