How to make your London home greener
Londoners are becoming increasingly aware of their environmental impact, and a lot of us are looking for ways to make our homes more sustainable. Whether you live in a Victorian terrace, a modern flat, or a suburban semi-detached, there are numerous steps you can take to reduce your carbon footprint and create an eco-friendly living space.
Embrace Energy-Efficient Lighting
One of the easiest and most effective ways to start greening your London home is by overhauling your lighting. Traditional incandescent bulbs are energy guzzlers, converting most of their electricity into heat rather than light. You can massively reduce your energy consumption by making the switch to LED lightbulbs.
LED bulbs come in a variety of warmth and brightness levels, allowing you to create the perfect ambience in each room. Smart home technology allows you to control your lighting from your smartphone, set schedules, and even change colours, further optimising your energy use.
Optimise Your Heating System
Heating often accounts for a significant portion of a home's energy consumption. Upgrading to a more efficient boiler can make a substantial difference in your energy usage and bills. Look for boilers with an A rating for efficiency. Many London-based companies, such as British Gas and E.ON, offer boiler installation services and can advise on the best options for your home.
Installing a smart thermostat is another excellent way to optimise your heating. They allow you to control your heating remotely, set schedules, and even learn your preferences over time. This can lead to significant energy savings by ensuring you're only heating your home when necessary.
Don't overlook the importance of proper insulation, either. Many London homes, especially older ones, lose a substantial amount of heat through poorly insulated walls, roofs, and floors. Consider hiring a professional to assess your home's insulation needs.
Harness Solar Power
London may not be known for its sunny weather, but solar panels can still be a viable option for many homes in the capital. Recent advances in solar technology mean that panels can generate electricity even on overcast days, making them increasingly practical for London's climate.
You’ll need to consider factors such as your roof's orientation, angle, and any potential shading from nearby buildings or trees before installing solar panels. Many London-based solar installers offer free assessments to determine whether your home is suitable.
Consider smaller solar-powered devices if a full solar panel system isn't feasible for your property. Solar-powered security lights, garden lamps, or even solar chargers for your devices can help reduce your reliance on grid electricity.
Create a Water-Wise Home
Water conservation is an often overlooked aspect of creating a greener home. Installing water-efficient fixtures can significantly reduce your water consumption without impacting your daily life. Look for taps, showerheads, and toilets with the Water Label, which indicates products that meet water efficiency standards.
Consider installing a water butt to collect rainwater from your roof. This can be used for watering plants, cleaning outdoor areas, or even flushing toilets if properly filtered. Many London boroughs offer discounted water butts to residents as part of their sustainability initiatives.
You could think about xeriscaping - a landscaping approach that reduces or eliminates the need for irrigation. Choose native plants that are adapted to London's climate and require less water. The Royal Horticultural Society offers excellent resources on water-wise gardening suitable for London's environment.
Upgrade Your Doors
Doors are often overlooked, but they play a crucial role in your home's energy efficiency. Poorly fitted or inadequately insulated doors can lead to significant heat loss, forcing your heating system to work harder and consume more energy.
Consider replacing old doors with energy-efficient alternatives. Look for doors with a high U-value, which indicates better insulation properties. Composite doors are particularly popular in London due to their excellent thermal performance and security features.
Don't forget about your internal doors, either. Ensuring they fit properly and adding draught excluders can help maintain consistent temperatures throughout your home, reducing the load on your heating system. Upgrades don’t have to be ugly. You can find door handles that are stylish and suit efficient doors at Corston; a sustainably focussed company. They use solid brass which is not only durable, but also infinitely recyclable meaning there is no waste in their production process. Choosing the companies you buy from carefully is another key way to make sure you’re being as green as possible.
Reduce, Reuse, Recycle
Implementing a comprehensive recycling system in your home is crucial for reducing your environmental impact. Familiarise yourself with your local council's recycling guidelines, as these can vary across London boroughs. Set up clearly labelled bins for different types of recyclables to make sorting easier for all household members.
