As a society, our energy output is excessive. Electricity and natural gas are the most-used energy sources within homes, and they create greenhouse gases and air pollutants that are extremely harmful to the environment. To combat this, energy efficiency is essential. It helps consumers to reduce their energy consumption, utility costs and the impact of the carbon footprint.

Energy efficiency should be practiced by all households - it is an integral part of building a cleaner future. The UK have committed to reducing its greenhouse gas emissions by at least 80% by 2050. By being energy efficient, there is a chance that we will be able to achieve this target.

Does Energy Efficiency Reduce Bills? 

Yes! By lowering and prioritising your energy use, you'll see a reduction in your monthly bills. There are energy-efficient products on the market which may initially cost more, but they will undoubtedly save you more money over time. 

Interestingly, according to the Department of Energy & Climate Change, small and medium sized businesses could reduce their energy bills by up to 25% by installing energy efficient measures and practicing behavioural change.

What is Energy Efficiency? 

Energy efficiency, in its simplest form, is using less energy to perform the same task, thus eliminating energy waste.

A good example of this would be energy-efficient LED light bulbs - they are able to produce the same amount of light as incandescent light bulbs, but they use up to 80% less electricity. 

How To Be Energy Efficient 

If you'd like to start implementing energy efficient practices, then these small changes from the Energy Saving Trust are a good place to start.

Install a smart meter 

Smart meters are able to give you real-time information on your energy use. This way, you'll be able to manage your usage better so you can save money and reduce harmful emissions

Draught-proof windows and doors

Naturally, your home will lose heat through draughts around entryways, gaps and windows. With the winter months creeping in, there's no doubt that homes will suddenly get a lot colder. 

To combat this, you could invest in professional draught-proofing. This can cost around £225 on average, but the long-term benefits outweigh the upfront cost. You could save up to £125 every year on energy bills if you take the plunge and draught-proof your property. 

Second guess your washing routine

By putting more thought into your weekly clothes wash, you could save yourself around £34 a year. Avoid using higher temperatures as this uses up more energy, and try to limit your clothes wash to once a week.

Lights out!

Start a habit of turning off a light when you leave an area within a home. We're all guilty of it, but you could save almost £20 a year!

If you want to go the extra mile, swap all of your bulbs for energy efficient LEDS along with integrated sensors and timers for lights to ensure they're only on when they need to be. 

What Are the Benefits of Energy Efficiency? 

There are no disadvantages to being energy efficient - so it's a win-win situation! 

• Reduce air pollution

Air pollution is one of the world's single biggest environmental risks to human health. Energy efficiency can reduce both indoor and outdoor concentrations of air pollutions. 

• Improve health and wellbeing

Energy efficiency supports good mental and physical health by creating a healthy living environment for society. Recent evidence from the World Health Organisation (WHO) shows that chronic thermal issues and fuel poverty also have negative mental health effects such as increased anxiety, stress and depression.

• Lower your own energy prices

By using less energy, your monthly energy bill will reduce. You can also lower energy prices in general by reducing the need to add expensive power generation through reducing the pressure on energy resources. 

• Improve energy access

Continuing from the point above, if you do this, energy will become a more accessible source due to the lack of pressurised demand. 

At Access Training, we train our Gas and Electric Engineers for a sustainable future

We believe in quality trade education that lasts, for the peace of mind of our students and any customers that they work for in the future. Take a look at our range of electric and gas courses and get in touch at 0800 345 7492 to contribute to a more energy-efficient future.

Gas Courses     Electrical Courses

One of our fantastic students, Rob, is in the process of completing a variety of our training courses so he can start his own business. We've had the pleasure of catching up with Rob throughout his training and it's been great to see how much he's progressed. Today, we want to give you an overview of Rob's story to show you how we can help you steer your career in a new and exciting direction.

Rob's Background & Initial Training

For 35-40 years, Rob was working in IT and construction. This career took him all over the country and even abroad, but meant that he was often far away from his family, something that in later life, Rob wanted to rectify. When reflecting on his career, Rob decided that it was time to pursue a new avenue that would allow him to work for himself and spend more time at home. The courses we offer here at Access Training are fast-paced allowing Rob to gain the qualifications he needed for his new venture in no time at all.

