Story so far

We have a detached three bedroom house built in the 1950's with south facing back garden. Last year's combined gas and electricity bills totalled £704.74, with 3041 KWh electricity and 12645 KWh gas.

These are the improvements we've made so far:
(Estimated savings figures from Energy Savings Trust - correct at time of writing)

Rockwool Cavity Wall insulation

Double glazing on most windows

Added over the last 10 years. If installing now we wouldn't choose uPVC but didn't know any better at the time! We haven't yet double-glazed the kitchen as it's a naturally warm room or the dining room which is insulated by the adjoining conservatory. (Saves £135 a year)

Double-glazed conservatory

We built this ourselves 14 years ago under my Dad's expert direction. We've kept it separate from the house with the original door and windows to minimise heat loss on cold, dull days but it's amazing how quickly it heats up in the sun even during winter and we then open the door and windows to enable the heat to spread through the house. It has a tiled floor to act as thermal mass, absorbing the heat and slowly releasing during the day. We added a radiator so that it benefits from the central heating when it's on (which is usually only for two short periods morning and evening) but otherwise we don't try to keep it warm. The roof is shaded by static cling dot matrix film - very effective and a much cheaper option than blinds.

Thermostatic valves on all radiators - We like being able to individually control the heat in each room, particularly to keep the bedrooms cooler.

Energy Saving bulbs - the range is so extensive now making this an easy option for saving energy and money (saves £45 a year)

Smart Meter - we've learned a lot from being able to monitor our energy usage in real-time, definitely motivates you to switch off and unplug.

Insulated hot water tank - we've fitted a 75mm insulated jacket (saves £35 a year)

Draught proofing - we have some home-made draught excluders on front and back doors and a letter box flap. All our curtains are lined and we draw them in the evening (saves £10 a year)

No tumble drier - we dry clothes outside or on airers (saves £15 a year)

Green Energy Supplier- we've switched to Cooperative Energy for our gas and electricity supplies. We like the combination of being with a customer-owned company with a simple competitive tariff and their aim to source energy for electricity with a carbon content of less than half the national average.

Garden - we've dug up our lawn to plant a Forest Garden for food growing, which has the added benefit of losing the carbon footprint of the lawn mower. We've also added a waterbutt and a couple of compost bins.

Plans for improvement

Following the energy efficiency mantra: insulate, A-rate, then generate:

Loft insulation - we currently have 10 cm fibreglass insulation. We want to upgrade to the recommended 27 cm but the challenge is that it's currently piled high with stuff which will need to be sorted and re-homed. We also want to make sure it's well ventilated. (should save £40 a year)

The main front bedroom is by far the coldest room in the house due to the lack of insulation in the wall beneath the alcove window and is prone to condensation so we are going to look at ways to remedy that.

A couple of simple improvements will be adding radiator insulation foil and keyhole covers to the front and back doors. (should save £40 a year)

Appliances - kitchen appliances (fridge/freezer/cooker/hob/washing machine) are between 5-10 years old and not A-rated. We need to look at each on a costs/benefit basis before deciding what, if anything, to replace.

Heating - we have gas central heating powered by a 16 year old Wickes boiler. We'd like to generate our hot water and electricity from renewable sources and will be exploring all the possible options.

We'll also consider grey water recycling, low-flow taps and dual flush toilets.

We'll post up our progress as we go along!

Progress

Down's Energy have topped up our loft insulation to 27cm using Earthwool which cost £259. They did a very thorough job, also insulating the hatch, lagging the cold water tank and pipes and fitting easy vents to ensure it is well ventilated. We retained a small boarded area - just enough for Christmas decorations and suitcases etc which are bulky to store elsewhere but we're happy that its main function is now insulating the house rather than hoarding junk! (28/4/11)