e.on key account managers - aleo · 1 2 welcome to carbon action news welcome to the second edition...
TRANSCRIPT
Scotland Tom Litster0789 429 [email protected]
North WestDave Ward0787 980 [email protected]
Yorkshire & North EastAlistair MacKenzie0775 389 [email protected]
Midlands & WalesAllan Clews0775 389 [email protected]
East Midlands & East AngliaLisa Sims0773 661 [email protected]
West & North London M4 CorridorShirley Goodey0779 364 [email protected]
South & East London South EastDavid Blowers0771 765 [email protected]
South West London South WestDiane Paris-Hunter0784 300 [email protected]
Northern Ireland HECA Advisory Panel Representative: Noel RiceTel: 02890 [email protected]
Scottish HECA Officers’ NetworkRepresentative: Stephen Cunningham
Tel: 01506 [email protected]
E.ON Key Account Managers
Chair: Revathi BTel: 0161 342 2557
[email protected] Chair / Secretariat: Alison Hartley
Tel: 0161 242 5810 [email protected]
Chair: Steve MartinTel: 01443 864645
[email protected] Chair: Leanna Jones
01352 [email protected]
Secretariat: Erica MasonTel: 01633 223111
Chair: Rachel JonesTel: 01789 [email protected] Chair: Tom WinckleyTel: 01902 [email protected] Secretariat: Deborah GabbayTel: 0121 543 [email protected]
Chair: Colin AndersonTel: 01752 307176 [email protected] Chair: Erica Pretty Tel: 01202 [email protected]: Emma.QuestTel: 0175 [email protected]
Chair: John MathersTel: 0208 489 [email protected] Chair: Jo GillTel: 01895 [email protected]: Sarah HitchcockTel: 0845 450 3375 [email protected]
Interim Chair & Vice Chair: Richard Smith Tel: 01302 [email protected]: Simon TaoTel: 01422 [email protected]
Chair: Kathy AlcockTel: 01892 554275 [email protected]: Clare Everett Tel: 0207 922 [email protected]
Chair: Denise MarsdonTel: 0115 959770
[email protected] Chair / Representative: Dave Malone
Tel: 01327 [email protected]
Secretariat: Helen Atkins Tel: 0116 299 5133
Chair: Andy StephensonTel: 0191 [email protected]: Ian Bloomfield Tel: [email protected]: Wendi Wheeler Tel: 01642777970 [email protected]
Chair: Julia BlackwellTel: 01480 [email protected]: Steve Adelizzi Tel: 01279 [email protected]: Bruce PittingaleTel: 05602 [email protected]
Chair: Oliver MyersTel: 0207 [email protected] Chair: Andy StephensonTel: 0191 [email protected]: Helen AtkinsTel: 0116299 5133 [email protected]
1 2
Welcome to Carbon Action NewsthWelcome to the second edition of Carbon Action News - the 24
issue since this magazine was first published under the name of HECA Network News.
The Carbon Action Network has recently been hitting the exhibi-tion trail to raise the profile of our newly rebranded organisation and find delegates for our own Conference in May (see page 7 for details). Of course we take along the mandatory supply of energy efficient compact flourescent lamps (CLFs) as a freebie to entice delegates to the stand. We’ve found that many individuals, mainly from non energy related fields, are still harboring the prejudices against CFL technology that I for one hoped had died out years ago. To set the record straight, the following is a myth busting rant against the diehard flourescophobes.
Firstly, modern CFLs are available in all shapes and sizes to fit almost anywhere an incandescent bulb could. They’re also available in all sorts of colours from warm candlelight to daylight. Recently the Energy Saving Trust carried out a test on members of the public; most people couldn’t tell the difference between CLFs and incan-descent bulbs and 64% actually preferred the CFL.
Secondly, although CFLs contain mercury this can be recaptured when they’re recycled. When compared to the extra mercury from fossil fuels that would be emitted into the atmosphere if we were to keep using incandescent bulbs, CFLs actually result in fewer mercury emissions. You can recycle them at your local waste disposal centre or just take them along to IKEA for recycling, even if you didn’t buy the bulb there. If a bulb breaks in your house follow the appropriate advice for safe disposal but keep in mind that the risk to your health is extremely low.
Thirdly, CFLs are now available that will work with conventional dim-mer switches. They can be bought for around £10 but are cheaper to run than even standard CFLs if used at a dimmed level. Non-dimmable CFLs are also a lot cheaper than many people seem to think and are available for under a pound. It’s often been pointed out that if CFLs came with a £50 note in every box - which is roughly how much you’ll save over the lifetime of the bulb - people would-n’t be so worried about the upfront cost anyway!
Many also argue that when incandescent bulbs produce heat they are saving work for your central heating system. While this has some truth, the location and timing of light use doesn’t often coor-dinate with when and where heat is desired, so it’s generally wasted energy.
