kent low carbon communities toolkit · kent low carbon communities toolkit: version 1: november...

Kent Low Carbon Communities Toolkit

Kent Low Carbon Communities Toolkit: Version 1: November 2008

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Contents

Contents ......................................................................................................................................... 0 1. Overview................................................................................................................................. 2 2. Climate Change..................................................................................................................... 5 3. Your Project..........................................................................................................................15 4. Planning ................................................................................................................................17 5. Getting Started.....................................................................................................................28 6. Keeping Going .....................................................................................................................32 7. Finding Help .........................................................................................................................37 Fact sheet 1: Kent’s Water........................................................................................................40 Fact sheet 2: Composting .........................................................................................................42 Fact sheet 3: Local Food...........................................................................................................45 Fact sheet 4: Recycling .............................................................................................................48 Fact sheet 5: Transport..............................................................................................................50 Fact Sheet 6: Cavity Wall Insulation........................................................................................54 Fact Sheet 7: Energy Labelling ................................................................................................57 Fact Sheet 8: Low Energy Lighting..........................................................................................58 Fact Sheet 9: Condensation .....................................................................................................60 Fact Sheet 10: Heating controls ...............................................................................................62 Fact Sheet 11: Draught Proofing .............................................................................................64 Fact Sheet 12: Solid wall insulation .........................................................................................66 Fact Sheet 13: Loft insulation...................................................................................................73 Fact Sheet 14: Solar hot water .................................................................................................75 Fact Sheet 15: Solar PV............................................................................................................78 Fact Sheet 16: Biomass ............................................................................................................81 Fact Sheet 17: Ground source heat pump.............................................................................83 Fact Sheet 18: Small scale wind power ..................................................................................86 Fact Sheet 19: Payback periods ..............................................................................................89 Fact Sheet 20: Climate change myths ....................................................................................90 8. Glossary & acronyms..........................................................................................................91 Images on front cover used with the kind perm ission as follows; top left picture - Kent Images top right picture - Ashford Borough Council bottom left picture – Dover District Council bottom right picture – Kent Images

© Kent County Council and Kent Energy Centre: Kent Low Carbon Community Toolkit: Version 1 This publication is available in different formats and can be explained in other languages, please call 08458 247 247 for details.


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Overview

1. Overview Foreword by Keith Ferrin, Cabinet Member for Environment, Highways & Waste, Kent County Council

I have become increasingly aware that many communities in Kent want to take action to tackle climate change. In 2007 I commissioned a pilot Kent Low Carbon Communities project to provide support to an initial four communities. This toolkit is based on the pilot project and shares the approach with all interested communities in Kent. The toolkit is designed specifically for use in Kent and is, I believe, the most comprehensive and practical toolkit currently available to help you on your journey towards becoming a Kent Low Carbon Community. I hope you find it useful. This version is a work in progress. Kent County Council is committed to publishing future versions of the toolkit on a regular basis and will be working with several partner organisations to provide further support. Please let me know how you get on and let me have any suggestions for our next version. Keith Ferrin, November 2008

Introduction

Kent people and communities have become increasingly aware of climate change, the impacts on everyday life and the importance of taking action. More and more people are keen to do their bit to reduce their own local impact. The Kent Low Carbon Communities initiative, funded by Kent County Council (KCC), aims to encourage local communities to take action, helping them to reduce their carbon footprint in the most cost effective ways possible. If you are interested in making a difference within your local community, whether that community is a village, a parish, a social group or a school, then this toolkit is for you.


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Purpose of this toolkit

This toolkit is designed for use by any active community group or ‘steering’ group who wish to set up a Kent Low Carbon Community project. It outlines the steps that you will need to take in order to plan, implement and sustain your project long-term. It also includes lots of ideas, tips and examples to get you started. The toolkit is a working document. This first version is based on a small set of experiences and pilot project work in Kent. Every community project that aims to tackle climate change, or uses part of the toolkit, will be able to add to it. We value your feedback, ideas, stories and pictures for future versions.

Using the toolkit

Sections 1 to 6 of the toolkit explain the different stages of setting up a Kent Low Carbon Community. Section 7, Finding Help, provides support materials for your steering group including examples of letters, posters and questionnaires. It also includes information for householders in your community in the format of a series of fact sheets and leaflets on energy efficiency, renewable technologies, transport and sustainable living. This toolkit is available in an electronic format for anyone to download and use via www.kent.gov.uk/climatechange . Limited hard copies of the toolkit, including some additional hard copy resources in the Finding Help section, will be distributed to known Kent community groups or are available upon request to Kent groups whilst stocks last. A CD-ROM version is also proposed. Please contact [email protected] if a hard copy of CD ROM copy is of interest. The toolkit is also available in different formats and can be explained in other languages. Please call 08458 247 247 for details.

We define Kent Low Carbon Communities as: “Groups of people working individually and together to significantly reduce their carbon footprint”

This toolkit is part of wider work to tackle climate change in Kent. Register your community group, be first to hear about future developments, tell us about your project and send us your toolkit feedback via [email protected]

When using any of the material from this toolkit please cite: © Kent County Council and Kent Energy Centre: Kent Low Carbon Communities Toolkit: Version 1


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Authors of this toolkit

This toolkit has been written by the Kent Energy Centre (KEC) and Kent County Council (KCC). Kent County Council (KCC) funded the Kent Energy Centre (KEC) to deliver the pilot Kent Low Carbon Communities project and to develop this toolkit. The team would like to thank everyone who has contributed to the toolkit, including representatives of the pilot Kent Low Carbon Communities , KEC and KCC staff.

About the Kent Energy Centre

The Kent Energy Centre (KEC) is operated by Creative Environmental Networks, a non-profit organisation. It provides free, impartial and expert advice to help Kent residents reduce the amount of energy they use. The KEC can provide a range of services to help communities in Kent tackle climate change, supported and funded by all local authorities in Kent. For example, through its established advice networks and installer programmes KEC is able to facilitate communities to make appropriate changes in order to reduce their carbon footprint and to respond to other green initiatives. From autumn 2008 KEC will play an even more important role in helping tackle climate change as the Energy Saving Trust Advice Centre (ESTAC) for Kent, Sussex and Surrey, continuing to work with a range of partners. Please note, as a result of this development some of the Kent Energy Centre branding you may already be familiar with will change. Please see the Finding Help section for more information or contact the KEC on 0800 512 012 or www.kentenergycentre.org.uk.


