Energy saving is one of the most useful tools for two issues of equal importance: reducing the energy bill and climate action, specifically climate change mitigation. And, furthermore, it has the added characteristic of being very democratic, since applying measures to consume less and achieve the same or more is within the reach of anyone who knows how to see the advantages and proposes it.
Even more interesting, the importance of energy efficiency is such that every October 21, World Energy Saving Day, administrations, institutions, companies and civil society organizations invite society to reflect and implement actions to make responsible use of energy.
A practice that has two immediate results for those who apply it: the first and direct one is the economic savings that implies that the equipment for producing hot water, heating and cooling in homes consumes less energy. The next, and also immediate, is that homes improve their comfort and habitability.
Path to sustainability
And there is more, because in parallel and by incorporating energy efficiency, these homes reduce their CO2 emissions, thus initiating a transition towards sustainability and actively participating in the mitigation of climate change.
Especially if you take into account that “36% of CO2 emissions in Europe come from buildings, so action in homes is very important to reduce these levels,” explains Cristina Sánchez, director of Sustainability and Positive Impact at Leroy Merlin Spain. He adds: «more and more households want to live responsibly, but they need clear information and accessible solutions. “Two issues to which at Leroy Merlin we feel committed, facilitating information, access to solutions and helping our customers to easily identify products with better energy performance and lower environmental impact.”
The keys
The basis for improving the energy efficiency of a home is good insulation, enclosure and shading systems, if the local climate requires it. The next thing is to incorporate efficient hot water production, heating and cooling equipment and systems for the home. “In an average home, a good combination of insulation, efficient air conditioning and renewable energy can reduce energy consumption by up to 40%,” says Sánchez, “and each family can improve their comfort and reduce their energy consumption in a simple and accessible way, with solutions adapted to each type of home, because each one is different and has different needs.”
Information for action
It is important in any case that consumers have information about diverse and adaptable solutions for each type of people and homes so that they can make informed and conscious decisions. «In many cases, small measures that have a great impact and can mean savings of up to 60% in heating or 90% in lighting; Our goal is to accompany households in their energy transition and for them to see that living more efficiently is also living better,” says Sánchez.
To achieve this, the company promotes different information, learning and awareness resources. One is the Home Index indicator, “which we launched a year ago and which evaluates more than 200,000 products according to more than 30 environmental and social criteria, with which our customers have the possibility of making more responsible and informed purchases,” says Cristina Sánchez. Sales of the most sustainable categories (A, B and C), of the Renewable Energy and Comfort categories, have grown by around 11% in this time, which fits with “the 2024 Forética survey, which tells us that more and more consumers want to live responsibly.”
In addition, the company has prepared the Energy Efficiency Guide, which offers practical guidelines and specific data on how to reduce the energy bill and the environmental footprint of homes through small actions that are within everyone’s reach.
Another initiative is the La Junta campaign launched by Leroy Merlin, which seeks to mobilize households towards collective action so that those who are not yet energy efficient walk together towards a more sustainable future.