Now that incandescent bulbs are being phased out in shops, hopefully people will realise they can easily do without them. In the very rare cases where people have genuine medical reasons to avoid CFLs, alternatives such as tungsten halogens, electron-stimulated luminescent bulbs and LEDs are available and, as a last resort, incandescents could even perhaps be made available on prescription.
LEDs will soon light the way to a new revolution in bulb technology but for now CFLs are still the best bet!
- Rob Leeson, Carbon Action Network
Carbon Action News is the quarterly news magazine of the Carbon Action Network
and was formerly known as HECA Network News
Past issues of Carbon Action News and HECA Network News can
be downloaded from www.carbonactionnetwork.org.uk
Please send any news items, articles or pictures that you would like
to see in Carbon Action News to: Helen Atkins at the
Carbon Action Network Secretariat - [email protected]
Tel: 0116 299 51332-4 Market Place South,
Leicester, LE1 5HB
Devon Warm Zone
Devon Warm Zones is a project to
encourage and help householders
across the county access grants and
discounts for insulation and heating. The
service includes a free home energy
survey, a benefit entitlement check and
free or heavily discounted home
insulation.
The project is a collaboration involving
E.ON, all ten local authorities in Devon
and Devon County Council. One of the
major achievements of the scheme has
been getting such a large number of
local authority bodies working together.
In fact, the scheme comprises the largest
such alliance in the country. Each local
authority has chosen a “Warm Zone” which is an
area where extra resources are targeted at
householders to make residents aware of the
advice and financial help for which they are
eligible.
The combination of local council endorsement
and E.ON's vast experience in running schemes
intended to help the vulnerable, makes for an
effective relationship. E.ON is providing funding
and management for the installation of the
energy efficiency measures, with West Country
Energy Action providing local campaign
coordination and advice.
Colin Anderson from Warm Zones, who was
instrumental in setting up the scheme in the
autumn of 2007, explains how Warm Zones
differs from other CERT funded schemes that are
around. “Whilst everybody can benefit from the
scheme, it is targeted geographically to those
that really need the support. We involve people
who are trusted within hard-to-reach
communities, whether these be ethnic groups,
faith groups or people with disabilities. Our
objective is to build on the strength of the
community relationships, and to establish a
small network of community leaders to
introduce and help people sign up for the
scheme.”
Partner organisations which are helping to
promote the scheme to their community or
clients include Devon Primary Care Trust, Plymouth
Primary Care Trust, Devon and Cornwall
Constabulary, Devon and Somerset Fire and
Rescue Service, Age Concern, South West Pound,
Care and Repair, the Citizens Advice Bureau, and
m a n y m o r e c o m m u n i t y a n d v o l u n t a r y
organisations. The scheme has also been promoted
through TV advertising, posters and a user-friendly
website:
www.devonwarmzones.org.uk.
The Community Energy Efficiency Fund's support,
which got the project underway in April 2008, runs
for three years and Colin Anderson is hopeful that
further funding will be secured during 2009 to
enable Devon Warm Zones to offer more products
such as renewables and solid wall insulation.
Comprehensive support and information is
available for organisations who would like to
introduce their community to help from Devon
Warm Zones, including leaflets for clients, referral
cards, promotional merchandise such as mugs and
t-shirts, and regular newsletter bulletins. And for
every fuel poor or vulnerable household referred
that has cavity wall or loft insulation installed, there is
a 'community reward' which is an incentive that can
be used to benefit the community or a local cause
of their choice.
For more information about Devon Warm Zones,
and to find out how to become involved please visit
the website www.devonwarmzones.org.uk or email
CAN stand visits
UKPHA ConferenceOn 24 March, Helen Atkins and Rob Leeson
took the Carbon Action Network Exhibition thStand to Brighton for the 17 UK Public Health
Association Conference.
Entitled ‘Health Inequalities - Turning the Tide?
Spotlight on Housing, Transport and Comm-
issioning’ this event was an excellent
opportunity for CAN to create new links within
the health sector, stressing CAN’s remit on fuel
poverty and effects of climate change on
health. CAN was also promoting the Carbon
Action Network Conference on 14 and 15 May
2009 (see page 7).
Warmer future for
Warwickshire villagersHouseholders in the Warwickshire village of
Lighthorne Heath now have a more
environmentally friendly future thanks to E.ON.
Following a successful social housing scheme
in which the company installed discounted
HeatPlant systems (E.ON's ground source heat
pump) in 62 homes, private residents were
invited to an E.ON hosted community event
which led to a further 13 HeatPlant units being
installed. For the homes which previously relied
on coal-fired boilers to generate their heat
and hot water, switching to HeatPlant has
reduced their CO emissions by almost three 2
quarters and their heating and hot water costs 1by two thirds .