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Climate change

2. Climate Change What is climate change?

The Earth is surrounded by a thin blanket of gases, known as the atmosphere. Contained in the atmosphere are a number of gases known as greenhouse gases, including carbon dioxide, methane and water vapour. They are called greenhouse gases because, like a greenhouse, they allow the sun’s rays to pass through but trap some of the heat emitted back from the Earth’s surface. This is a natural process which warms the Earth and makes it habitable - without greenhouse gases the Earth would be too cold to support life.. Over the past few hundred years of industrialisation humans have burnt more and more fossil fuels such as coal, oil and gas for energy in power stations, boilers and vehicles. This has released more and more greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, especially carbon dioxide (CO2). Greenhouse gases persist in the atmosphere. With more greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, more heat is trapped, the Earth warms further which causes a range of climatic changes. Our climate is already feeling the effects of historical emissions, such as those from the industrial revolution, and yet today we are releasing carbon dioxide at the fastest rate ever. Meanwhile, as deforestation continues around the world, the Earth’s ability to absorb some of the manmade greenhouse gases has diminished. As a result, the atmospheric concentration of carbon dioxide is higher now than at any point for the last 650,000 years and is causing long-term damage to the health of our planet.


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Even if we stopped today, current carbon dioxide emissions will continue to have a negative impact for future generations due to the atmospheric time-lag.

More about the scientific evidence

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) was set up by the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). It represents the consensus of world experts and is charged with monitoring and collating climate change research and providing regular statements about man’s impact on climate. The IPCC has studied the fundamental link between greenhouse gases and climate change very closely. Its latest report, published in 2007, concluded that it was “very likely” that current climate change could not be explained by natural variations alone and was caused by man-made greenhouse gases. This was a significant statement. Previously the IPCC scientists had thought the link only “likely” which is equivalent to 60% certainty. The new statement of “very likely” meant that, having studied new research, the world’s scientific community was now 90% certain. This effectively ended the debate about whether or not man-made climate change is happening and shifted focus onto taking action in response. For more information about climate change and the arguments for and against – take a look at our myths and misconceptions Fact Sheet in Section 7.

The global impacts

The greenhouse effect produces a range of climatic changes in different parts of the world at different times including:

• Hotter temperatures • Drought • Increased, heavier rainfall • Sea level rise and coastal flooding • Increased storms, hurricanes and coastal storm

surges


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Without action it is expected that global temperature will rise between 1.5°C and 6°C above 1990 levels by 2100, with 4°C the most likely temperature increase. This is enough to cause very significant global impacts including:

• 3 billion additional people without sufficient water • Decrease in all global cereal production • Up to £15milion people at risk of coastal flooding

each year The Stern Report, published in 2007, estimated that the economic cost of taking action to tackle climate change now is equivalent to spending about 3% of global GDP by 2030. The cost of doing nothing will be more than 20 times this before the end of the century. This provided governments, businesses and communities around the world with the economic case for taking action now. Globally, climate change is not a future problem but a current one. Trends in hurricanes, flooding and drought are already contributing to several major humanitarian disasters and economic problems.

How is the UK climate affected?

In its most recent report (Dec 2007), the UK Climate Impacts Programme (UKCIP) describes how the Central England Temperature (CET) has increased by over 1°C since 1990. Recent years have seen a number of records in the CET monthly series broken. Here are just some of the facts about the UK climate: • August 2003 saw the hottest ever maximum

temperature in the UK, recording 38.5 ºC at Faversham in Kent. This exceeded the previous record set in 1990 by 1.4 ºC.

• Sea-level rise has accelerated between mid-19th

century and mid-20th century, and is now about 3mm per year. It is likely that human activities have contributed between 25% and 50% of the rise in the last half of the 20th century.

This shows change in annual-mean relative sea level recorded by tide gauges with particularly long records, including at Sheerness in Kent (UKCIP).

The cost of doing something is far less than the cost of doing nothing. (Stern Report, 2007)


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• All UK regions have experienced higher intensity winter rainfall over the past 45 years.

• Severe windstorms and flood events have become

more frequent in the past few decades.

What are the impacts of climate change on Kent?

Compared to the rest of the UK, Kent is expected to see some of the biggest impacts of climate change. This is because of a range of factors inc luding our long coastline, dispersed and mobile population, vulnerability to flooding and drought and proximity to the European mainland. Kent can expect: • Warmer temperatures. So far the average

temperature in Kent risen over 1°C since 1960. Average temperature in Kent is expected to rise at least 2°C by 2040. The hot summer of 2003 is expected to be mild by 2080.

• Reduced summer rainfall. Summer rainfall has decreased by 40% in the south east since 1961.

• Wetter winters. Winter rainfall has increased by up to 50% since 1961 with increased flood risk.

• Sea level rise. At the Kent coast the sea is rising by 1-2mm/year and could rise as much as 40cm by 2050.

• Changing seasons: The growing season has increased 30 days since 1990.

This shows changes in CET annual values (blue bars) from 1877 to 2006, relative to the average temperature recorded during 1960-90 (about 9.5°C). The red line emphasises decadal variations (Source: MOHC, UKCIP).

The South East is currently under pressure from many quarters and climate change is going to make things worse. A new agenda is urgently required to prepare the region for the challenges it faces from a changing climate (UKCIP)


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The important thing is to understand how these changes affect Kent’s economy, people, infrastructure, communities and wildlife. Some of the changes will be beneficial, others will be challenges that we will need to overcome.

What needs to be done to tackle climate change?

An effective response to climate change, whether at the global, national or local level, requires two things:

• Action to mitigate climate change. This means to stop climate change from continuing to happen by reducing carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gas emissions. For individuals and communities this requires reducing use of energy from fossil fuels.

• Action to adapt to climate change. There is

already a certain amount of climate change in the system. We need to understand how the changing climate affects our communities and adapt as appropriate.

Version 1 of this toolkit is focused on mitigation – reducing carbon emissions in communities in Kent. However, you will find that your communities will also be interested in adaptation and you are welcome to take a broader approach to include adaptive action and sustainable lifestyles in your project. We hope future versions of the toolkit will expand further on this broader agenda. If you have any experiences to share please let us know. If you would like to know more about adapting to climate change, we recommend: • Defra’s adaptation pages www.defra.gov.uk/enviornment/climatechange/adapt • UK Climate Impacts Programme www.ukcip.org.uk • Climate South East www.climatesoutheast.org.uk • Tomorrow’s England South East report www.tomorrowsengland.net


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What is happening internationally to tackle climate change?