Initially, Rob signed up for an Electrical Course, but later decided to take on a Plumbing and a Gas Course too! Having worked in the construction industry for most of his life, Rob knew that there was a significant skills gap in the sector. This presented itself as a great opportunity for Rob to pursue his own business, something that we were all too happy to help with. You can see our first interview with Rob in full below. 

Training for a Greener Future

We caught up with Rob a few months after our initial interview to see how he was getting on. Since we last spoke to him, Rob had completed a few more modules and had sat his assessment. If the assessment goes well, Rob will already be qualified to do the following:

• Domestic installations
• Commercial installations
• Initial verifications on electrical systems
• Periodic testing
• PAT testing 

With an already impressive set of skills under his belt and in the pipeline, Rob isn't planning on stopping there. He has signed up for our Level 4 Electrical Design Course and for one of our new specialist courses that will teach him how to install charging points for electric cars. His enthusiasm for learning and for creating a greener world is admirable, and his aspirations for the future are in-line with this. 

Building a Greener Future

The skills Rob is gaining through our Electrical, Plumbing and Gas courses are setting him up perfectly for a career in renewable technologies which is the field he'd ultimately like to work in. We don't currently offer courses that cover photovoltaic (solar panel) installation or rainwater harvesting, but Rob has enrolled on our Electric Vehicle Charger Installation Course to get the ball rolling.

Once Rob has gained a few more eco-friendly skills, he plans to work with clients who want to build low carbon & self-sufficient homes, something we can expect to see a lot more of in the coming years. In the meantime, Rob can use the qualifications he's gained at Access Training to carry out gas, plumbing and electric work. We can't wait to see what he does next and we wish him the best of luck on his eco-friendly endeavours! You can see our second interview with Rob in full here. 

If, like Rob, you want to take your career in a new direction and work towards a greener future, explore our range of courses now! If you'd like to speak to one of our advisors, give us a call on 0800 345 7492. We look forward to hearing from you.

Explore Our Courses >

In recent years, there has been a huge push towards more eco-friendly power sources, vehicles, shopping habits... (the list goes on). As political pressure grows, many of us are starting to re-evaluate our lives to make sure we're not having a detrimental impact on the planet. People have swapped from disposable coffee cups to reusable, from plastic toothbrushes to bamboo and from fuel-powered cars to electric. 

According to Statisa.com, "In the third quarter of 2018, the number of grant eligible plug-in cars registered in the UK surpassed 15 thousand"  that's almost 15 times more than there were at the beginning of the same year, and electric car sales are only going to rise as we move into the new decade.

So, as the general public focus their attentions on their own eco-friendly efforts, we urge you to consider training for an eco-friendly career in 2020. Skills such as; being able to fit solar panels, install a car charger, and set up a self-sufficient water collection system are only going to increase in demand. With that in mind, there's no better time to start filling a relatively large skills gap and pursue an eco-friendly career!

How can Access Training Help Me?

As it stands, we offer two brand new eco-friendly training courses here at Access Training, both of which will provide you with the skills, qualifications and experience you need to begin your career in the eco-friendly sector. Let's take a look at each course to give you an idea of what's on offer. 

Eco-Electrical Course

As the name suggests, this is an eco-friendly electrical course that's designed to equip beginners with the electrical and eco-electrical knowledge they need to start their eco-friendly career. The main things you will learn on this course include:

• The fundamentals of electrical work in the home
• How to safely test electrical installations
• How to install charging points for electrical vehicles

Learn more >

Electric Vehicle Charging Installation Course

If you've already got electrical qualifications and experience behind you, this 2-day course will help you take your career down an environmentally friendly path. With your electrical knowledge as a basis, we're sure you'll pick up the following skills in no time:

• How to safely install car charging points
• EV charging point commissioning
• How to check our installations are safe

Learn more >

If you're ready to take the first steps towards a greener career, don't hesitate to get in touch with us. We'll help you get started and arrange a start date for your eco-friendly training that suits you.