Beyond recycling, focus on reducing your overall waste. Choose products with minimal packaging when shopping, and opt for reusable alternatives to disposable items. Many London shops now offer package-free options for groceries and household items.
Grow Your Own
It’s possible to grow some of your own food even if you live in the heart of London. This not only reduces the carbon footprint associated with transporting produce but also provides you with fresh, pesticide-free vegetables and herbs.
Community gardens and allotments are also popular in London, offering the opportunity to grow your own food while connecting with your local community. Think about dedicating a portion of your garden to growing vegetables. Window boxes, balconies, or even indoor spaces can be used for growing herbs, salad leaves, or compact varieties of vegetables if you have limited outdoor space.
Pitchfork Music Festival · Fireworks · Christmas Light Switch-on events · Voila! Theatre Festival · Canary Wharf Ice Rink · Picasso: Printmaker · Louis Blue Newby & Laila Majid: Inner Heat · Spirit of Lagos by Abi Morocco Photos · Urban Adventure Challenge · Unreported Uprisings by Inès Elsa Dalal…
EFG London Jazz Festival · Fireworks Displays in London · Skate at Somerset House · Chelsea Barracks Winter Fair · The 80s: Photographing Britain · Pitchfork Festival · 30 Years of Bugged Out! · Woolwich Contemporary Print Fair · Christmas at Kew · Christmas Lights in London · Winter Market Southbank Centre · Hacienda Sounds · Winter Light Festival · Michelangelo, Leonardo, Raphael: Florence, c. 1504 · Eva Recacha: The Picnic · Chunky Move: 4/4 · The Royal Opera: Hansel and Gretel
Claudette Johnson’s ‘Three Women’ mural, inspired by her earlier work and Picasso, celebrates the Black female experience while contributing to the station’s public art initiative.
Melek Zeynep Bulut’s Duo at the Painted Hall · An Evening with Fran Lebowitz · Celebrate Diwali with Rav & Tarunima · Fireworks displays in London · Víkingur Ólafsson & Yuja Wang: Two Pianos · Winter Market at the Southbank · Día de los Muertos with Disciples · Ekow Eshun: The Strangers · Preview: Blitz by Steve McQueen · Farah Atassi: The Lost Hours · Claudette Johnson: Three Women · Halloween with LEGO at Battersea Power Station
PATRÓN Tequila presents a month-long celebration featuring top DJs, signature cocktails, and vibrant Mexican food across London’s trendiest venues.
Frieze London came with much anticipation (and hesitation) this year…not least because of gloomy market outlooks. But the mood was cheery, and the crowd was buzzing…
Directed by Patrick Marber, who won a Tony Award in 2023 for Leopoldstadt, an exploration of Viennese Jewish history, the play features familiar TV faces and delivers an entertaining yet serious comedy that tackles weighty issue…
Frieze Sculpture · Halloween at Kew · Jan de Vylder and Inge Vinck · Gin and Jazz at Artesian Bar · LAPADA Berkeley Square Fair · London Literature Festival · Mahler 2 · Jordan Stephens · The Apprentice · Lift 109 Sound Bath · The World of Tim Burton · Francis Bacon · UMBRA · Making a rukus! · Oscar Murillo · Kioku Bar · Action for Happiness
Discover fifteen locations in London where you can enjoy the celebrations on the weekends before and after and the official Bonfire Night itself.
Captain Morgan and Pepsi MAX are celebrating their new pre-mixed drink with a two-day immersive in Shoreditch on 23 and 24 October 2024.…
In partnership with Penguin Books, Canary Wharf Group celebrates Black History Month by offering free, accessible literature from a diverse range of Black authors.
Leap Year explores Yang’s multifaceted, interdisciplinary, and inventive practice from the early 2000s to today, featuring key works from some of her most notable series…
12th edition of 1-54 Contemporary African Art Fair 2024 at Somerset House, London review…
Goodbye Horses is an excellent neighbourhood wine bar, offering a memorable combination of delicious food, great wine, and a lively atmosphere.
