Читать книгу How Can I Stop Climate Change: What is it and how to help - Литагент HarperCollins USD, F. M. L. Thompson - Страница 115

Most of us don’t live in new-build energy-efficient homes. Britain has streets of draughty Victorian and post-war properties – more than 4.4 million homes were built before 1920 and another 3.6 million date from pre-1945. Even by 2050 we’re more than likely to be living in a building that’s already standing today. So there’s no sense pinning all our hopes on new buildings. We need to deal with the big carbon footprint of the buildings we already have. What can be done to make them more energy-efficient?

The government estimates that what it calls cost-effective energy-saving measures could reduce carbon emissions by 17 per cent by 2050. Adding loft insulation to a house can save almost 1.5 tonnes of carbon dioxide a year, while cavity wall insulation can reduce emissions by a further 1 tonne a year – saving up to £160 of household energy bills into the bargain. Millions of homes in the UK could benefit from cavity wall insulation.

Older properties can be insulated internally and externally. Internal insulation can save more than 2 tonnes of carbon dioxide a year. External insulation costs more and can be difficult to install if there is not enough space under the eaves of the roof. Savings of up to 2.5 tonnes of carbon dioxide a year are possible for a typical three-bedroomed semi-detached house.