A HeatPlant works by extracting heat from the
ground and then using this heat to run
conventional radiators. As one happy resident
Mrs Lawson explains, “Now there's nothing to
do. We get up and it's hot. We go to bed and
it's hot. We can have the heating on when we
want, and turn it off when we don't want it. No
coals or ashes to worry about, no dirt or mess to
clean up, it's brilliant.”
A HeatPlant normally costs up to £11,500 to
install, but is available free across the UK
(excluding Northern Ireland) to private
tenants or homeowners, not on the mains gas
network but with coal-heated homes, and 2who are in receipt of means-tested benefits .
A minimum of six neighbouring properties is
needed to get a scheme up and running, so if
you think you may have suitable housing that
you'd like to improve at no cost, please
contact your E.ON Key Account Manager
(see back cover for details). 21. Cost savings and CO reductions are based on a 100m 2
house correct as at 28 October 2008. HeatPlant consumption figures used for calculations are sourced from E.ON product monitoring from 2003 to present and industry averages for comparable houses using coal. Consumption includes heating and hot water. Figures are 73% CO savings and 66% reduction 2
in heating and hot water costs.
2. Qualifying benefits include; Income Support, Housing Benefit, Council Tax Benefit (not including single occupancy reduction), Income-based Jobseeker's Al lowance, Attendance Allowance, Disability Living Allowance, State Pension Credit, War Disablement Pension (which must include mobility supplement or constant attendance allowance), Disablement Pension Credit (which must include constant attendance allowance), Child Tax Credit (where the relevant income is less than £15,592), Working Tax Credit (where the relevant income is less than £15,592).
Your country needs you East Midlands residents believe a wartime spirit
should be embraced to cut down on waste
The majority of East Midlands’ residents believe
the country should once again embrace the
wartime spirit in an effort to cut down on waste,
according to research from the Energy Saving
Trust, the UK’s leading organisation set up to help
people fight climate change.
The UK-wide survey was commissioned as part of
the new Energy Saving Trust Wartime Spirit
campaign, which was launched on April 2, 2009.
The campaign aims to highlight how people in
the East Midlands can take the best from the past
to get tips on how to reduce waste and save
energy.
Sixty-eight per cent of people polled in the East
Midlands thought local communities should work
together more to help manage resources similar
to the communal nature of the wartime effort, for
example, by sharing leftover food with
neighbours or car sharing.
And over half (55 per cent) of East Midlands
respondents thought measures such as rationing
or personal daily allowances were needed to
help the British public cut down on excess.
A range of age groups took part in the survey
which found that 81 per cent of those in the East
Midlands who lived during the Second World War
– 80 years old and over – revealed they are
carrying on the war time values they learned.
Philip Sellwood, chief executive of the Energy Saving
Trust, said: “We are certainly not advocating a
return to rationing or indeed enforced personal
daily allowances. However if we could adopt just a
few of the practices used during the war, such as
recycling bath water for watering plants, then it
would go a long way towards saving energy and
reducing our carbon footprint.
“East Midlands’ residents who lived through the
Second World War were extremely resilient in the
face of extreme hardship. People had very little but
they made do. Everyone you speak to who lived
through the war always speaks about how they
came up with extremely ingenious ways to make
life’s essentials – food and clothing go that little bit
further.
“We can now see an age of ‘thrift being the new
thrust’ and ‘frugality the new frontier’.”
The Energy Saving Trust has teamed up with the
Imperial War Museum for the Wartime Spirit
campaign. The museum holds a wealth of material
relating to the Second World War and visitors can
explore a life-size recreation of a wartime house and
draw inspiration for low-cost living, 1940s-style.
Juliet Gardiner, author of Wartime: Britain 1939-1945,
said: “We could certainly learn a thing or two about
how to cut down on waste from people who had to
live for nearly six years with the essentials of daily life
such as food, clothes and fuel rationed during the
Second World War.
“During the war everyone was encouraged to ‘make
do and mend’ and considering the shortages and
what was available to housewives as a result of
rationing and the points system they managed to
come up with some pretty amazing recipes to feed
their families .
“It is interesting that according to this research over
half of the people in the East Midlands think a return to
a Second World War approach to using resources
could help curb waste. And it would be even more
interesting to see how people adapted to it.”
The survey was conducted by researchers ICM. It also
found that:
! 78 per cent of East Midlands residents use leftovers
to make the following day’s meal;
! In the East Midlands, eighty-two per cent repair
items of clothing, for example sew on a button or zip
or darn a sock.
Of those polled in the East Midlands who were 80
years old or older:
! Eighty-one per cent say they are carrying on the
tips and values they picked up during the Second
World War
! 92 per cent think younger generations are more
wasteful than their own generation
For more wartime tips visit:
www.est.org.uk/Media/Corporate-Media/Media-
centre-images-docs/Wartime-spirit-campaign
3 4
Students become
Energy ChampionsOver 100 young people from six secondary schools in
Gloucestershire have been trained in Energy
Efficiency measures and have presented their
recommendations and Energy Efficiency campaigns
for their school at one of three events in
Gloucestershire.
