The Department of Energy & Climate Change Conservator Report 2013

40% of UK emissions come from households, which, on average is 8.1 tonnes of CO₂ per household with the highest proportion being attributed to heating. This means our homes have an important part to play in meeting the 2030 emissions reductions in the Fifth Carbon Budget. The target is to reduce the current average 8.1 tonnes per household to 4.5 tonnes of CO₂ by 2030.

With 4 million homes in the UK having a conservatory and the recognition of the fact that a conservatory is the least thermally inefficient room in the house lead the Department of Energy & Climate Change in December 2013 to conducted a conservatory survey.

The report identified that 77% of households heated their conservatory in winter. Those households whose conservatory is linked to their gas central heating on average used 18,200 kWh, which is significantly higher than the median gas consumption of 13,400 kWh for homes without a conservatory. For those who heat their conservatories with electrical heaters their energy use will be significantly higher. For those using gas central heating to heat their conservatory this represents a 35% increase in their gas consumption and with the current increase in energy cost, this is an area that needs to be addressed.  

The burning of 1kWh of natural gas generates 0.185 kgCo₂/kWh therefore to heat a conservatory with gas central heating will generate 888 KgCO₂ per year this is nearly one tonne of carbon and over the next ten years will equate to 8.88 tonnes of carbon. When multiplied by 4 million conservatories in the UK this represents 35.5 million tonnes of carbon per year and over the next ten-year period this is 355 million tonnes of carbon. To put 355 million tonnes of carbon into perspective it would require the planting of 710 million trees to sequester (absorb) that amount of carbon. In summary making your conservatory thermally efficient will save you money on your energy costs and you will be playing a major role in helping to combat climate change.

Thermal Coat will reduce your heating cost and your carbon footprint and when we have thermally insulating your conservatory we will plant a tree in the UK and its twin in Africa working in association with our Eco-Partner Tree Appeal. We are so committed to helping combat climate change we are going to continue to plant a tree in the UK its twin in Africa on your behalf for the next 3 years.