Warmer homes healthier
 With winter starting to bite the thoughts of many householders turn to keeping their homes warmer.
Robin Munro is a good example. He owns a 13-year-old home in the Avon Loop. "Sometimes the indoor temperature would be as low as 10C early in the morning; really cold," says Robin.
A friend suggested he visit the City Council's Energy Efficiency Show Home to get some independent and objective advice about how to make his place more comfortable over the winter months.
Robin found it extremely helpful. "The Energy Adviser discussed all the options available to me and provided comparative cost estimates for the alternatives. I really appreciated the unbiased advice and there was no pressure to purchase a particular measure as there would have been from a retailer."
Robin con-sidered the alternatives outlined for his particular property and decided what he could afford. First of all, he decided to remove the wall linings and install wall insulation (he was surprised that a house so young had no wall insulation whatsoever).
He considered double glazing, but given a restricted budget, decided instead to go for thermal-backed curtains. With a closed pelmet(the long box at the top of curtains) this measure is thermally efficient.
Robin concluded these two measures alone had made a considerable difference to the comfort in his home and is grateful for the advice he was given at the Show Home.
"What I really appreciated was that the Energy Adviser listened to my problem and then gave me a number of options that were particularly suited to my specific circumstances."
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