We are all very aware about how much more it is costing us to fill our cars with fuel these days.  Whether you pay for fuel yourself or you have a company card, it is scary watching that petrol pump display rapidly rising.

The AA have issued some eco-driving advice to motorists to help reduce those fuel bills and carbon emissions.

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Routine Maintenance

• Engine oil: make sure you use the right specification of engine oil (check the handbook)
• Tyres: check tyre pressures regularly and before long journeys; under-inflated tyres create more rolling resistance and so use more fuel (check the handbook and increase pressures for heavier loads as recommended)

Before you go

• Lose weight: extra weight means extra fuel so if there’s anything in the boot you don’t need on the journey take it out
• Streamline: roof-racks and boxes add wind resistance and so increase fuel consumption. If you don’t need it take it off – if you do, pack carefully to reduce drag
• Leave promptly: don’t start the engine until you’re ready to go as idling wastes fuel and the engine warms up more quickly when you’re moving; in the winter, scrape ice rather than leave the car idling to warm up
• Don’t get lost: plan unfamiliar journeys to reduce the risk of getting lost and check the traffic news before you leave
• Combine short trips: cold starts use more fuel so it pays to combine errands such as buying the paper, dropping off the recycling, or collecting the kids
• Consider alternatives: if it’s a short journey (a couple of miles or so) could you walk or cycle rather than taking the car?

En route

• Easy does it: drive smoothly, accelerate gently and read the road ahead to avoid unnecessary braking
• Decelerate smoothly: when you have to slow down or to stop, decelerate smoothly by releasing the accelerator in time, leaving the car in gear
• Rolling: if you can keep the car moving all the time, so much the better; stopping then starting again uses more fuel than rolling
• Change up earlier: don’t labour the engine but try changing up at an engine speed of around 2,000 rpm in a diesel car or around 2,500 rpm in a petrol car. This can make such a difference that all cars in the future are likely to be fitted with a ‘Gear Shift indicator’ light to show the most efficient gear change points.
• Cut down on the air-con: air-conditioning increases fuel consumption at low speeds, but at higher speeds the effects are less noticeable. So if it’s a hot day open the windows around town and save the air conditioning for high speed driving. Don’t leave air-con on all the time but aim to run it at least once a week throughout the year to maintain the system in good condition.
• Turn it off: electrical loads increase fuel consumption, so turn off your heated rear windscreen, demister blowers and headlights, when you don’t need them
• Stick to speed limits: the faster you go the greater the fuel consumption and pollution. Driving at 70mph uses up to 9% more fuel than at 60mph and up to 15% more than at 50mph. Cruising at 80mph can use up to 25% more fuel than at 70mph.
• Don’t be idle: if you do get caught in a queue, avoid wasting fuel – turn the engine off if it looks like you could be waiting for more than three minutes.

Coasting

Although it used to be quite a common practice to save fuel, rolling downhill or approaching a junction with the car out of gear is inadvisable because the driver doesn’t have full control of the vehicle

• You lose the ability to suddenly accelerate out of tricky situations.
• You lose engine braking which risks brake fade on downhill stretches – overheated brakes require harder pedal pressures to stop the vehicle.
• With changes in vehicle fuel systems coasting won’t save you fuel these days either.
• Old car with a carburettor – take your foot off the accelerator pedal with the car in gear and fuel is still drawn through into the engine. Fuel savings could be made by coasting out of gear.
• Modern car with electronic engine management – fuel and ignition systems are effectively combined and controlled by one Electronic Control Unit (ECU). Take your foot off the accelerator and the ECU cuts the fuel supply to the injectors anyway so there’s nothing to be gained by coasting.
• Modern diesel engines also have the ability to shut off the fuel when you take your foot off the accelerator.

How much can you save?

Why not see how much you can improve on your current average fuel consumption or the ‘official’, manufacturer’s figure by following our advice?