The students also learnt about Sustainable Build
Design from the Director of Cube Design Ltd, the
architect in charge of the new builds at Cleeve
School, Cheltenham and Rednock School, Dursley.
These events were part of the YEP! (Young Energy
People!) Project which aims to increase secondary
school students' knowledge and practical
experience in sustainable energy issues. The project is
run by Severn Wye Energy Agency and has helped
the students to carry out an energy survey of their
school and produce a professional energy report. The
students are now implementing an Action Plan and
taking responsibility for reducing the energy use in
their schools. Students have the experience to advise
businesses on energy use and will be conducting work
placements in the summer term. Rachel Close, Senior
Project Manager at SWEA said “We are really
impressed by the standard and dedication of the
students and teachers taking part. We are sure that
these events and their project work will widen their
perspectives on the benefits and opportunities avail-
able through sustainable energy related skills'
The first event “Sharing Findings & Sustainable Build”
took place on Tuesday 10 March between 11.45am
and 2.10pm. The afternoon was hosted by Farmor's
School, Fairford where the students have made
significant progress by presenting their findings to
governors and the school have already begun to
implement recommendations. Students from Cleeve
School were invited to present and compare their
experiences to date and gain a valuable insight in to
the future of sustainable build from Jane Lock-Smith,
Director of Cube Design Ltd. Additional events took
place at Severn Vale School (visited by Rednock
School) on 12 March 2009 and Tewkesbury School
(visited by Stroud High School) on 17 March 2009.
Emma Jackson a member of the Rednock School
Energy Management Team said “The event was
very interesting, and everybody learnt a lot from it.
Everyone took back new and fresh ideas to make
their projects better.”
Simon Ditchfield, YEP! Project Co-ordinator at
Farmor's School said “Farmor's school is committed
to environmental issues and the YEP! Project is ideal
to enhance this. The project offers practical benefits
that students can feel a part of to help reduce
energy waste and costs to the school plus the
environment at large. The students who are taking
part are enjoying the project plus learning lots of
useful skills that extend beyond the YEP project such
as public speaking, interview skills, team working
and research skills. The project has been a great
experience so far and has really sparked the interest
of the students, staff and governors to commit to
making steps towards a more sustainable future”
For more information, contact: Victoria Dinwoodie
01452 835071, [email protected]
5
Warmer Homes - Easier Breathing pilot projectThe pilot project ran from August 2007 until March 2008 and its aim was to improve the quality of housing from a health perspective of asthmatic children up to 11 years old living in areas where there are high levels of health inequalities and deprivation. Installing heat recovery ventilation units in the homes together with a package of energy efficiency improvements and cleaning measures in order to reduce conditions that encourage house dust mite populations and poten-tially improve the quality of life of asthma sufferers.
Asthma is a condition that affects the airways and there are over 5 million people in the UK currently receiving treatment for asthma. Respiratory disease is the most common cause of emergency admission in Sefton for children and young people with 1,300 emergency admissions per year.
High humidity levels are often the result of insufficient heating and/or certain styles of housing. House dust mites thrive at high humidity levels and their allergens can trigger asthma attacks. The main food source of house dust mites is human skin scales and heavily used soft furnishings, mattresses and bedding can provide a perfect environment for them to multiply.
There are a high number of older, sold walled properties in Sefton that are classed as hard to heat. These households can be disproportionately affected by fuel poverty. Fuel poverty is defined as a household needing to spend more than 10% of its income to adequately heat the home. The causes are due to a combination of low household income, poor insulation standards, expensive or inadequate heating systems and high fuel prices. Those affected tend to be older people, lone parents with young children and those with long term illnesses. Living in a cold, damp home can exacerbate circulatory and respiratory illnesses such as asthma, bronchitis and stroke.
The project lead worked closely with a Public Health Nurse from NHS Sefton (Primary Care Trust) who provided a strong link to other health professionals including three GP practices who assisted in the identification of families who fulfilled the eligibility criteria to be invited to join the project. 13 families joined the project with a total of 16 asthmatic children.
The project lead visited each family to carry out an initial assessment and complete a baseline questionnaire. A dust sample was carried out at each family home to determine a high, medium or low level, before any work was carried out. Each property was assessed for its current level of energy efficiency
and heating and where necessary loft insulation was topped up to 12 inches, cavity wall insulation installed and improvements to heating system as relevant. A heat recovery ventilation unit was installed in each property and a professional cleaning company carried out a specialist steam clean of the homes.
