EnergyWise: articles
Cutting a household's energy bills with decisions that pay back: tariffs, insulation, heating controls and appliances, with the payback worked out and the assumptions shown. For homeowners and renters who want lower energy bills and a straight answer on which upgrades are worth the money.
- Heat pumps cheaper than gas boilers in 18 EU countries
In 18 out of 24 EU countries, a typical heat pump is now cheaper to run than a gas boiler, but the break-even point varies widely by country.
- Is standby power worth switching off? Now mostly not, with exceptions
Standby power used to cost real money, but new devices are capped at half a watt: switching them off saves little. Old and always-on kit is the target.
- ENERGY STAR Label Reveals Appliance Efficiency, Not Costs
The ENERGY STAR label means an appliance beats the legal efficiency limit—but it doesn’t rank models or reveal the lowest running costs.
- A median heat pump now edges a typical gas boiler this winter
At the October–December 2026 price cap, a heat pump at the measured median efficiency is cheaper to run than a typical gas boiler in most homes—if you drop the gas standing charge.
- Does 1 °C lower on the thermostat save 10%? Six cities checked
Turning the thermostat down 1 °C saves about 14% of heating in London but only 8% in Toronto: the milder the winter, the bigger the share each degree cuts.