Energy Efficiency
Save Energy and Interact with Energy Suppliers
Our energy work is a permanent project. It shifts its emphasis according to need and current local and national initiatives. Our basic aim is to reduce carbon emissions by making homes more energy efficient and helping residents to understand how to save energy. It also encourages the installation of microrenewables and community energy initiatives.
Our energy team are happy to help those who have asked for help with bills and energy efficiency.
Our Energy Team
Our energy volunteers offer phone advice and home visits (when possible) and people are referred to us from a number of organisations.
We cover all energy issues, fuel poverty, finance, home improvements, green suppliers, EPC issues and we use the information system run by the Centre for Sustainable Energy (CSE) to keep up to date.
CSE have fuel poverty caseworkers in our area and we are working in partnership with them, although the assistance they can provide varies as funding changes.
They help people access schemes for home improvements which also vary. Currently, these include Eco, including eco flex, LADS and government vouchers.
The energy team are happy to help people who have asked for help with bills. We assess entitlement for surviving winter grants and ask whether they want cut price wood from the community woodland.
We ask about their energy supplier, and whether they need help with meters, tariffs or finding a cheaper/better supplier.
We advise on the warm home discount for people on low incomes, priority services register for people with health problems, and whether they have adequate heating and good understanding of the controls.
We find out whether they are getting help from other agencies, and may take on cases if there is need for repeat visits or on-going support.
How it works
-
We do a brief survey of your home to see if it could be improved e.g. new or upgraded heating, insulation, draughts, damp, renewable sources of energy. This is a new area of work and we are investigating who can get free or subsidised home improvements through the Eco scheme.
-
We are constantly improving all aspects of our work following feedback from the people who we advise. We have contacted some Eco installers to see what they offer and how the system works. Measures and costs can vary a lot and some people are not sure what they will get and whether they want it.
-
Most people prefer an overview of measures available so they can make an informed decision. Progress in Eco improvements is reported to the people who are advising the councils through SCAN, and they are going to extend the improvements that can be grant funded by introducing Eco flex.
Get Involved in This Project
Contact Hester Watson for more information
Email: hestertavens@yahoo.co.uk