If your car has an onboard computer that records fuel economy (miles per gallon / MPG), take a note of the overall average fuel consumption you’re getting now and then see how much you can improve it by. It should be possible to reset the computer so it starts recording a new average MPG.

With no onboard computer, you’ll first need to find out the official, manufacturer quoted fuel consumption for your car (it’s the official ‘combined’ figure that you want) or establish a baseline average fuel consumption for your current driving style using the steps below.

Measuring fuel consumption

Calculate average fuel consumption over any period by following these steps:

1. Fill the tank and record the mileage
2. Keep a record of any subsequent fuel purchases (you don’t have to completely fill the tank again until you’re ready to work out your mpg.)
3. Ideally go back to the same pump at the same garage you first filled the car and fill the tank again to the same level
4. Now divide the total mileage since the first fill by the total number of litres used and then multiply by 4.546 to get miles per gallon (for example if you’ve covered 1000 miles and used 101 litres of fuel, your average mpg = (1000/101)x4.546 = 45mpg)

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The AA carried out an eco-driving experiment with 50 employees using these tips.  The average weekly saving was 10%, with one individual achieving 33%.

I know who’s pocket I’d rather that money was in!

We also have the problem of declining natural resources such as oil, gas, and coal so we have to find alternatives and use what we have wisely.

Did you know that domestic households are responsible for the production of a quarter of all CO2, the greenhouse gas produced when a fossil fuel is burnt?  And that on average, of every 35 units of energy that you use in your home, 13 units are actually wasted?  With scarce resources forcing the price of energy higher all the time, that’s a lot of money seeping through your walls or loft.

A warmer home is also a healthier one.  30,000 people die from cold related illnesses every year, and over 75% of these are over the age of 75.

At Casey, our business is improving the fabric of a building to raise the quality of housing.  But what you don’t always realise is that it’s not just rendering, insulating and lagging that keeps your energy bills down.  There are ways that you can change your behaviour costing little or nothing, that will keep your home warmer and your energy bills down – by up to £250 per year.

Low Cost and No Cost Tips

So what can you do?

If you’ve got central heating, turn the thermostat down by one degree.  It could cut your heating bill down by 10%.  The thermostatic valves on your radiators are another way of cutting costs, as are timers.

Don’t use stand-by.  Switch off the TV, dvd recorder, computer and stereo when they are not being used.  When on stand-by they are steadily wasting electricity – about 8% of your electricity bill. The same goes for lights.

On washdays, make sure your washing machine has a full load and keep the wash temperature as low as possible.  If you can’t wait until there is a full load, use the half load or economy setting.

Air-drying your clothes is cheaper than tumble-drying but if you can’t dry your clothes outside, pick a room where you can have the doors closed so the dampness won’t spread.  Keeping a window open slightly will help with ventilation.  If you do use a tumbledryer, the vents should lead outside unless you have a condenser fitted.

When using the fridge or freezer, don’t leave the doors open longer than necessary.  The motors have to work harder to replace the lost cold.  And defrost your freezer regularly to cut down on running costs.

Use the shower rather than the bath if you can.  It uses a third of the water.

Keep the hot water thermostat at 60ºC.  Any hotter than that and it’s burning your money.

Put the lids on your pans when you are cooking.  It will use less energy for the same result, and produce less condensation.

Make sure the size of the pan is correct for the size of the ring on your hob.  If you use a gas hob and the flames lick the side of your pan, the heat’s on too high or the pan is too small.

Draw your curtains.  They are a great way to keep the heat in.  Close them when the sun goes down and open them when it shines.  Heavier curtains, or thermal linings, are even better.

Making a brew?  Don’t overfill the kettle.  If it’s just for one cup, you only need to just cover the element.  If you can, use a kettle with a water gauge.

In your kitchen, does your cooker stand next to your fridge or freezer?  If so they will be working against each other.  If you can’t separate them, try at least to ensure a decent gap or insert a piece of insulation board.

Fit draught excluders to loft hatches, windows, doors, letterboxes and keyholes.  Check for gaps under the skirting boards.  Well-fitted carpet and underlay can reduce heat loss.

