Go Green and Save

Go green and save...

Get the advice you need to live more sustainably

Lower my carbon footprint

At home and on the road, new technology is increasingly focused on reducing our impact on the environment. Whether you’re planning a home renovation or just planning on using a greener way to get around, we’ve got you covered with free impartial advice, tools, and even financial support.

Find out about the ways we can help.

Create a greener home

We’re a nation of home improvers. Having a warm home, improving comfort and reducing fuel bills are big priorities for homeowners in Scotland. Now, you can do all of these things whilst also making your home more environmentally friendly, sustainable and with a lower carbon footprint. With advice and financial support, making your home green is easier than you might think.

Get bespoke advice from a specialist

You can get expert, free and impartial advice from a specialist. One of our specially trained advisors will assess your property and its energy performance and explain your options for generating your own heat or power at home.

Embrace greener travel

We know that climate change is an immediate and urgent problem, but driving a car is still a part of many people's everyday routines. 17% of journeys in Scotland are under 1km.

There are greener travel options for those short, everyday journeys that not only reduce carbon emissions and help the environment but are also rich in other benefits too.

Active travel (walking, wheeling and cycling), car sharing, and public transport are all great alternative methods of transport that reduce travel costs and improve both our health and our environment.

Cycling is for everyone
Cycling is a fun and accessible way to get around with many benefits:

Financial benefits
Travelling by cycle is free, and cycling requires minimal ongoing costs.

Environmental and community benefits
By replacing car journeys with cycling, you can save money whilst improving local air quality and reducing carbon emissions.

Health benefits

Cycling can benefit your health in multiple ways by:

- improving physical fitness and balance
- strengthening muscles and bones
- helping you to stay healthy and active.

Wellbeing benefits

Cycling can also enhance your quality of life by:

- promoting positive mental health
- helping you to manage stress, depression, and anxiety
- making daily tasks easier by encouraging greater independence and higher levels of confidence
- connecting you with places and people and creating opportunities to meet new individuals and feel part of the community.

Home Energy Scotland can help you access an interest-free loan, repayable over four years and funded by Transport Scotland (an agency of the Scottish Government), for:

- 2 x ebikes capped at £3,000 each
- 1 x family cargo bike capped at £6,000
- 1 x adapted cycle (value assessed on a case-by-case basis).

Get ready for low emission zones

Low emission zones (LEZs) in Glasgow, Edinburgh, Aberdeen and Dundee are now live. LEZs set minimum emission standards on roads within specific areas, allowing penalty-free access to only the cleanest vehicles to improve air quality.

The LEZ Support Fund, funded by Transport Scotland, offers eligible households up to £3,000 to take their older, more polluting vehicles off the road. The money can be used to invest in more sustainable modes of transport.

Learn more about the LEZ Support Fund, please see https://www.homeenergyscotland.org/funding/low-emission-support-fund.

Thinking about buying an electric car or van?

Home Energy Scotland can help you with an interest-free Used Electric Vehicle Loan, funded by Transport Scotland. Drivers in Scotland can apply for loans of:

- Up to £30,000 to cover the cost of purchasing a used electric car or van
- Up to £5,000 to cover the cost of purchasing a used electric motorcycle or moped

Read more at https://www.homeenergyscotland.org/funding/electric-vehicle-loans.

Webinars to help you go green

Please see https://www.homeenergyscotland.org/make-greener-choices-at-home-on-the-go for some of our past webinars on tackling the climate emergency and how we can make changes towards living a sustainable lifestyle.