Green schemes and energy saving home improvement methods are nothing new – modern advancements mean that our buildings can be more energy efficient than ever before. With global warming an increasing threat to our planet, the government has been doing more than ever before to encourage business owners and home owners to take responsibility for their carbon footprint.

Making our homes warmer comes with plenty of advantages – you’ll enjoy a more comfortable living space, save money on energy bills and you’ll also be doing your bit for the environment. But it appears that not everyone has been pro-active enough when it comes to making energy efficient home improvements – and a think tank has now suggested that homeowners should be banned from selling homes which don’t meet minimum requirements.

Landlords will already be banned from letting out poorly energy rated properties by 2018, but this new report is also targeting negligent homeowners. Improving household efficiency is key to reaching the UK’s climate targets, but previous initiatives have failed to attract homeowners. Now, Bright Blue, a Conservative-led think tank, has made new proposals for punishing homeowners who haven’t made necessary improvements to their homes.

EPC Rating to Determine Sale of Home

The most radical suggestion in the report is that the government could prevent the sale of homes which don’t meet the minimum requirements for energy efficiency. A minimum EPC rating could be introduced, to block the sale of less energy efficient homes, but a required level was not mentioned.

In other proposals, the think tank said that homeowners should be forced to make energy improvements – including new boilers or insulation – when they carry out other home improvement works. Nevertheless, to improve draughty homes can be expensive, which is probably why some homeowners put off making the energy efficient changes. The think tank has accompanied these tough new regulations with suggested funding schemes, such as a ‘Help to Improve’ loan and ISA.

Preventing Draughts

Tackling draughty homes needs a number of approaches. Homes without double glazing or triple glazed windows will fail to meet energy standards, and homeowners should really consider updating their windows. Front and back doors can also be letting in draughts unnecessarily so this should be addressed. Then wall and roof insulation can be considered for trapping heat in the home.

Is your home green enough? Do you think it would pass the government standards to put it on the market, if these proposals are put forward? If you’d like to make some energy saving improvements to your home, get in touch with the experts at Prior Products.