Investing in a new build home is one way to ensure cheaper home bills, but what else can you do to minimise your energy consumption and reduce carbon emissions? Mark Kershaw, our Group Head of Sustainability, suggests 10 easy fixes.

1) Get a smart meter

Why? Because it tracks your home’s energy consumption in real time, sends meter readings direct to your energy supplier to ensure accurate billing, and shows gas and electricity usage in pounds, pence and kilowatts so you can identify where you can cut back. You can request a smart meter from your energy supplier - they’re free.

2) Wash without the boil

Many appliances use less energy to heat water to lower temperatures without impacting the wash results. With this in mind, select the ‘eco’ setting on your dishwasher, wash your clothes at 30°C or less, and be sure every cycle is full, but not overloaded.

3) Boost home appliance productivity

Prevent appliances from tiring, clogging, and over-using electricity by giving them monthly once-overs: run the maintenance cycle on your washing machine and dishwasher (check salt levels and filters, too); empty your vacuum bag, defrost your freezer, and check the seal on your refrigerator doors.

4) Avoid tumble-drying

Tumble driers are a big energy consumer. You can cut costs simply by switching yours off and hanging your washing to dry outside or on an indoor clothes airer.

5) Turn down the heat and close the doors

Lower the setting on the thermostats by just one degree, and avoid heating the whole house by adjusting thermostats on a room-by-room basis. It’ll save you money without you noticing a drop in temperature.

Doors, curtains and blinds have an impact, too. Close them to retain room heat when it’s cold, and keep them open to help spread natural light, heat and airflow when it’s sunny.

Our new build homes are specially designed to maximise thermal efficiency and heat retention, reducing the energy needed to keep your home warm.

6) Invest in smart thermostats

Overheating your home will see energy bills spike. Stay in control by investing in smart thermostats for each room, and use them to schedule your heating remotely from your mobile device to make sure the heat’s only on when you’re going to be home.

The UK Government recommends setting thermostats to 18°C.

7) Cook with cunning [or thought]

Rethink your kitchen habits: how long does it really take to pre-heat your oven? How much water do you actually need in the kettle? Will food cook faster if you put the lid on the pan and turn up the heat? Even batch cooking can save you money by cutting the overall time you spend cooking.

8) Buy energy efficient appliances

Old appliances can eat energy, even if they’re on standby. New, A-rated appliances - which come as standard in Crest Nicholson homes - are purposefully designed to be energy efficient, as are LED lightbulbs, which also enjoy a longer lifespan and are kinder for the environment.

9) Change suppliers

Your current energy provider may not have you on the best tariff. Do your research: compare your rate with others, across all suppliers. And consider opting for a fixed tariff, which will ensure you don’t see any unexpected price hikes.

10) Switch devices off at the wall

Leaving a device on standby still uses power - put an end to the drain by switching them off at the wall. 

For details on our energy efficient new build homes, please visit: crestnicholson.com