The Kyoto Protocol is the current overarching agreement that is driving current international commitment to reduce carbon emissions. However, not all countries are yet committed to emissions targets and there are some real challenges in detaching economic growth from rising carbon emissions on a global level. Negotiations for a post-2012 Kyoto deal will reach a critical stage over the next 18 months. This is why action by countries such as the UK and the rest of the EU is so important. Although our direct carbon emissions by themselves are small on the global scale, we have to lead by example and demonstrate that we have a truly low-carbon economy to have any hope of influencing others. At the European level there is a raft of legislation concerning energy, transport and waste. The introduction of Energy Performance Certificates as part of the Home Information Pack was initiated by the EU Performance of Buildings Directive. This expanded to include rental properties, public and commercial buildings in 2008. The EU Emissions Trading Scheme is another key piece of legislation that affects all large polluters (e.g. power stations) in the EU. For more information visit www.decc.gov.uk

What is happening nationally to tackle climate change in the UK?

Although the UK's overall greenhouse gas emissions have fallen, annual net carbon dioxide emissions have risen by around 2% over the last decade, so we need a renewed effort to stabilize and reduce our emissions. The Government is implementing some ground-breaking new measures, for example:

• In autumn 2008 the creation of a new Department of Energy and Climate Change, headed up by an


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influential Sec retary of State, signalled the importance attached to this issue.

• In December 2008 the world’s first Climate Change Act will be passed by Parliament. This will create binding UK carbon reduction targets with 5-year carbon budgets, and bring in a wave of new regulation including a compulsory carbon trading scheme for all reasonably large businesses and organisations.

• A range of planning and building regulations, including that all new homes and schools must be “zero carbon” by 2016, and all other new buildings by 2019.

For further information visit: www.defra.gov.uk/environment www.decc.gov.uk

What are councils in Kent doing to tackle climate change?

The Nottingham Declaration

Kent County Council and nine of the twelve Kent district councils have signed the Nottingham Declaration on Climate Change. This is a voluntary commitment signed by over 300 councils in England to tackle climate change through a combination of mitigation and adaptation actions within council buildings, across delivery of all council services, and in partnership with the wider community area. Several Kent councils have also published a more detailed climate change action plan. For example, Kent County Council held a Select Committee on Climate Change in 2006 from which a range of recommendations were adopted by the Council to produce a comprehensive climate change programme. Find out more at www.kent.gov.uk/climatechange

The Kent Agreement 2008-11

The Kent Partnership is the local strategic partnership that brings together all the Kent authorities, wider public sector, business and voluntary sector representatives to work on shared priorities for Kent.

Signatories of the Nottingham Declaration in Kent to date: • Ashford Borough

Council • Canterbury City Council • Kent County Council • Maidstone Borough

Council • Sevenoaks District

Council • Shepway District Council • Swale Borough Council • Tonbridge & Malling

Borough Council • Tunbridge Wells

Borough Council


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The Kent Partnership recently negotiated with central government to agree the Kent Agreement 2008-11. This sets out clear priorities for action over the next few years, with associated performance targets. The new Kent Agreement differs significantly from the previous one in that there is a much stronger emphasis on environmental issues and tackling climate change. Under the twin priorities of “creating a low-carbon and climate change resilient economy” and “reducing Kent’s carbon footprint” are two specific climate change targets:

• Mitigation: To reduce per capita carbon emissions from the local authority area by approximately 11% by 2011.

• Adaptation: To identify and prioritise adaptation action across the community and to implement the most urgent action by 2011.

The Kent Partnership recognises that influencing people’s behaviours and lifestyles, at home and at work, will be the key to meeting these important targets. A recent KCC Kent residents’ survey has shown that about 4 in 10 people believe they could do more to influence family and friends to tackle climate change. The community approach in this toolkit is therefore absolutely central to achieving these targets. It is not about dictating change, instead the approach is about providing interested community groups with the tools, information and support they need to make a difference.

What is a carbon footprint?

The carbon footprint of a person, household or community is a measure of how much carbon dioxide or other greenhouse gases they create. It shows how much impact someone or something has on the environment in terms of contributing to climate change. There are a number of greenhouse gases that everyone are responsible for in some way but for simplicity, their impact is converted into equivalent units of carbon dioxide.

The Kent Partnership is made up of representatives from the private, public and voluntary and community sectors. It has an important role in encouraging community leadership, supporting new initiatives and the effective delivery of services. It oversees Kent's community strategy, the Vision for Kent, as well as the Kent Agreement, which contains targets to improve the life of the county's residents. Kent Partnership provides a strong collective voice for the many organisations involved in delivering services for the people of Kent. For more information visit www.kentpartnership.org.uk (Source: KCC).


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There are many different methods but in general terms there are two parts to a person's carbon footprint: • The ‘direct’ carbon footprint relates to the emissions

of carbon dioxide, or equivalent, resulting from direct use of fossil fuels. For example, when using gas to heat our homes and provide hot water or through the use of electricity generated from fossil fuel sources, or from driving a car.

• The ‘indirect’ carbon footprint is more complex and

relates to the emissions from goods and services we buy and use – emissions associated with processes such as extraction of raw materials, manufacturing, distribution and disposal.

When taking action to reduce a carbon footprint it is usually easier to start with the direct emissions because these are simplest to understand, control and measure, with clear savings and a well-developed support network. Version 1 of this toolkit therefore focuses on the reduction of people’s direct carbon footprint through increased energy efficiency, renewable technologies and more sustainable transport choices . However, as your project develops, you will find that many people in your community want to consider indirect components too. Whilst this will be more difficult to measure and track, looking at both direct and indirect carbon footprints could lead to bigger carbon savings overall.

Car (indirect)5%

Health & education8%

Clothing7%

Recreation & leisure14%

Food & drink6%Holiday flights

12%Public transport

2%

Electricity10%

Gas11%

Petrol8%

Household17%

IndirectDirectThis pie chart shows the breakdown of an average UK person’s direct and indirect carbon footprint. (Based on research completed by the RESOLVE team at the University of Surrey)


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We have therefore also provided Fact Sheets on reducing your indirect footprint by making more sustainable lifestyle choices – for example regarding water, transport, food, recycling and waste. We intend to expand the next version of the toolkit to include more about indirect emissions. If your project includes work to reduce indirect emissions, we would be interested to hear about your progress. You might also like to research this subject in more detail before deciding the type of carbon footprint you will opt for. You may like to see how your community’s carbon emissions compare nationally and regionally – figures are readily available at district council area level.

• For direct emissions data from households and businesses in your local area visit www.defra.gov.uk/environment/statistics

• For broader data including indirect emissions and wider ecological footprinting visit www.resource-accounting.org.uk

What is a carbon calculator?

