Brits Keen to Go Green But Lack the Know How

The results of a Global Energy Efficiency survey, conducted on behalf of Rexel – a leading worldwide distributor of electrical supplies – indicates that most people don’t implement energy saving home improvements due to a lack of energy efficiency education.

Whilst the British public seem clued up when it comes to implementing simple cost effective solutions – with 81% of survey participants already using energy saving light bulbs – money, unsurprisingly, is the determining factor when it comes to going green. Not just in terms of initial outlay, but also the measurable cost savings involved.

The survey turned in some surprising results, with two thirds of those surveyed admitting to never having heard of the Smart Meter roll-out plans, and only 13% had heard of or in fact understood the Government’s Feed-in Tariff (Fit) scheme. However, 70% had or were keen to install a green heating system, with 60% interested in installing solar panels.

The survey also found that more than a quarter of UK consumers would be more interested in saving energy if they could benefit from interest free eco-loans which would enable them to make the move to more energy efficient solutions.

Henri-Paul Laschkar, Senior Vice President at Rexel UK & Ireland said, "Ultimately 78% of Brits cited reduced expenses as their main motivation for going green, well ahead of environmental protection and future generations,” commented Henri-Paul Laschkar, Senior Vice President at Rexel UK & Ireland.

“A strong indication that the future of energy efficiency in the UK depends on our ability to better communicate financial incentives, ROI and long-term cost savings,” he added.