Community Action on Climate Change Pathfinder induction – March 2011 Reducing residential carbon emissions Catrin Maby

1. Community Action on Climate Change Pathfinder induction – March 2011Reducing residential carbon emissionsCatrin Maby

2. CO2 emissions from homes in Wales

3. The basic ingredients • Build low carbon new homes • Retrofit improvements to existing homes: • Thermal insulation • More efficient heating and hot water appliances • Improved controls • Renewable heat sources • Micro-generation • Purchase more/most efficient lights and appliances • Use less/use more efficiently

4. Perspective on retrofit • Space and water heating account for approx 66% of home emissions • Regulations for new homes controlled by Building Regs, which are periodically tightened as regards energy - new homes to be zero carbon by 2016 (aspiration to achieve by 2011 in Wales) • But 80% of homes that will be there in 2050 have already been built * • ……….so focus needed on existing homes • * Home Truths, Environmental Change Institute, 2007

5. Retrofit improvements • Singular measures – can be done in isolation from other works: • Loft insulation • Cavity wall insulation • Replacement boiler • Upgrade heating and h/w controls (time and temp) • Low energy lighting • Solar hot water • Heat pump • Biomass boiler/stove • Microgen: photovoltaic, wind, small hydro • Secondary glazing (and some double glazing) • Draughtproofing windows and doors

6. Retrofit improvements • Opportunity measures – include in renovations: • Solid wall insulation • Under-floor insulation • Flat roof insulation • Sloping ceiling, dormer and bay insulation • Replacing windows with high efficiency ones

7. Exercise: individual reflection • Retrofit improvements: exploring the motivations and barriers • Write down 3 retrofit measures you have carried out on your own home, and why you chose to do these? • Write down 3 retrofit measures you could apply to your own home, but have not yet done so, and why not?

8. Retrofit of existing homes - issues • Home-owners often enthusiastic about sustainability but put off by costs/difficulties finding installer • Sustainable energy measures still tend to be sold as single technologies by specialist companies • General building market characterised by small companies, competing on price and avoiding taking risk on new technologies • Builders merchants and DIY sheds tend to have limited range of sustainable energy materials

9. Retrofit of existing homes - issues • O/O homes change hands on average every 7-9 years • Many of the significant measures have much longer paybacks than this at current energy and installed prices • Fuel supplier programmes focus on quick payback measures to date • Energy Performance Certificates favour same measures in ‘cost-effective measures’ recommendations • Govt /Energy Saving Trust advice & campaigns now promoting wider range of measures

10. Key national programmes • Fuel suppliers – CERT (to become ECO in 2012): carbon saving targets for homes, design own programmes within rules set by Ofgem, current focus on cavity and loft insulation • Energy Performance Certificates obligatory when home sold or rented (EU Energy Performance of Buildings Directive) • Wales New Fuel Poverty Scheme – April 2011:raising F/G rated homes to C for most vulnerable • Green Deal – 2012: framework for accreditation of advice and installers, plus system of finance for retrofit • Smart meter roll out – 2012: potential for varying tariff structures, and effect on user behaviour • Feed in tariffs / Renewable Heat Incentive: market transformation

11. Purchasing behaviour – some key areas • Seeing low carbon as an attractive feature (doing better not doing without) • Including carbon/energy efficiency as key element of choice of new appliance/lights • Retailers attitude/info provided • Retailer and consumer understanding of energy labels/info • Availability/where to find better appliances • Access to range of efficient lighting to suit different needs

12. User behaviour – some key areas • Setting of heating thermostats (wall and radiator) • Setting of hot water thermostat • Timing heat and hot water to needs of household • Showers instead of baths/shorter showers • Hot wash in evening in summer, if solar thermal hot water • Turning off unused lights, tvs, pcs, and stand-bys • Minimising use of tumble dryer • Washing on lower temps where possible • Waiting for full loads to wash

13. User behaviour – some key areas • Transfer of usage to sunny daytime if have PV • Boiling only what’s needed in kettle • Keeping fridge condenser clear/clean/with air flow • Keeping fridge and cooker seals clean/functioning • Keeping freezer clear of ice • Wait for food to cool before refrigerating • Not standing with fridge door open reviewing contents….. • Microwave instead of oven for reheating