A carbon calculator is a way of measuring the carbon footprint of an individual, household, business or community. There are many carbon calculators freely available on the internet . If you use an online tool we recommend that you opt for a robust calculator that is based on good data and which is updated regularly. The UK Government’s calculator and that of the World Wildlife Fund are good examples.

• www.direct.gov.uk/actonCO2 • www.footprint.wwf.org.uk


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Your project

3. Your Project

Using the steps in this toolkit

The remainder of this toolkit is a step-by-step method for setting up your Kent Low Carbon Community project. The method is based on the experience of the four pilot Kent Low Carbon Community projects. However these pilot projects are by no means the only community climate change initiatives currently underway. Your project may already be involved with some of these initiatives, for example the Transition Towns movement. The steps in this method are therefore suitable for taking in their entirety, or for integrating with other initiatives in your local community as you wish. Each community project is different and will want to learn from and be influenced by different things. The toolkit is interspersed with case studies from elsewhere to help illustrate this and seeks to provide a Kent-specific overview of current initiatives for you to learn from. In return, we only ask that you: • Cite © Kent County Council & Kent Energy Centre:

Kent Low Carbon Community Toolkit when you use our material

• Tell us your experiences of using both this toolkit and other initiatives to improve our next version

A step-by-step guide

The rest of this toolkit is divided into four sections that take you through the steps towards becoming a Kent Low Carbon Community.


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Planning

4. Planning Good planning is essential to ensuring a successful project. Below are important steps to consider at the beginning of your project:

• Setting up a steering group • Consulting your community and building support • Review existing initiatives • Set objectives and timescales • Produce a project plan

Steering group

You may already have a steering group but if you have not yet set one up it might be worth advertising for positions locally (for example through a local newsletter) or approaching individuals who might be interested. A steering group can consist of any number of people, but ideally a range of 4-10 people, with a range of interests and skills. A steering group helps to determine the direction of the project and drive it forward. It can be beneficial to elect a leader or chairperson within this group to lead meetings, finalise tasks, and allocate responsibilities . It is important for the success of the project to promote a strong 'figurehead' who will act as a spokesperson on all occasions and will be prepared to play a prominent role within the local community, also acting as the main point of contact with KEC, KCC and other organisations and initiatives you may be involved with in your project.

In addition to a steering group you may like working groups to deliver different parts of the project. For example for the Ashton Hayes Go Carbon Neutral Initiative had these sub groups: • Community carbon

clinics: giving energy advice to the public

• Technology group: investigating new energy saving and renewable technology options

• Village offset group: investigating carbon sink options

• Admin group: organising conferences and exhibitions

• Press and media group: Making contacts and sending press releases


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Community consultation and support

It is important to find out from your community what they want to get out of the project. Getting them involved at an early stage helps them to take ownership of the project and makes them more likely to get involved. You can consult your community in various ways including:

• An initial questionnaire – this could be ‘quantitative’ – with multiple choices or yes/no answers to questions , which allows you to measure people’s opinions and analyse the results statistically, or ‘qualitative’ with open text boxes enabling people to express their ideas and concerns more openly. A mix of the two is often a good solution and an example questionnaire from Hadlow, whic h was handed out during a Christmas fair is included in the Finding Help section.

• Focus group – you could select a small group of people to talk through the project options and make recommendations to the steering group. Members could be selected at random, or chosen to represent different interest groups.

• Meeting – you could hold an open consultative meeting for the community with speakers, discussions and perhaps a suggestion box.

Gaining support from groups both within and outside of your community can be invaluable. For example working with your parish council, Local Authority, local schools, businesses and other social groups could help your project to take off and ensures that your efforts are coordinated with other existing projects . Some groups are listed overleaf together with the ways in which they could help. You should draw up your own list of individuals, groups and organisations within your area which might be interested in or affected by the project. From this list you can identify the relevant people to contact and hopefully work with.


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Parish council Parish councillors represent the views of the people in their parish. They have a good understanding of local issues and opportunities and undertake projects/schemes to benefit the community. They can help raise awareness of the project with local residents, groups and other tiers of government. For example, they might be able to promote the project in a parish newsletter or on their website. Local Authority Kent councils have all committed to supporting carbon reduction action under the Kent Agreement 2008-11. Many have climate change or sustainability officers, or officers tasked with improving the energy efficiency of all homes in their area. They can inform you of any relevant policies, strategies, legislation and/or grants available. They can also represent your community and influence key decisions in local government. Local schools Schools can generate interest within the wider community through pupils, teachers, non-teaching staff, governors, parents, other relatives and local clubs. They might also provide more practical elements to the project such as designing a poster/logo or hosting outreach events. Local businesses Local businesses may be interested in sponsoring you or providing other services such as design, promotion and printing. Women’s Institute (WI) Groups such as the WI have great links into the community and are already likely to be well informed about environmental issues. For example together with the Women’s Environmental Network (WEN), they have launched the Women’s Manifesto on Climate Change.

Your local school may already be, or might be interested in becoming, an Eco School. The scheme involves analysing the school’s operations and aiming to become a more sustainable and stimulating environment for children to learn in. Lots of schools in Kent have already signed up -go to www.eco-schools.org.uk to find out more. Kent County Council’s Eco Schools officer has produced a Kent Schools Climate Change Action Pack full of ideas and teaching material. Visit www.kent.gov.uk/climatechange to find out more.


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Reviewing existing initiatives

Reviewing existing initiatives enables you to gain valuable knowledge and ideas from other people’s experiences . A good review will help your community to take the best actions and avoid any potential pitfalls or issues. It could ultimately save you a lot of time and help you to produce much better results. We strongly recommend that you review other approaches that exist and use this toolkit and a platform from which to evolve your own ideas. A good place to start is to look at the Ashton Hayes Going Carbon Neutral Initiative. Ashton Hayes is a small village in Cheshire that is trying to be the first Carbon Neutral village in the country – it is discussed in more detail below. We have also provided a list of other initiatives for you to research.

Ashton Hayes Going Carbon Neutral Initiative Ashton Hayes, a rural village of 350 households in Cheshire, is aiming to become the first small community in England to achieve carbon neutral status. Launched in January 2006, the community’s aim has been to implement a number of low cost behavioural changes, as well as some more specific projects, such as local renewable energy installations and forestry schemes. The project tries to actively engage all members of the community in the project, including students, lecturers, landowners, local & national councils, national organisations , local businesses and school children. In this way it takes a grass roots approach to tackling a global problem. Before the project was undertaken a list of achievable targets were drawn up. This has enabled villagers to monitor the scheme’s progress over time. The project is designed to inspire other small communities throughout the UK and overseas into taking action against climate change. Visit www.goingcarbonneutral.co.uk for more information.