Fit energy efficient light bulbs.  Each one could save you up to £70 over the life of the bulb.  And some of the newer bulbs do work with dimmer switches.

Make sure you turn the taps off properly.  As well as being irritating, a hot tap left to drip all day will fill a bath.  That’s a lot of hot water down the drain.  Persistent drips can usually be sorted out with a new washer.

Bounce your heat back.  Install reflective panels behind your radiators to bounce the heat back into your room and stop it escaping through the walls.

Set your timer so that your heating only comes on when needed.  Remember the time it takes to heat up and cool down – set it to come on 30 minutes before you get up and to go off 30 minutes before you leave or go to bed.

Where possible use off-peak electricity, usually between midnight and 7.00am.  It costs less than half the normal price but can vary between suppliers.  Use timers on appliances like washing machines, water heaters, or use storage heaters.

To monitor your electricity usage, you could get a real time electricity monitor.  Some energy suppliers provide them free with certain tariffs, or you can buy them from retailers for £30-£100.

If you are now feeling motivated and keen to take it further there are some serious savings you could make.

Lag your hot water tank if you have one.  A well fitted jacket, about 8cm think, for the tank and pipes should do the job.

Insulate your loft and cavity walls.  More than 40% of household head is lost here.

Fit extractor fans in the kitchen and bathroom.  They are not expensive to run and can make a big difference to condensation and damp problems.

When you are buying new appliances, look for the Energy Efficiency Recommended blue triangle.  Those with an A grade are the most efficient.  They may be more expensive, but they will give you savings in the long run.  Smaller models will use less energy, and think about whether you really need all those features.  A “keep warm” function on your kettle can be a waste.

One last thing, consider whether you are on the correct tariff with the right energy provider.  It’s not difficult to change your supplier and there are several websites that can help you.  It’s probably the easiest way to cut your energy bills.  All you need is your last 4 quarterly bills.  For more information check www.uswitch.com www.energyhelpline.com or www.ukpower.co.uk

For further information on reducing your carbon footprint, keeping your home warmer and, best of all, keeping your costs down, please visit the following websites:

www.energysavingtrust.org.uk

www.manchester.gov.uk/info/500017/energy_efficiency

www.superhomes.org.uk/

During November each year, Movember is responsible for the sprouting of moustaches on thousands of men’s faces in the UK and around the world. The aim of which is to raise vital funds and awareness for men’s health, specifically prostate cancer and other cancers that affect men.

On Movember 1st, guys register at Movember.com with a clean-shaven face and then for the rest of the month, these selfless and generous men, known as Mo Bros, groom, trim and wax their way into the annals of fine moustachery. Supported by the women in their lives, Mo Sistas, Movember Mo Bros raise funds by seeking out sponsorship for their Mo-growing efforts.

Mo Bros effectively become walking, talking billboards for the 30 days of November and through their actions and words raise awareness by prompting private and public conversation around the often ignored issue of men’s health.

For more information, you can go to http://uk.movember.com/about

So go on!  Follow these five easy steps

1. Register at http://uk.movember.com
2. Choose your very own Mo style
3. Join the Casey team: Mo-People, Mo-Progress, Mo-Environment (you can find it at http://mosista.co/debbiehubbard)
4. Get your friends and family to sponsor you
5. Start growing!!!

And if you already have a mo, why not shave it off on 1st November and start again!

Girls, let’s offer our moral support and encouragement by becoming Mo Sistas.  I have got plenty of fake facial hair to share around.

Follow my lead!!

At the beginning of October, we will commence works on a fencing scheme (front and rear) for 382 properties. The day was an ideal opportunity for residents to meet the team that will be managing the works on their properties, to raise questions and voice any concerns that they may have, and to view the fencing choices available.

The day was well attended and residents were pleased with the choices on offer and eager for the works to start!

The Project Manager on this scheme is Matthew Brennand, and our Resident Liaison Officer is Andy McCann.