Once the existing allergen reservoir had been removed following the programme of work, new bedding was provided for the asthmatic child and any sibling sharing a bedroom. Families completed monthly questionnaires to report any improvements or comments and the findings were collated at the end of the project.
Direct Benefits:
! Improved energy efficiency in homes reduced fuel
bills
! 62% reduction in night time coughing
! 49% reduction in sleep disturbance
! 57% reduction in school absence
! 53% reduction in 'blue' inhaler usage
! 76% drop in unplanned attendance in A&E / Walk-in
centres
! Increased confidence to take part in physical
activity (i.e. PE, playing outdoors)
! Two families were referred for welfare benefit
checks to maximise their income - one family was
awarded low rate care component Disability Living
Allowance and Disabled Child Premium resulting in
an additional £66.47 per week
! Two parents were referred to smoking cessation
support service / smoke free homes
Indirect Benefits:
! Increased awareness/understanding amongst
health professionals of the links between poor
housing and the wider determinants of ill health
! Parents reported a decrease in the need for
antibiotic medication during the winter period
compared to the same time last year
! Stronger cross working partnership working
! One of the siblings reported improvement in eczema
skin condition
Due to the success of the pilot project, continuation
funding has been awarded by the Primary Care Trust to
extend the project until 2011. In order to engage with
the most severe asthma sufferers, we are developing
referral routes via Health Visiting professionals and
anticipate that we will be able to assist 10-12 families
per year under the scheme.
- Debbie Phillips,Affordable Warmth Co-ordinator
Sefton Council Energy Team
6
8
The Carbon Action Network Conference 2009
Conference Programme
Pre-conference evening - 13 May 2009
Conference Day 1 - 14 May 2009 Plenary Session Programme
Evening Programme
Conference Day 2 - 15 May 2009 Plenary Session Programme
Previously known as the National Home Energy Conference, this will be the first Conference under UK HECA’s new identity, the Carbon Action Network. For delegate and exhibition prices and to book your place please visit: www.carbonactionnetwork.org.uk/conference.
(Please note that the organisers reserve the right to changespeakers, timings and any other aspect of the programme at any time.)
21:00 Pre-conference networking event with drinks reception
Time Programme Item Speaker09:30 Coffee, registration & exhibition viewing10:00 Conference Opening Oliver Myers - Carbon Action Network Chair10:10 E.ON Sponsor’s Welcome Address John Fawcitt - Energy Efficiency Operations Manager, E.ON10:20 NI186 in LAAs & the Impacts on
Carbon Emission Targets Dr Joanne Wade, Impetus Consulting10:40 Developing Low Carbon Economies Philip Mind, LGA11:00 Energy & Environmental Technologies Prof Mohamed Pourkashanian, Engineering Faculty, Leeds University11:20 Q & A11:30 Break & exhibition viewing12:00 Adaption of Transport Andrew Whittles, Cenex12:20 Planning, Planning, Planning Julie Alexander, PRP Architects12:40 A Local Approach to Climate Change Alan Jones & George Munson, Leeds City Council13:00 Lunch & exhibition viewing14:00 Site Visits: (delegates can attend one only)
1. Tour of Drax Power Station 2. National Coal Mining Museum (with optional decent to coal pit) 3. The Dirty Old Town Tour - atrocities of the industrial revolution
Time Programme Item18:45 Drink reception in Exhibition Area19:30 Seated for dinner and Mayor of Leeds welcome19:30 CAN Launch and Awards Ceremony20:30 Casino21:00 Disco
Time Programme Item Speaker09:00 Coffee & exhibition viewing09:30 World Wide Weather Paul Hudson, Climate Correspondent & Meteorologist, BBC Look North09:50 Woodfuel Market Development and
Acceleration in the North York Moors Ben Scotting, Yorwoods10:10 Local Authority Delivery Andy Deacon, Energy Saving Trust10:30 Q & A10:40 Break and exhibition viewing11:00 Why Waste Waste? Nick Dawber, ENERGOS11:20 Growing old in a changing climate Dr Gary Haq, Stockholm Environment Institute, University of York 11:40 Reducing Carbon Emissions Zoe Leader, WWF12:00 Q & A12:20 Lunch and exhibition viewing13:00 Seminars: (delegates can attend two. One hour each)
1. The clean coal debate - Is clean coal the new technology of the future or a disguised pollutant?(E.ON Clean Coal and Climate and Renewables depts.)2. Best Practice Case Study - ‘Project Counter Attack’, Hugh Wignall, Head of Neighbourhood Services Blackpool Council 3. Best Practice Case Study 2 - ‘Switch Off’ Campaign - Debbie Hill and , Leicester City Council 4. Manchester’s Mini Stern Report - Steve Turner, Manchester City Council
15:30 Close
Neville Stork
A 'warm let' for NorwichNorwich City Council has recently launched an
innovative grant scheme that aims to improve the
energy efficiency of the city's private rented sector
and improve awareness of the benefits of Energy
Performance Certificates (EPCs) among landlords
and tenants.