The Ashton Hayes project tries to: “Encourage people to participate in whatever way they can without pointing the finger or criticizing anyone’s lifestyle”


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KCC Low Carbon Communities

Kent Energy Centre, in partnership with KCC, supported four pilot communities during 2007/08 in starting their low carbon journeys. This toolkit is based on their experiences. The KEC provided one to one specialist advice; assisted with the running of launch events; collected baseline data; assisted with target setting and facilitated renewable technology and energy audits in community buildings. The following sections outline the brief history of the projects, how they got started, their key achievements and their current status. As the pilots progress further, their experiences will continue to inform future versions of this toolkit.

Elham

• Elham was originally selected to take part in the Low Carbon Community initiative as a result of the enthusiasm shown by a community group when KEC provided presentations and support as part of the Kent Renewables Initiative project. Volunteers for the project are collectively known as the Elham Environment Group (EEG) www.elhamenvironment.co.uk

Project outcomes to date:

• Informed local groups, parish councillors and media about the project.

• Developed Elham Low Carbon Initiative (ELCI) concept.

• Over 60 people attended the launch evening at Elham Primary School.

• Baseline data - 175 Home Energy Checks were completed, a response rate of around 19%. This suggested an average carbon footprint for village residents of 8 tonnes of CO2.

• Target set to achieve a 20% reduction in carbon emissions in 12 months, based on Ashton Hayes and what the Energy Saving Trust advises everyone can save reasonably easily.

• Green spring fair event - over 100 people attended, including speakers from Kent County Council & Creative Environmental Networks.


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• Media Coverage included interviews on kmfm radio, with the Kent on Sunday newspaper and coverage on Meridian TV.

• Allocation of additional KCC pilot funding to conduct a doorstep campaign encouraging the implementation of energy saving solutions in each Elham household.

Hadlow

Hadlow was originally selected to take part in the Low Carbon Community initiative because of the interest shown by residents during public meetings about climate change. There were two preliminary general meetings hosted by Dr Howard Lee, Sustainability coordinator and Lecturer at Hadlow College. These provided an opportunity for people to influence the scope of the project and express interest in joining the steering group. The steering group formed in September and has now grown to around 19 members. Project outcomes to date:

• A questionnaire was distributed at Hadlow Christmas Fair to gauge community enthusiasm for the project and help identify areas of interest.

• Successful HadLow launch event held. • Baseline data response rate of around 20%. • Initial indications show an average carbon

footprint for village residents of 11 tonnes of CO2. • A fantastically innovative local arts festival was

organised by a local artist as part of the project. • Workshop activities and assemblies held at the

local primary school on energy efficiency and renewable energy technologies.

• Gained support from local businesses and local groups, such as the Plaxtol Women’s Institute.

• Identified possible opportunities for local renewable energy installations , which are currently being explored.

• Allocation of some additional KCC Low Carbon Community pilot funding to set up a Grower’s Group and raise awareness of HadLow in the village, including the local school.

• Regularly attracted media attention – BBC Radio Kent, Meridian TV & Kent TV.

Finite? Local artist Julie Taylor organised an arts festival in Hadlow in March 2008. Artists were asked to submit works that illustrated climate change and the Earth’s finite natural resources. The works were exhibited alongside relevant facts and information to help raise awareness in the community. The week-long festival also included talks about climate change and a range of activities for both children and adults.


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St Margaret’s at Cliffe

St Margaret’s at Cliffe was originally selected to take part in the Low Carbon Community initiative due to interest shown during community meetings on climate change. In particular the St Margaret's Bay Trust, who have developed the Pines Calyx conference centre with its award winning environmental architecture, were particularly enthusiastic and now one of two organisations who are leading the project (the other being the local Parish Council). Project outcomes to date:

• Established St Margaret’s Low Carbon Initiative and sustainability group.

• Developed project aims. • Organised and held a launch event – over 80

residents in attendance with key note speakers from local government and local residents.

• Informed local groups, parish councillors and media about the project.

• 275 Home Energy Checks completed, with a response rate of around 13%.

• Initial results show an average carbon footprint for village residents of 10 tonnes of CO2.

• Target set to reduce this by 20% by 2013. • Local school involvement – energy workshops &

assemblies on climate change. • Purchased Energy Monitors for people to borrow

to measure energy use in their own homes. • Energy audits on community buildings. • Local media coverage.

Eastchurch

Eastchurch was originally selected to take part in the Low Carbon Community initiative as a result of the environmental leadership demonstrated by the local school. Eastchurch Primary School was the first school in the UK to receive the Eco Schools “Gold” standard in 1998. The school has also installed a solar photovoltaic array and won the Ashden Awards for Good Energy House Keeping 2006. There was an initial consultation held with the Parish Councilors regarding the key objectives of the project. They were keen to be involved in the project and raise awareness of environmental issues in the community,


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in particular by highlighting the good work of Eastchurch Primary School. Project outcomes to date:

• Established steering group • Held launch event that was well-attended and

raised media interest • Ran a series of radio advertisements to

encourage people to send in their baseline data through a Home Energy Check mailing

• 244 Home Energy Checks completed, equating to a response rate of around 8%

• Initial results show an average carbon footprint for village residents of 9 tonnes of CO2

• Engaged with the local primary school – assemblies & workshop activities on climate change issues

• Identified the village hall as a potential for a renewable energy installation, this has subsequently been taken on by the Kent Energy Centre and Mayor for Eastchurch

• As a result of the project, KEC received 115 calls between October 2007 and March 2008, resulting in 85 referrals for energy efficiency measures

Other community climate change projects and initiatives

There are a growing number of ‘grass roots’ groups in Kent and elsewhere. Most tend to focus on individual communities, whether it be a group of residents, a church group, a society, club or simply users of a particular facility (e.g. sports club or village hall). You may already be aware of, or affiliated with, one or more of these. Some of these groups are listed below. Please check back via www.kent.gov.uk/climatechange and with the Kent Energy Centre to find out the latest details about groups in your area.

Transit ion Town movement

• Aim: The Transition Town movement encourages a more sustainable lifestyle and takes a community-led approach to reducing an area’s

Pupils from Eastchurch Primary working on ways to reduce energy consumption at home


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carbon footprint and increasing long-term resilience to peak oil.

• Description: Provides a network of support & training to communities & organisations to reduce their energy consumption.

• Scale: Can be adapted to any sized community/organisation. 12 towns and cities in Kent have so far declared themselves Transition Towns, including Canterbury, Tonbridge and Tunbridge Wells.

