Don't parade in pants, energy firm warns

Well Mr Energy-Firm, how about investing more money in R&D for eco tech, instead of leaving it to the last minute and waiting until it’s trendy to do so?

E.ON says by opting for the Homer Simpson ‘vest and pants’ look this winter, you could be wasting up to £165 on your domestic energy bills and adding over a tonne to your carbon emissions.

So don’t turn up the thermostat, put a big wooly jumper on and stay warm the old-school way, they say…

This release from E.ON came in last week.

The insulating properties of a pair of socks and slippers worn with jeans, for example, can help you maintain the recommended thermal comfort level of 24°C1 even though your thermostat need only be set at 23°C. This 1°C thermostat reduction alone equates to a saving of 0.6 tonnes in CO2 emissions and £78 off your annual gas bill.

The benefits are even greater when you swap jeans for a pair of fleecy jogging bottoms. There insulating qualities when worn together with a vest, shorts, socks and slippers mean you only have to turn the thermostat to 22°C while maintaining a 24°C thermal comfort level – a 2°C difference that equates to a possible saving of 0.7 tonnes of CO2 and £101.

Finally, by adding a long sleeved jumper or cardigan to complete your ‘lounge look’ this season, a difference of 3°C on your thermostat, to 21°C could mean a saving of 1.2 tonnes of CO2 and £165.

Phil Biddle, Head of Energy Efficiency at E.ON, said: “Swanning around the house in shorts and a vest is literally ‘so last season’! We’re not saying people should pile on scarves, gloves and hats as they would outdoors, it’s just about dressing in sensible every day clothing, such as jobbing bottoms and jumpers, rather than turning up the thermostat whenever you’re chilly.”