Many UK homes struggle to retain heat as efficiently as homes in other European nations, even when the outside temperature is factored in.
Indeed, a UK home with an indoor temperature of 20°C loses an average of 3°C after five hours when the outside temperature is 0°C.
By contrast, in the same conditions, the average home in fellow Western European nations such as Germany loses just 1°C over the same three hour period, meaning that UK homes are three times less efficient.
The UK’s housing stock is among the oldest in Europe, with around 38% dating back to 1946, while just 24% of the housing stocks of Germany and Sweden date back that far.
Christian Deilmann, co-founder and chief product officer of tado, said: “The UK is a leader in smart technology adoption but is lagging behind Europe when it comes to energy efficient homes.
“The good news is that there are lots of great solutions available and a huge opportunity for energy savings to be made.”
In the UK, under 2% of homes can boast a top energy-efficiency rating. However, those living in new homes built to a zero carbon standard can save over £200 a year on their energy bills.
Chris Lovatt, managing director of E.ON UK’s Residential business, said: “On an individual level, there are many ways we can ensure our homes are as energy efficient as possible, and we offer a range of solutions to help meet people’s differing needs.
“Simple steps such as ensuring lofts and walls are well insulated, ensuring you have a smart meter installed, an energy efficient boiler, and investing in other smart technologies – such as a tado° smart thermostat – can help you cut energy waste and enable you to manage your home energy use better.”