The Norwich warm let scheme is part of the
Norwich warm homes project and was launched
in January 2009 and has already allocated
funding for significant improvements at nearly 50
properties.
To benefit for a Norwich warm let grant, landlords
must have an EPC for their property and become
accredited through the greater Norwich landlord
accreditation scheme. This will then entitle them to
a grant of up to £6,000 to implement the
recommendations on their property’s EPC,
including £1,000 towards the cost of lower cost
measures such as loft and cavity wall insulation,
hot water tank jackets and energy saving bulbs.
The council arranges the lower cost measures to
ensure that CERT funding is levered in where
possible. If landlords complete all of the lower cost
measures for the property, they can then access a
further £1,500 towards the installation of a energy
efficient heating system and controls, £1,500
towards the cost of high efficiency glazing and
£2,000 towards solid wall insulation - providing
these are recommended on the property's EPC.
Once all of the measures are installed, the warm
homes team provide the landlord with a new EPC
free of charge, so they can demonstrate the
property's improved energy rating and lower
running costs to prospective tenants.
The Council are also using the scheme as an
incentive to encourage landlords to join their
accreditation scheme and to support the work of
their private sector housing team in eradicating
Category 1 hazards for excess cold.
Abbie Brook, the council's Home Energy Specialist
said:
“In just three months we have allocated over
£100,000 to help improve the energy efficiency in
the private rented sector - a sector that tends to
have the poorest levels of energy efficiency and
local authorities struggle to make an impact on
when trying to reduce fuel poverty. The scheme is
helping to increase the number of accredited
landlords, encouraging landlords to invest in their
properties and is helping us to build more positive
relationships with landlords and agents.
We have had several properties that have come
to us with a SAP rating of less than 15, and through
Norwich warm let we will be bringing these
properties up to SAPs of 70+, meaning warm,
affordable accommodation for Norwich city's
private rental tenants for many years to come.”
Housing Executive presents
first Home Energy AwardsThe Housing Executive as Home Energy
Conservation Authority for Northern Ireland
hosted their first Home Energy Awards, at the
Stormont Hotel on 18 February 2009. The
Awards were presented by the Minister for
Social Development, Margaret Ritchie MLA.
The Awards which showcase the best energy
efficient projects within the housing market
were sponsored by the Northern Ireland
Authority for Utility Regulation, Phoenix Natural
Gas, Firmus Energy, Action Renewables, the
Energy Saving Trust and NIE Energy.
The Northern Ireland Energy Agency's 'Insulate
Northern Ireland Scheme' won the prize for 'Most
Effective Marketing Initiative'. It was chosen for its
ability to develop and implement an effective
insulation marketing campaign. The campaign
encouraged householders to install measures that
would result in energy savings and a reduction in
CO emissions whilst ensuring all key partners were 2
involved.
Margaret Ritchie, Social Development Minister
said:
“I would like to congratulate the companies and
organisations honoured today for their work in
improving energy efficiency and tackling fuel
poverty. It is evident that there is a lot of good work
being done in the Energy Efficiency sector and it is
right that these efforts are being recognised
today.”
Brian Rowntree, the Housing Executive's Chairman
said:
“We have had some excellent entries for the
various categories in this the first year of the
Awards. I think the level of commitment to
improving energy efficiency in Northern Ireland, in
both the social and private sectors is clear from the
high standard of entries we received.
I hope this year's Awards spur the continuation of
such efforts and look forward to next year's
ceremony.”
There were five categories open to anyone
involved in schemes in the public and private
sector. The categories and their winners were:
Most Effective Marketing Initiative, sponsored by the
Northern Ireland Authority for Utility Regulation:
the Northern Ireland Energy Agency, for the 'Insulate
Northern Ireland' scheme
Most Innovative Fuel Poverty Scheme, sponsored by
Phoenix Natural Gas:
Northern Investing for Health Partnership's Fuel Poverty
Steering Group, for 'Warmer Ways to Better Health'
scheme
Most Energy Efficient Initiative - Community Groups,
sponsored by Firmus Energy:
Creggan Country Park Enterprises Ltd, for 'Creggan
Country Park, Derry'
Most Energy Efficient Refurbishment Scheme, spon-
sored by Action Renewables
Hearth Housing Association, for the ' Ormeau Park Eco
House'.
Most Energy Efficient New Build Scheme - Joint Winners
First Winner, sponsored by the Energy Saving Trust:
The Carvill Group, for the 'Woodbrook Development' in
Lisburn.
Second Winner, sponsored by NIE Energy:
Sky Developments, for 'The Green House'.
Each winner was presented with a specially commis-sioned ceramic platter made by local artist Diane McCormick.