London Cocktail Week · Esther Mahlangu: Umuntu ngumuntu ngabantu · My English Persian Kitchen · Decorative Art Fair · András Schiff: Haydn, Schubert & Mozart · Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland · Barter and Bazaar: The Journey of Exchange · Nicola L. · Mike Kelley: Ghost and Spirit · Sonia Boyce: An Awkward Relation…
Frieze London and Frieze Masters · Halloween at Kew Gardens · BFI London Film Festival · LAPADA · London Literature Festival · Princess Essex at Shakespeare’s Globe · Fabric at 25 · András Schiff: Haydn, Schubert & Mozart · London Cocktail Week · Wildlife Photographer of the Year…
Eugene Onegin, The Royal Opera · British Art Fair 2024 · Rasheed Araeen’s Discosailing: A Ballet on Water · Edward Gardner Conducts Rachmaninov · Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, The Royal Ballet · Debenhams Exclusive One-Day Luxury Pop-Up Spa · Free Pizza from Yard Sale Pizza · Chelsea History Festival · Friday Late: Fashioning Futures · Christie’s Late: Voices of Black Artistry · Yayoi Kusama….
Bermondsey Street Festival · Frieze Sculpture 2024 · London Design Festival 2024 · Future of Food Festival · Ara Malikian · Totally Thames 2024 · La traviata, The Royal Opera · Qudus Onikeku’s Re:INCARNATION · Michael Craig-Martin · Yelena Popova: Of Dust and Breath · Pamela Phatsimo Sunstrum: It Will End in Tears · Lap-See Lam · Tracey Emin: I followed you to the end · Van Gogh: Poets and Lovers · Eva Rothschild · …
Slice teams up with Yard Sale Pizza for free Pizza on the 24 September at their Hackney Road Store….
The exhibition ‘MARY MARY’ will feature sculptures by nine women artists on the roof terrace above Temple tube station from October 2024 to September 2025…
Hayu FanFest will make its debut in London on 26 October, featuring exclusive panels, star-studded meet-and-greets, and a special appearance by Andy Cohen…
London's bustling art week returns next month, with Frieze London and Frieze Masters launching at The Regent's Park from 9 to 13 October 2024. During this time, several other art fairs will also be taking place across the city…
Queen’s Park is set to bid farewell to summer with a vibrant street party on Lonsdale Road, scheduled for Friday, 13th September, from 4-10pm. This exciting event will unite the local community with a lively set by Hed Kandi DJ John Jones …
London Podcast Festival 2024 · Birkenstock 250th Anniversary Exhibition · Rolf Hind: Sky in a Small Cage · Totally Thames 2024 · Unlimited Southbank Centre · London Mural Festival 2024 · Cornelius + Ichiko Aoba · The Marriage of Figaro, The Royal Opera · Rooftop Book Club · The Vinyl Factory: REVERB · Ernest Cole: House of Bondage · Roger Mayne: Youth …
A significant piece of London’s nightlife history is making its way to the new London Museum, set to open in 2026. The iconic sign from the renowned nightclub fabric, which celebrated its 20th anniversary in 2019, will be featured in the museum’s permanent installation…
Babur is a respected family run restaurant in an unassuming neighbourhood which opened back in 1985 and has clearly stood the test of time. The kitchen is led by two talented chefs (formerly of the renowned luxury Oberoi Hotel Group) head chef Jiwan Lal and sous chef Praveen Kumar Gupta, who both helped Babur receive London’s Best Asian Restaurant at the Asian Restaurant Awards in 2022.
One Tree Hill Nature Reserve offers a peaceful retreat from busy London. Located in Honor Oak It can be reached by the Overground train arriving at Honor Oak, a small reserve of 7 acres with interesting history, wildlife and stunning panoramic views towards the city.