• Link: www.transitiontowns.org

The Greening Campaign

• Aim: To reduce energy consumption communities by engaging with householders.

• Description: Information cards list ways to save energy in the home. These are put into action and the display cards are posted on front windows. Success is evaluated by public surveys and card counts. From this information the annual CO2 cut for the community can be estimated and reported in the local paper.

• Scale: Small Scale - Grass roots action. • Link: www.greening-campaign.co.uk

Shropshire Low Carbon Communities

• Aim: To reduce CO2 emissions by 5.88% or 3,820 tonnes within the three communities in Shropshire by April 2009.

• Description: The project is based in Ellesmere, Cleobury Mortimer and the “Floodplain Community” – a collection of small villages and farmsteads near to Oswestry.

• Scale: Small scale Grass roots – suited to villages. • Link: www.lowcarboncommunity.org

Every Action Counts

• Aim: To influence local behaviour to help save energy, travel wisely, reduce resource dependence, shop ethically & improve local areas .

• Description: Every Actions Counts provides advice and support to voluntary and community organisations, which are looking to reduce their impact on the environment, tackling climate change and improving their local area.

Peak oil The point in time when the maximum rate of global oil production is reached, after which rate of production is in terminal decline (and therefore energy is increasingly expensive) and society must become more locally resilient and less reliant on global oil supply. There is much debate about when this point will be reached, many believe this is imminent.


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• Scale: Small Scale - Grass roots action. • Link: www.everyactioncounts.org.uk

Headcorn Sustainability Movement

• Aim: To help local residents become more environmentally conscious and responsible in every day life.

• Description: Not for profit organisation that campaigns for sustainable lifestyles. The Kent Energy Centre has also been working with Headcorn during 2008 to apply the Kent Low Carbon Community approach.

• Scale: Small Scale - Grass roots action. • Link www.headcornsustainability.co.uk

Community Carbon Reduction Project (CRed)

• Aim: To cut CO2 emissions in participating communities by 60% by 2025.

• Description: Members include representatives from schools, businesses, local authorities, hospitals, community groups, individuals and organisations. Run by the University of East Anglia with funding from local government and businesses .

• Scale: Based in the East of England and focusing on Norfolk and Norwich.

• Link: www.cred-uk.org

Sevenoaks Carbon Rationing Action Group (CRAG)

• Aim: To reduce carbon allowances of participating individuals to around a 5tonne average.

• Description: Participating individuals in the area work together to measure their carbon footprint and to progressively reduce it. Part of an international network of CRAGs.

• Scale: Any scale, works best in small groups or networks of groups.

• Link: www.carbonrationing.org.uk/sevenoaks

Objectives and timescales

Once you have gathered ideas and concerns from your community, and reviewed other initiatives, you can begin to plan out what you want to achieve in your area.


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The first thing you should do is set out your objectives and timescales for achieving them. For example you might want to reduce the carbon footprint of your whole community by a certain amount in a year. Alternatively you might want to do something a little different like making your town plastic bag free (see www.plasticbagfree.com for more information) . It is up to you and your community to decide what you want to get out of the project.

Project plan

Building on your objectives you should then consider drafting a project plan. This will help you to create a smooth running project with clear objectives, activities, timescales, responsibilities & costs . This could be a brief written document and an action plan that is constantly updated. An example action plan is included under Finding Help. You could adapt this template, or you could come up with something completely different, but however you present your plans, these documents will become very useful for the steering group to keep track of progress and maintain momentum.


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Getting started

5. Getting Started In order to get your project up and running, we suggest the following:

• Collect baseline data • Set targets • Develop a marketing plan • Organise a launch event

Collecting baseline data

To create a baseline you will need to add the individual carbon footprints of each member of your community group together. For example, if your group consists of 10 households and each household has a carbon footprint of 10 tonnes of carbon then the baseline footprint would equal 100 tonnes for the year in question. A reduction target will then need to be agreed by the group (e.g. a 30% reduction over 2 years), and activities put in place to help achieve the target reduction. There are several ways in which you can measure carbon footprints (see Section 2 for brief details). We would recommend initially starting with ‘direct’ footprints and then moving onto the ‘indirect’ elements once your project is established. The setting of a reduction target is the crucial part of the process. Resources for carbon foot printing are freely available on the internet and you might want to nominate a member of your team to research this element and come up with a preferred route forwards (see Section 2 for links). The Kent Energy Centre can also help you to calculate the total carbon dioxide emissions for your community by using Home Energy Checks.

Kent Energy Centre carbon baseline tool We will provide you with an adapted Home Energy Check (HEC), available under Finding Help. The HEC is the Energy Saving Trust’s standard tool for assessing direct energy use for households. We have included some additional questions on our HEC covering transport and renewable technologies. Distribution There are several options for distributing HECs, including running a mailing, door to door drop off, distributing at outreach events and leaving in shops, businesses, libraries, the local school and/or GP surgeries for people to pick up. Calculation Based on the HEC results a carbon dioxide estimate will be made for each household. This will be calculated by running the data through an NHER model (see www.nher.co.uk for more information on their model).

Continued…


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Set targets

All this information can be used to calculate baseline data from which a reduction target for the community can be set. This is useful because it gives the community a realistic goal rather than something vague and intangible. If people have a clear target then they are more likely to strive to achieve it.

Marketing plan

A marketing plan will help you to raise the profile of the project within and outside of your community. It will enable you to deliver a positive message about the project to your community and disseminate information about its progress. Each community is unique, therefore different marketing and communication methods will work better in some places than others. Being part of the community, you are in the best position to know which approaches will be most suitable for it.

Target Groups

You should think about the types of people that make up your community and how best to communicate with them. You could draw up a list of groups, such as residents (e.g. elderly people, young families, working couples etc), Local Authorities, opinion formers, industry and business groups. Then think about the messages and methods which will reach them most effectively.

Messages

Different messages resonate with different types of people. For example, an elderly pensioner might be concerned about saving money on their fuel bills, where as a wealthy professional might want to find out about the latest green technologies. See www.futerra.co.uk and www.green-engage.co.uk for some excellent tips on communicating messages about climate change.

Methods

There are lots of marketing methods that you could use to get your community excited about your project and

Kent Energy Centre carbon baseline tool (continued…) Results Each household will receive a detailed report showing their home energy related footprint, their potential footprint and the steps they can take to reach the target. KEC will be able to compile the results and inform the steering group of the cumulative carbon dioxide emissions for the whole community. Additional to the carbon dioxide results KEC will be able to calculate the number of households taking part, number of empty lofts/cavity walls, number of solid walls and transport information.

