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The world is faced with an energy dilemma
We need to provide a secure energy supply, at an affordable price, whilst meeting long term decarbonisation goals. This is particularly relevant in the UK, which contains some of the ‘leakiest’ building stock in Europe. It is estimated that of every £4 spent on heating, £1 is wasted through poor insulation.
Decarbonisation
In 2008 the UK Government passed the Climate Change Act, setting legally binding targets to drastically reduce CO2 and other greenhouse gases (GHG) emissions by at least 80% in 2050 compared with 1990. In 2019, the UK Government passed legislation to set a net zero greenhouse gas emissions target by 2050 into law – the first major economy to do so. Energy efficiency is the cheapest and quickest way to reduce energy consumption, which in turn limits harmful carbon dioxide pollution from fossil fuels.
Lower fuel bills
In addition, selecting the right insulation and installing it correctly is an investment that will help lower energy usage and utility bills. ROCKWOOL insulation is an extremely cost effective means of improving energy efficiency as it is highly durable and long-lasting, and requires no maintenance.
Fuel poverty
In Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, a fuel poor household is defined as one which needs to spend more than 10% of their income on fuel to maintain an adequate standard of warmth. According to the latest figures, fuel poverty affects 25% of households in Scotland, 12% of households in Wales and 22% of households in Northern Ireland.
In England, a fuel poor household is defined as one which has above average fuel costs and would be left with a disposable income below the poverty line if it met those costs. According to the most recent government figures, fuel poverty affects 2.53 million households (11% of households in England).
Health costs
Living in fuel poverty has serious consequences for people’s health. Cold homes can exacerbate health problems such as pneumonia, asthma, and arthritis, and can even lead to premature deaths. Age UK has calculated that the annual cost to the NHS in England of cold homes is £1.36 billion, plus the associated cost to social care services, which is likely to be substantial.
ROCKWOOL insulation is designed to help solve these problems by making buildings more thermally efficient. Our insulation solutions range from products designed for new-build housing, public and private buildings, as well as for retrofit purposes in domestic and commercial settings.