If you’re worried about the energy efficiency of your home this book will help you to make small changes that will improve your carbon footprint and reduce your utility bills.  Over 30% of all CO2 emissions are down to housing and Peter Smith tells us what we can do to change this startling figure. If you’re thinking about starting any home renovations read this first, after all upgrading your property can immediately represent added capital value, so use the opportunity to install adequate insulation from the start – you’re literally throwing money away on wasted energy if you don’t. Simple changes like replacing old, outdated appliances and white goods with new A-rated ones will immediately have an impact.

With the recent introduction of Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs) and Home Information Packs (HIPs) the responsibility of the homeowner or landlord has increased. By law you must inform potential buyers or tenants of the current energy efficiency performance of your property so that they can make intelligent and informed decisions on whether to rent or buy. It places increased pressure on owners and landlords to improve the efficiency where possible in order to positively impact the environment. With practical and affordable ideas such as underfloor heating or solar panels there’s something in here for all budgets and circumstances.

There are hundreds of books on building your own eco-home but if you’re not in a position to build your own pad, the next best thing is to refurbish what you’ve got. This book shows exactly what you can do to renovate your current home in an environmentally friendly way, with everything you need in one handy reference guide. It’s an extremely practical text with a useful case study to show us exactly how it’s done.