David McHugh has claimed that conservation is the key to reducing energy bills, which have been further affected by the 40 per cent increase in crude oil process since mid-August. Irish households, he warned, can expect to see further increases in the price of petrol, diesel and home heating oil over the winter months.
Mr McHugh has spent over ten years producing, selling and installing heat recovery ventilation systems throughout Ireland. In 2004 he established the Tuam-based ProAir Systems, which is now Ireland's foremost Heat Recovery (HRV) company.
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He said that sustainable Energy Ireland's 'House of Tomorrow' programme and the Government's soon-to-be introduced Building Regulations will lead to some improvements in energy efficiency in Ireland.
"Householders, however, need to take the lead and invest in proper insulation and ventilation. By doing so their homes will become more energy efficient, therefore, helping to reduce their energy bills along with reducing overall CO2 emissions. Such action makes economic sense considering a tank of home heating oil is expected to rise by $60 in the coming weeks. This will increase further with any strengthening of the US Dollar and weakening of the Euro," explained Mr McHugh.
"The key is to put your money and effort into the most cost effective areas. Getting your building air-tight and free of unwanted draughts is a crucial issue in the whole sequence," explained the qualified Building Services Engineer.
He continued: "Insulate tight and ventilate right. Get these two things right and everything else follows. The infrastructure required to implement such changes is available and affordable in Ireland, despite claims to the contrary from elements within the Irish Construction Industry. This was especially evident at last week's PlanExpo in the RDS, which is Ireland’s largest annual construction trade show."
(JM)