14. Exercise – round table • User behaviour: exploring the motivations and barriers • Think of one energy inefficient behaviour in your own or a friend’s household, and what you think are the barriers • As we go round we will give the rest of the group the chance to suggest solutions to these barriers

15. Supporting user behaviour change – basics • Feedback on consumption • Target setting for savings • Advice and info –specific, relevant, practical • Peer group motivation • Sense of agency (individual and collective) • Identifying, unfreezing and re-freezing habits: • Focus in on specific behaviour • Observe and identify indivisible behaviours and barriers • Develop and trial solutions • Note: training in Community Based Social Marketing later in month……

16. Example: Household Energy Services • Independent energy advice service • Run by and for local people • Free winter HES home energy survey • 50 volunteers plus some paid staff and trustees • Winners of Big Green Challenge 2010 • Marches area: Newtown, Knighton, Presteigne, Clun, Bishops Castle, Montgomery • Link up with local groups in each area, such as: • Transition Presteigne • Montgomery Energy Group • Newtown Action on Climate Change

17. Example: Target 2050 Homes, Stroud • Supply and demand support • Led by local authority/independent energy agency partnership • Target of 60-80% carbon reduction in existing homes • Home survey, action plans and follow up advice • Local retrofit installer network – capacity building • Pilot for Pay As You Save loans • 23 exemplars representative of main housing types • Open Homes weekend (led by Transition group) • Low Carbon Homes Show

18. Example: Energy Neighbourhood • Energy saving clubs at neighbourhood level • Monitored electricity and gas consumption individually and group • Set savings targets and competed to save most over set time • Each group led and supported by ‘Energy Master’ • Awards and celebrations of achievement: groups and individuals • Trialled in 9 EU countries 2008-10, new programme 2011-13

21. Example: Green Valleys, Brecon Beacons • Community Interest Company • Mission to create carbon neutral, financially secure and sustainable communities • Expert support at low cost, to individuals or community groups • Micro-hydro, specialism: 10 installations to date, 2-36kW • Also offer support on local wood fuel, bio-diesel clubs, car clubs

22. Example: energy saving for home-workers • Review of local businesses indicated that high proportion are micro (less than 5 people) • Noted trend for micro businesses to operate from home • Partnership between energy agency and general business advisory service • Development of webinar tailoring energy saving advice and info to home-based workers, including: • Heating a home office/one room in house • Lighting and ICT • Eco-driving

23. Retrofit Example: end terrace Victorian house • Couple with young child, employed • Double glazing, loft insulation and efficient gas boiler replacement already done • No savings, took out PAYS loan, maximum £10,000 • External ins side and back, internal at front to preserve features • Conservation area – had to get permission

24. Retrofit Example: Georgian listed townhouse • Family with teenagers, employed • Loft and sloping ceiling ins done • Wall plasterwork in need of repair • Chose solar ready combi, but now want PV, planning consent awaited • Did DIY sec glazing on back windows

25. Retrofit Example: timber frame 1970s • Inherited family home, family with kids, employed • Doing major refurbishment • Remember house as child as light and cheerful but too cold! • Loft ins and d glazing done

26. Retrofit Example: stone cottage • Working couple • Attic rooms, thick stone walls • Hard to heat, unreliable LPG boiler • Wanted pellet boiler, but worried about resale as manual handling • Compromised with new boiler and wood stove • Internal insulation preserves character

27. Resources • Government advice: • ActonCO2.direct.gov.uk • Energy Saving Trust: est.co.uk • free advice for households 0800 512012 • Independent energy agencies/specialist non-profits: • Severn Wye Energy Agency: swea.co.uk • West Wales Eco Centre: ecocentre.org.uk • Centre for Sustainable Energy: cse.org.uk • National Energy Action: nea.org.uk • Global Action Plan: globalactioplan.org.uk • Centre for Alternative Technology: cat.org.uk • Partnerships/trade bodies • Energy Efficiency Partnership for Homes: www.eeph.org.uk • Association for the Conservation of Energy

28. Thank you for listeningCatrin Maby www.swea.co.uk