Because of the rapidly increasing cost of fuel, energy efficiency in the home is becoming more important. Not only is inefficient energy use expensive, it's practically criminal, considering the amount of efforts that are being made to curb pollution and global warming.

Fortunately, there are so many things that you can look into to make your home more energy efficient. But to keep things simple, we'll categorize these things into two classifications: energy conversion and energy consumption reduction.

Energy conversion

In energy conversion, you make changes around your home so that you can use free energy that would otherwise just be wasted.

"What free energy?" you may ask. Well, there is the wind. And there is the sun.

The most popular way of energy conversion in society right now is the usage of solar panels. Solar companies can install solar panels around your home to gather energy throughout the day, storing this energy to help your home's energy needs once the sun sets.

For water heating needs, there are also solar heaters. These rely on direct sunlight to heat up water, which is then pumped into insulated water tanks for later use, eliminating the need for fossil fuel powered water heaters.

Other ways of energy conversion include wind generators and water turbines, for houses which can take advantage of them.

The biggest downside of using these new technologies, however, is the high initial cost that you incur to have them set up - it might take a while for you to get a return for your investment if you are not able to maximize the potential of these energy converters.

Which brings us to a second issue: if you live in a sunny tropical country, solar energy may be a great option for you. If you live in an open farm, wind energy might work.

But if you live in a country that is cloudy half the year, or if you live in a city with no space to plant a wind mill, energy conversion may not be a realistic option.

Energy consumption reduction

Fortunately, you can also increase your home energy efficiency through energy consumption reduction. This method goes deeper than just turning the lights off in rooms with no people inside. It takes some planning and remodeling to make your home energy efficient.

Rearranging the lighting fixtures - or even the windows - around your home may help reduce your electricity expenses by needing fewer lights to light up certain parts of your home. Renovations around your home to insert insulation in cavities and walls will drastically help in reducing your heating expenses.

Newer, more efficient appliances will always be lighter on the energy load of your home. Look for those with the Energy Star seal, and use CFL bulbs rather than incandescent ones.

Heating in Great Britain

In Great Britain, where heating expenses make up a huge part of a home's energy requirements, energy efficiency would start with how you obtain your heating needs.

It is always recommended that you buy new models of energy-efficient boilers, such as the ones by British Gas. British Gas boilers can cut your energy bills by £225 yearly, and they also emit far less carbon dioxide than many other boilers, making them safe for your family and the environment too.

British Gas is a solid partner for your home's energy efficiency needs, and British Gas boilers are just one of the many ways with which you can achieve high energy efficiency for significant savings.