Garden offices and the domestic carbon footprint.

The carbon footprint is big news for 2008 in the media. How can  we conserve energy at home and in our garden offices and other domestic buildings?

There has been much talk about renewable energy and new technologies such as grey water recycling for use around the home. But most new domestic technologies are still in the development stage, and have twenty or thirty year pay-back periods. 

A wind turbine in the garden would suffer from limited wind speed in urban areas, needs planning permission, and unless 2 or 3 metres in span, would produce very little electricity. However, solar panels for generating hot water are worth considering, but would be more cost effective on your house than on your garden office.

The investment of £16,000 to £20,000 in new technologies is definitely worthwhile personally and globally if you are building a new house or if you intend to live in your home for life. But there are simple measures that all of us can take in our homes and our garden offices to help reduce our carbon footprint.

So what are the simplest and fastest ways of reducing energy consumption in a new garden office, granny flat and in our homes? Try our energy check list below.

 1. High levels of insulation. Is your loft insulated? Have you got cavity wall insulation in the house? Have you got building regulation levels of insulation in your garden office to help balance your carbon footprint?

2. In a larger garden offfice you could heat with a woodburning stove. Woodburners burn efficiently and the resulting ash can be compsted or spread straight onto your garden.

3. Double glazing. Have all the rooms in your house, including your garden office, got double glazing?

4. When choosing new domestic appliances and garden office equipment ask for an energy rating. Don't leave any electrical equipment on stand-by. [Plasma TVs use more electricity than traditional televisions.]

5. Small but effective measures: -                                                        Energy saving light bulbs.                                                                    Washing your clothes at 30 degrees.                                                  Walking!

6. Building materials. Have the building materials in your new extension, loft conversion or garden office been manufactured in the UK to reduce carbon miles and do the manufacturers care about their carbon footprint? Do they recycle, how do they fuel their manufacturing plant?