Derek Horrocks, owner of Sustainable Investments

With the recent cold snaps and icy weather becoming more and more common, the importance of energy efficient homes has been highlighted by Derek Horrocks, owner of leading retrofit decarbonisation provider Sustainable Building Services.

He said: “Cold snaps arrive and it’s been reported that as many as 1.7m households are choosing not to turn the heating on to combat the cost of living and the loss of winter fuel payments.

“We can’t emphasise enough the positive impacts energy efficient homes can have on those living in them. It goes far beyond having a warm and comfortable home, reaching into spaces that tackle the four main crises being faced today. For example, energy efficiency improvements mean reduced bills that work towards battling the rising cost of energy. But they also mean reduced stress over bill affordability, and coupled with a warmer, comfortable environment people see improved levels of both physical and mental wellbeing.

“Whether talking about privately owned homes or social homes managed by housing providers, the focus should be the same – everyone deserves a healthy home. There is now the ability to create mass change at an unprecedented scale. There are options available, with many measures able to be delivered much more quickly, efficiently, and affordably than is often understood.

“Whether it’s from grant funding for homeowners for specific measures or government programmes for larger-scale social home improvement works, the options for energy efficiency upgrades are more accessible than ever before. This being said, for many – especially private homeowners – such upgrades may be seen as a luxury at the moment. That’s why we’re on a mission to help people and organisations not only understand the upgrades they can be making, but how to access them in a way that makes them affordable – seeking for every home to play its part in the wider fight against climate change, while having a hugely positive impact on the financial, physical, and mental health of those living in it.”

For more information, visit www.sustainablebuildinguk.com