In your home

The household is the focus of consumption of resources, such as food, water and energy. To lessen our impact on the environment from household activities, we should try to reduce:

• Energy consumption;

• Waste generation;

• Water wastage.

Taking appropriate action in these areas - in particular, focusing on your energy consumption - will enable you to take responsibility for your greenhouse gas emissions and can lead to cost savings. This section outlines the actions that you can take in your home to reduce your carbon emissions.

In our homes we use energy for heating and for electricity to power our appliances and to provide lighting. The key energy sources in Ireland are oil, gas, coal, and peat and the burning of all these fuels results in greenhouse gas emissions. While energy use is intimately linked to the modern way of life, there are a number of simple measures that can be taken in any home to improve energy conservation and efficiency.

Irish homes use around ¼ of the total energy use in Ireland – which means they consume even more than Irish industry!

Taking action to reduce your energy usage in the home will:

• Lower your heating and electricity bills through the elimination of energy wastage and more efficient use of energy

• Help to conserve dwindling fossil fuel resources

• Reduce greenhouse gases generated from the burning of fossil fuels

• Help compliance with any future building regulations and building energy ratings

• Make your home more attractive to buyers