What is a realistic target? • The Energy Saving Trust

calculates everyone can easily cut their direct carbon footprint by 20% by making some small adjustments. Ashton Hayes set this as a target to achieve for their community in the first 12 months. Could you do this too?

• The Kent Agreement has a target for Kent as a whole to reduce its direct carbon footprint by 11% by 2011. Could you meet or beat this?

• If everyone consumed the same amount of resources as we do in Kent then we would need 3.5 planets. Could you reduce this?


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ready to take action. Here are a few ideas to get you started:

Mailings You could send a letter to every household within your community to make them aware of your project. The letter could include information about the project, upcoming events and the HEC. Branding You should aim to give your project a strong identity with a logo, website and branded letterheads, posters and leaflets. Care should be taken to ensure consistent branding. For example, the Elham Environment Group has created some very attractive materials to promote their low carbon community – see adjacent images and example posters in the resources section. A project website in particular is a great tool for getting your messages across. It can be updated regularly with results, events, stories , pictures, even video clips. Events A launch event is a great way to start your project and other events through the year can maintain enthusiasm and focus. For example you could organise fêtes, talks, seminars, briefing sessions and/or workshops. You could involve various different groups, such as residents, voluntary groups, MPs/Councillors and local businesses. Media A media list should be produced and used to help ensure that key developments are communicated. The list might include newspapers, radio stations, TV stations (internet and traditional), magazines and local newsletters, such as those sent by the Parish Council. In order to stay in regular contact with the media you could make yourselves a calendar of possible media stories throughout the year, including launch events, appointments (i.e. key personnel and responsibilities), milestone achievement, new investments/funding, case studies and success stories. An example press release is included in the resources section)


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Whilst planning your marketing methods you should also consider the lines of communication between you and your community. How will they be able to feedback their ideas, concerns and comments to you? For example you might consider a project e-mail address, postal address, telephone/fax number, and/or a regular question and answer session.

Launch event

A launch is a prime opportunity to raise awareness of the project and talk to the community about the ways in which they can get involved. You may already be experienced at organising community events, but in case you need some help below are some points to consider:

Type of event This could be formal – a conference with speakers, or informal – a fête with announcements, games and prizes, or something completely different such as the Hadlow climate change themed art exhibition. Attendees You need to think about how many people you want to attend and choose an appropriate venue – Ashton Hayes’ first meeting was so popular that half the crowd stood outside the main hall. In addition to residents, local decision makers, groups and businesses you could consider inviting other organisations and individuals such as representatives form the Kent Energy Centre, Environment Agency, Natural England, the Local Authority, schools/colleges, charities/NGOs, local renewable or insulation installers or even local celebrities. Promotion You could promote your event on your website, in local newspapers, on posters around the village or even on your local radio station. Planning Make sure you plan your events a couple of months in advance. This will give you time to book venues, speakers and send out invites.


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Keeping going

6. Keeping Going In order to keep your project going, we suggest the following:

• Organise outreach activities • Monitor progress • Seek funding if required

Outreach activities

There are plenty of activities that you could organise to encourage people to take part in your project. Once you have done the basics such as a community consultation, launch event and mailing , you might want to consider some other options:

Training You could organise for some members of your community to attend training on energy efficiency, renewable technologies, transport or other relevant issues. For example Community Action for Energy (CafE) runs training sessions for low carbon communities. School involvement You could run assemblies, work shops and competitions at your local school and/or encourage them to get audited to reduce the carbon footprint of the building. Renewable installations You could look at the feasibility and funding options for installing renewable technologies in local community buildings – such as schools, churches, village halls. Local businesses You could encourage local businesses to get audited to improve their energy efficiency, consider renewable installations and improve the transport choices for their staff.

The Kent Energy Centre can help you to deliver some of these optional activities.


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Monitoring progress

It is very important to show progress throughout the year to keep everyone motivated and enthusiastic. The Kent Energy Centre will keep the steering group up to date with any baseline information that they receive from the completion of the HECs. This will be sent to the steering group via a spreadsheet and e-mail. A KEC advisor may also be able to attend regular steering group meetings to provide ongoing support and help. After a period of time, you may wish to do a new survey or carbon calculation in your community to see if your project has made any measurable difference to carbon emissions. We encourage you to register your project with the KEC and via www.kent.gov.uk/climatechange to keep us up to date on progress. This is really important so that we can learn from your experience, help inform future versions of the toolkit, and monitor carbon reduction activity right across the county towards our target of an 11% reduction in CO2 emissions by 2011. In 2009 we hope to test a new online portal that will help you gather and calculate carbon information for your community and compare with other communities in Kent. More information will be available soon via www.kent.gov.uk/climatechange and in future versions of the toolkit. More broadly, if you are interested in exploring the wider benefit to society of your carbon-saving effort, Government has developed a economic model called the Shadow Price of Carbon that attributes an economic benefit for every tonne of carbon saved. In 2008 this was £26 per tonne.

Funding

It is likely that you will need to raise some funds or attract support in kind to pay for some activities such as creating logos, materials and organising events. A good place to start looking for funding is www.open4community.info/kent as this website allows you to search numerous funding streams including from:


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• Charitable Trusts • Local, regional, national government funding and

EU funding • Local community support • Lottery funding

You could also look into gaining sponsorship from local or national businesses. On a national level there are principally three forms of funding:

• Government (national and local) • Utility suppliers • Lottery Grants

National government funding

Micro-generation (small-scale) renewable energy technologies are provided through the Low Carbon Buildings Programme. The programme provides grants for the installation of renewable energy technologies in a range of buildings including households, community organisations, public, private and the non-profit sectors. For further information about this scheme please visit www.lowcarbonbuildings.org.uk. The national Warm Front programme provides energy efficiency grants that are aimed at preventing fuel poverty and providing affordable warmth. These grants are primarily focused on low income/vulnerable households. For further information about this scheme please visit www.warmfront.co.uk.

Local government funding

Many local authorities run their own renewable energy schemes, providing grants for domestic home owners and community organisations . Check with your local authority to see what schemes may be running near you. Current examples in Kent include: • Shepway Council had previously setup a solar

energy grant scheme for domestic homeowners. The Council offered up to £1,000 towards the installation of either solar hot water or electricity producing panels.

The definition of affordable warmth is where a household can achieve temperatures needed to maintain health and comfort for expenditure of less than 10% of income.


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• In 2008 Canterbury City Council announced that a £600 grant is available to residents who were considering the purchase of a renewable energy technology. This included Ground Source Heat Pumps and Biomass technologies.

