October 17th – 23rd marks Energy Savings Week.  Originally conceived and organised more than 20 years ago by the Energy Savings Trust in cooperation with the Citizens Advice Bureau. Sharing an initial goal of raising awareness and providing support for households to become more energy efficient and helping to manage energy costs, it also had the dual mission of protecting the planet and reducing overall emission levels.

Energy crisis

When it launched, Energy Savings Week could not have anticipated the current reality of rising energy prices and cost of living crisis faced by most households in the UK. With a gas price crisis, and a change to the energy cap, individuals and families are on the cusp of a hard winter of rising prices and difficult decisions.

How to make change

Efforts taking place throughout Energy Savings Week share a mission to educate the public on how to switch energy suppliers or tariffs, how to get best price, how to make energy savings and how to ensure their homes are energy efficiency optimised. Urging individuals, schools, organisations and governments to help, support will be provided for households to make whatever changes are possible.

Small updates like tweaking heating settings, switching to LED lighting and switching off at plugs may seem insignificant but taken together can save money and contribute to the goal of the UK becoming net zero emissions by 2050.

Energy savings

We’re proud to work with the NI Consumer Council on their Energy Savings campaign which will soon be rolling out on radio, digital and press. Providing practical and accessible advice and tips for individuals and households to make their homes more energy efficient. When it comes to heating, setting thermostats to between 18 – 21 degrees, programming heating to come on only at times when you need to warm your home, ensuring windows and doors are free from drafts, avoiding blocking radiators and adding insulation to homes where possible are ways we’ll be advised to make change.

In our homes, switching devices off at the plug, making sure unused lights are switched off, replacing all bulbs with LEDS, waiting for full loads before switching on washing machines or dish washers and checking you’re on the right tariff with your energy supplier are other ways that could make small but significant changes.

Even one or two initiatives in our homes or offices this winter could amount to improvements that really make a difference both to bank balance and to the long term health of the planet. Without a doubt, these are changes that we at ASG & Partners stand fully behind.