Figure, announced at yesterday’s (January 26) University of Salford Retrofit 2012 conference showed the average temperature at risen by just over a degree C a decade since the 70s.

Another challenge is that expectation of personal comfort in the home had risen, with the public’s definition of ‘comfortable’ home temperature rising from 12 deg C in 1970 to 17.3 deg C in 2008.

Salford University’s professor, Andy Steele, revealed the figures when talking about the potential impact of the Government’s planned Green Deal.

Prof Steele told delegates that Government and industry should pay more attention to incentivising the public to save energy in the home.

He said: “The link between home energy use and climate change can be disempowering and how to save on energy costs is hardly a dinner table topic.”

Prof Steele research concluded that solutions to finance, through the Green Deal and energy efficiency technology are emerging, but policy makers have yet to engage a key element in the retrofit challenge – human behaviour.

He added: “Innovations can actually work against energy and cost-reduction objectives.

“Research shows how residents in energy-efficient houses were more likely to take resource-inefficient baths rather showers, with the prevailing view that, as one said: ‘It doesn’t matter, it’s energy-efficient’.”

Luke Walsh

Action inspires action. Stay ahead of the curve with sustainability and energy newsletters from edie

Subscribe