For more details of the winning entries, visit:www.nihe.gov.uk/print/index/ee_home/home_energy_awards_2009.htm
Nigel Brady, Northern Ireland Energy Agency, is pictured with Margaret Ritchie MLA, Brian Rowntree, Chairman, NIHE and Donald Henry from the N.I. Authority for Utility Regulation.
109
Watts Going Down in Warboys - Community Energy ChallengeEnergy used at home accounts for about one third
of all UK emissions. Our increased appetite for
electrical goods including everything from plasma
TVs and computer games consoles to tumble
driers and dishwashers means that about three per
cent more electricity is being gobbled up by
power hungry appliances, year on year.
If users could see the energy that drains away
whilst unnecessary lights are left switched on or
when appliances are left idle but still on standby,
you might get a shock!
In March, to help bring the cost of wasted
electricity home to residents, Huntingdonshire
District Council will Launched a 'Watts Going
Down - Community Energy Challenge' designed
to reduce energy wasted in the home with the
help of 'OWL' real time energy monitors. These
simple devices are easy to use and install and
allow users to see exactly how much energy they
are using in the home at any given moment. In
doing so they help the user to take corrective
action, by switching off lights and unnecessary
appliances, and they have been shown to be one
of the best means of encouraging greater energy
efficiency; cutting electricity use by up to 10%.
The Challenge has initially been launched in
Warboys, which last year won the 'Village Green',
award from the Energy Saving Trust for their
environmental efforts. One hundred participating
residents recorded their electricity meter readings
over a period of four weeks. The first week showed
'business as usual' electricity consumption without
the monitor and then the following three weeks
showed electricity use with the monitors in place.
The idea being to show exactly how much energy is
used before the OWL monitor is installed and exactly
how much can be saved using the energy monitors.
As well as showing energy savings in Kilowatts per
hour, the OWL monitors also show the user the cash
impacts of changing their habits in pence per hour
and the environmental savings in reduced CO 2
emissions. All these features are shown on an easy to
read LCD screen and stored in a cumulative
memory to make it easy to monitor electricity used.
During these four weeks, the Greener Living Fair took
place within the village and brought environmental
organisations to the village and details about
getting grants for cavity and loft insulation. There
were also energy and water efficiency solutions,
11
the current heating situation and whether there is
adequate insulation. She also checks if the
resident is receiving all the benefits they are
entitled to.
Funding for any work required is available to
people deemed as being on low income or who
are in fuel poverty (this is calculated as spending
more than 10% of their household income on fuel to
keep warm).
Krishna Ramkhelawon, the NHS's assistant director
of public health, says “the scheme is designed to
compliment the Government’s Warm Front
scheme to improve home energy efficiency. We
have chosen the area because surveys show it has
a high concentration of housing in poor quality and
this is an extra level of help for people with part-
icular health problems. We can help people
access funding they may not have known about,
and provide extra help that is not offered, such as
insulating solid walls and providing thermostatic
radiator valves”.
Two years after they have had the work done,
participants' medical records will be checked to
see how many times they sought healthcare
treatment compared with the two years previously.
There will also be qualitative work with question-
naires, to see if and how the interventions have
made a change to people's perception of their
condition, their lifestyle and their household
income.
The Team have worked to develop a robust pilot
scheme and will thoroughly assess it's success to
see if it will be rolled out across the whole borough.
This scheme, which has not been done before in
Essex will improve health, household income,
energy efficiency and will reduce carbon
emissions.
For more information contact:
Melanie Rundle, Fuel Poverty Officer,
Colchester Borough Council
Tel: 01206 282214
Email: [email protected]
Krishna Ramkhelawon,
Assistant Director of Public health,
NHS NE Essex
Tel: 01206 286820
Warm Homes may be
right up your streetA pioneering grant scheme in Colchester aims to make
homes warmer for people whose health is affected by
cold and damp conditions.
The joint project involving NHS North East Essex and
Colchester Borough Council aims to improve the long
term health of people with asthma or chronic obstruct-
i've pulmonary disease.
A £100,000 pilot scheme was launched in January 2009
in New Town Ward of Colchester, with over 200 patients
invited to take part.
The Fuel Poverty Officer appointed for this project visits
the resident at home and undertakes an assessment of
home composting and many much advice to
help people be more environmentally friendly.
BBC Radio Cambridgeshire's Energy Doctor was
on hand to advise the public on reducing their
energy bills.
The scheme has attracted many press and
publicity opportunities. Anglia Television
produced a news report on one of the families
taking part which was aired at the beginning of
the challenge. BBC Radio Cambridgeshire
interviewed the Energy Doctor during the Greener
Living Fair and this has received local press
coverage throughout.
Currently, we are collating the information from all
participating residents and from this we will be
able to show how much energy and CO has been 2
saved in Warboys.
