Energy Efficiency Could Add Value To Your Property

There is been a dramatic rise in knowledge and demand for energy efficiency in recent years. The arguments for making your home more energy efficient have centred around saving money on your fuel bills and protecting the environment.

However it has been suggested that energy efficiency will no longer be simply the domain of those particularly concerned with environmental issues but due to rising fuel costs the money you could save by making your home energy efficient could increase dramatically. In addition the better your homes energy efficiency the higher the value it could command on the housing market.

Currently the Energy Saving Trust estimate that we could save £250 on our fuel bills by making our homes more energy efficient. However, it’s likely that as the cost of fuel is likely to rise as we run out of our own fuel supplies and have to import more from abroad. Thus if we can consumer less by being more energy efficient then the savings are likely to be even higher and that’s not just good news for our pockets, but also for the environment as less fuel will be consumed overall.

Not only are there likely to be savings on fuel bills for energy efficient homes as the costs of fuel bills rise, but since this may become a concern buyers will naturally seek out property which has been made energy efficient. Thus, owners of energy efficient homes will be able to ask more for their properties.

To consider the effect this may have on house prices the average home consumes more than the average car and more efficient cars are both sought after and developed by car manufacturers.

With the introduction of the Home Information Pack in January 2007 buyers will be able to access information on the energy efficiency of potential homes easily. The Home Information Pack will require sellers to provide information on their home rather than buyers having to seek this out themselves. One of the areas the pack will cover is all kinds of information on a property’s energy efficiency, including types of insulation and ventilation. Additionally this information will be compiled using standardised government assessments.

Should the predications prove correct on the value of energy efficiency in future housing markets there seem to be plenty of benefits which will recoup any outlay required to bring our homes up to spec. As mentioned there are already savings to be had from making our homes more energy efficient, likewise the environmental impact will be important and judging by the general rise in interest in environmental issues this will be important to many of us.

Although these improvements are likely to cost, there are grants and support available to those who wish to make their homes more energy efficient. These are available to encourage us to make full use of our knowledge and ability to minimise the impact we have on our environment.