Understanding The Energy Consumption Of Your Home

The energy consumption in homes forms a major portion of the country’s total demand for energy in the UK. Understanding typical household gas and electricity consumption in the United Kingdom, is a vital requirement to designing meaningful energy-saving schemes that will limit the negative environmental effects.

Average Gas And Electricity Consumption

According to the UK’s energy regulator, Ofgem, a normal household consuming 2,700 kWh of electricity and 11,500 kWh of gas per annum is not uncommon for the area of England, Scotland and Wales This is equivalent to about 225 kWh of electricity and 959 kWh of gas per month [1]. Compare this to a 45 g Cadbury chocolate bar you will find that it has about 240 Kcal [2]. 240 Kcal are about 0.2789 kWh. Then you get about 806 bars for gas and about 3,438 of these Cadbury bars for electricity.

Factors Influencing Energy Consumption

The energy consumption in residential properties in the United Kingdom, i.e. your home, depends on several factors. These factors can be broadly categorized into two main groups:

Household Characteristics

Occupancy:
The energy consumption is highly dependent on the occupants in a household. There is increased usage of heating, lighting and home appliances that contributes to large energy consumption among larger households.
Household Type:
Households with different property types, such as detached houses, semi-detached houses, flats and bungalows have differing energy use patterns. In general, the highest energy consumption comes from detached houses to the lowest in flats.
Lifestyle:
Energy consumption is also largely driven by the lifestyle choices of household members such as heating behaviour, how appliances are used and energy-conscious practices.

Property Characteristics

Property Size:
For example, larger properties in terms of floor area are likely to use more energy because they need more heating and light a more extensive space.
Property Age:
Older properties tend to be less energy-efficient designed and insulated. This leads to higher consumption of energy compared to new homes.
Energy Efficiency:
The energy efficiency rate of a property indicates the level of heat loss and is measured on an A to G scale. Lower energy consumption is often associated with higher energy efficiency ratings.

Regional Variations

Small differences also come in the energy consumption patterns across various regions of the United Kingdom. For example, it has been observed that regions with colder climates consume more energy in heating, while other regions may experience heavy consumption of electricity, especially in the warm seasons to power air conditioners.

Impact of Energy Consumption

Residential energy consumption has a significant environmental impact. The burning of fossil fuels to generate electricity produces and releases harmful greenhouse gases that contribute to climate change. Furthermore, excessive energy consumption strains the energy infrastructure of the United Kingdom and may lead to energy shortages.

Strategies For Reducing Energy Consumption

Your environmental impact can be mitigated by reducing your energy consumption in your home. This also helps to promote energy sustainability. Several strategies can be employed to achieve this goal. Here are some of these strategies:

Improving Energy Efficiency:
This can be achieved by upgrading the insulation of your home, replacing old appliances with energy-efficient models and adopting smart home technologies that can significantly reduce your energy consumption.
Adopting Energy-Conscious Behaviours:
Simple habits such as switching off the lights when you do not use them, unplugging unused electronics, and adjusting your thermostat settings can make a substantial difference.
Utilizing Renewable Energy Sources:
Investing in renewable energy sources, such as solar panels, can further reduce the reliance on fossil fuels.

Conclusion

Knowing your home’s average gas and electricity usage is essential if you want to devise sustainable energy-saving strategies which minimize your carbon footprint. By reducing your energy consumption and adopting more energy-efficient measures, you can make a significant contribution towards a greener future and save money along the way.