The Council is looking forward to working with
other parishes within the district. As with Warboys,
residents will be provided with energy monitors
and provided with assistance and advice which,
combined, will show that savings can results from
simple behavioural change.
For more information on this scheme visit
www.huntsdc.gov.uk or contact Heidi Field,
Environmental Education and Promotions Officer,
Huntingdonshire District Council on 01480 388388.
12
Warm Front UpdateThis article includes information extracts from Warm
Front’s regular networking bulletin. This is something
intended to compliment the monthly dashboard
reports provided to stakeholders (see below), and will
be produced on a quarterly basis. It is designed to
give information on issues relating to Warm Front,
changes to the scheme or operational processes, as
well as include articles that are likely to be of interest
to people working in the fuel poverty arena.
Stakeholder Dashboard
The new Warm Front Stakeholder dashboard can
provide a range of information including measures
installed per month per LA area; referral received;
cost of works by month and by year; insulation and
heating timelines and colour coded maps.
Warm Front Frequently Asked Questions Document
This document contains a wide variety of questions
and detailed answers relating to all aspects of the
Warm Front scheme. Questions are grouped into the
following sections:
! Referral ! Survey stage ! Installation stage ! Client contribution ! Warm Front for private tenants ! Inspection stage ! Warranty & aftercare ! Enquiries and complaints! Networking support
Sharing Council Tax Benefit and Housing Benefit data
to tackle Fuel Poverty
By utilising CTB and HB data to target fuel poor
households, Warm Front has been working
successfully in partnership with many Benefit
Managers since 2004. However, recent, broader
concerns regarding data security and also the
requirement to meet National Indicator objectives
(e.g. NI180, NI187) have provided the impetus to
clarify and further develop working relationships.
To ensure CTB and HB data-sharing with Warm Front
continues to be an appropriate and secure process,
many local authorities have written to the Information
Commissioner’s Office (ICO) for guidance. For
example, in North Yorkshire, all nine Local Authorities
contacted the Commissioners Office and received a
very positive reply. The Commissioner's Office stated
"l do not believe that what you are proposing will
breach the fair processing requirements of the DPA
98".
eaga.plc, the Warm Front scheme manager, also
contacted the ICO with regard to managing Local
Authority CTB and HB data. On the 19/08/08 the ICO
stated “I understand that those who receive CTB and
HB are eligible for Warm Front. Therefore I do not
consider that there is anything inherently unfair in
using the details of benefit recipients to contact them
to advise them of their eligibility. This is not a use for a
wholly incompatible purpose and the only
consequences for benefit recipients is that they
receive a letter advising them of their Warm Front
eligibility”.
This effective utilisation of HB and CTB data via eaga-
funded mailings is an effective and spatially inclusive
method of targeting all Warm Front eligible
households in any LA. By working in partnership with
the scheme, Benefit Managers can achieve
important National Indicator requirements.
In February 09, eaga will offer an informative Warm
Front Toolkit that can be used by all Benefit Managers
to effectively ensure appropriate compliance with
data legislation and provide suggestions for
consistent best practice and partnership working
processes that tackle fuel poverty effectively whilst
ensuring each local authority is maximising its Warm
Front funding from central government. For more
information, contact your local networker.
If you wish to be included in the monthly distribution of
this information, please contact your local networker.
13
Networker Areas
Peter Daley, has taken a six month
secondment to the Digital Switchover
scheme. Shida Bassiti has been appointed
as the Referral Generation Manager
covering Peter's role.
Referral Generation Manager:
Shida Bassiti
[email protected] - 07960 042167
Regional Managers:
Kirsty Brown (North West, North East,
Yorkshire & Humber)
[email protected] - 07740 157273
Chris Horrocks (West Midlands,
East Midlands and Eastern)
[email protected] - 07984 714253
Claire Bircham (South West, South East, London)
[email protected] - 07960 043109
Networker e-mail phone
Angie Anderton [email protected] 07740 640818
Cathy Lomax [email protected] 07949 132026
Claire Bircham [email protected] 07960 043109
Claire Moore [email protected] 07983 805647
Clive Rushmore [email protected] 07961 080515
Craig Betts [email protected] 07985 331121
Gale Marriott [email protected] 07949 121241
Gavin McAuley [email protected] 07960 042547
Graeme Stephenson [email protected] 07960 084732
James Merrill [email protected] 07960 084758
Jamie Robinson [email protected] 07985 331880
Martin Carrick [email protected] 07852 265337
Nicky Jones [email protected] 07930 587069
Noeleen McNally [email protected] 07730 424418
Ravi Kumar [email protected] 07740 157265
Ruth Williams [email protected] 07740 817587
Simon Church [email protected] 07949 121245
Working as Partnership Development Officers, and each
covering a specific geographic region we have:
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