Homeowners looking to raise the value of their house through a series of revamps and DIY changes are finding that new criteria are at play, it has been claimed.The National Home Improvement Council (NHIC) has claimed that the introduction of Home Information Packs (Hips) has placed energy efficiency in the limelight, with home improvements now responding.In kitchen-related areas like water management and tank lagging, the group identified fundamental energy saving tips as more beneficial than eye catching ones.Andrew Leech, technical consultant to the NHIC, said that the demands on home environmental provisions would only grow, claiming They will be looking at whether youve got double glazing, whether youve got an efficient energy system and heating system.I think loft insulation is a key issue, making sure that your hot water tank is lagged, making sure that your pipes are lagged so that if we do have a cold spell, you dont find that there are any broken.Another simple way of upping energy efficiency could be carried out when hot water makes it through to the taps, with brands like Franke offering single lever models that avoid needless waste as people wash up with a hot tap of non-adjustable temperature.