Since all local authorities are charged with tackling fuel poverty, most will offer energy efficiency grants for vulnerable households. If members of your community need this level of assistance then it is best to contact the authority directly. The Kent Energy Centre manages some schemes on behalf of local authorities, such as the Coldbusters scheme. Contact the KEC to find out what is available. Your local parish, district and county councilors all have various small funds to spend on local community projects. It is worth getting in touch with your local councilors at all levels, getting them interested in your project and seeing whether they have any funding to offer. Funding was identified as an important issue in the Kent Low Carbon Community pilot project areas. In response, Kent County Council provided:

• A limited number of small grants (up to £500) to help with setting up your project, such as hiring a hall to host an event, or paying for a speaker.

• Match-funding for feasibility studies for renewable energy projects to be undertaken by experts at the Kent Energy Centre, who are accredited under the Community Sustainable Energy Programme.

• Funding for dedicated Kent Energy Centre advisor time to support the communities.

• A wider challenge fund for communities to bid for funding for innovative carbon-saving and awareness-raising activities.

Subject to continued availability of funds, Kent County Council may be able to offer one or more of these to you when you undertake your project. Several district councils in Kent are also considering providing some financial support to community carbon reduction projects.


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Lottery funding

The UK lottery funding scheme runs a number of initiatives that could potentially help your community, or individuals in Kent reduce their carbon emissions. A scheme launched in 2008 and managed by Building Research Establishment (BRE), has helped community organisations establish micro-generation and energy efficiency installations either through project development grants or capital grants to cover installation costs.

Utility suppliers

All utility companies are obliged to disburse energy efficiency grants and subsidies under the Carbon Emissions Reduction Target (CERT). All of the main utility companies, such as EON, EDF and Scottish power and nPower, offer grants for either domestic homeowners or community organisations to reduce their carbon emissions through either energy efficiency measures, such as cavity wall insulation, or grants that will help promote the uptake of renewable energy technologies. As part of this commitment anyone aged 70 or over is entitled to free loft or cavity-wall insulation. Everyone else is entitled to subsidised insulation. See fact sheets for Renewable Technology & Energy Efficiency Options .


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Finding help

7. Finding Help You don’t have to be an expert on energy efficiency or climate change to become a low carbon community as there are plenty of resources available to you:

Case study example material

The following examples are provided in this toolkit. If you are reading an electronic copy, you may not have all of these because some are available in hard copy only. Please email [email protected] to request any of these:

• Example of an initial community questionnaire • Example of a project plan • Example of a press release • Example of a poster for a launch event or fair • Example of a launch letter to residents • Example Home Energy Check form

Fact Sheets

On the following pages of this toolkit are a set of 20 Fact Sheets on a wide variety of energy and sustainability issues which you can use yourselves and/or send out to residents.

Kent Energy Centre

The KEC has a free phone number (0800 512 012) which connects you to a trained energy advisor. Anyone in your community can contact them for advice on energy efficiency, renewable energy, sustainable transport, grants and discounts, accredited installers and much more. If you choose to work with the Kent Energy Centre more formally as a Kent Low Carbon Community, you will gain access to a trained sustainable energy advisor. You will be given their direct line and e-mail address. They will be available to provide support to your group from the initial planning stages, through to calculating


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baseline information and talking to community groups. Fill in the space below when you have their details.

Online

A range of useful online resources are referenced in this toolkit. However, links do go out of date so please check back at www.kent.gov.uk/climatechange for further links and updates.

Climate Change Films

Below is a short list of visual media that you could employ to assist in the communication of climate change and issues relating to sustainability. • An Inconvenient Truth by Al Gore. Your local library

may have a copy. • www.bbc.co.uk/sn/hottopics/climatechange/

(Eight short films on climate change) • WWF – UK Climate Change Film -

www.wwf.org.uk/arcticappeal/arcticvideo.asp/ • The Convenient Solution and Decentralised Energy

– What are we waiting for? Short films about climate change and energy by Greenpeace. You can either obtain DVD copies of the film direct from Greenpeace, or you can watch the film direct from the Greenpeace website.

• www.green.tv - Great portal for short films on

climate change and related issues.

KEC Advisor Details Name: Address: Telephone: E-mail:


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• www.climatechallenge.gov.uk Look for some great short films including one on the causes and effects of climate change and My CO2.

• Kent TV – www.kenttv.com Kent County Council

has recently launched its own TV channel. Click on the community icon on the left hand side of the homepage and follow the link to the environment.


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Fact sheet: Kent’s water

Fact sheet 1: Kent’s Water Water issues in Kent

Kent is currently one of the hottest and driest regions in the country. As temperatures continue to rise, water availability will inevitably become an increasing concern for those living in Kent. Drier summers and wetter winters could mean an annual polarisation between more water shortages and flash flooding. Over the past five years flash floods have already cost small and medium UK businesses £864 million. Unstable weather patterns are likely to lead to an increasing number of flash floods and storm surges. This is particularly true in the low-lying South East. By 2026 the government is planning to build approximately six hundred thousand new homes in the South East. Consequently, water demand in the South East is set to rise by 11% over the next 23 years. In 2007 Defra designated water companies in the region as being seriously “water stressed”.

A healthy respect

As consumption patterns of this vital resource continue to rise year on year, the need for local communities to reduce their water use is stronger than ever before. Communities in Kent can help set an important example of water conservation, recognising the need to develop a healthy respect for a resource that we often take for granted.

Key Measures

Many toilets today feature a dual flush option to help you save water. Look for dual flush toilets if you are considering purchasing a new toilet for your home. If your toilet is pre 2001 you should consider installing a cistern displacement device (CDD). These are available for free from most water companies .


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Fact sheet: Kent’s water

Grey water recycling

Most grey water recycling systems collect and treat wastewater from showers, baths and wash basins and re-use it for purposes that do not require drinking water quality. This recycled water can be used to flush toilets, water gardens and sometimes feed washing machines. For a unique insight into an award winning grey water system, visit www.ecoplay-system.com. For a comprehensive guide to grey water, visit www.greywater.net.

Rainwater harvesting

Rainwater harvesting is the collection of water that would otherwise have gone down the drain. Large surfaces such as roofs or driveways are ideal for rainwater harvesting, providing a simple and effective means to water the garden. For further info visit the website www.rainharvesting.co.uk

Water conservation - Top Tips:

• Use a lid on your saucepans: they boil quicker, you don’t have to put in so much water and the food tastes fresher - but be careful they don’t boil over.

• Fill the kettle with only as much as you need, not to the brim. This saves you energy as well as water!

• Pour any left over glasses of water onto your houseplants.

• Waiting for the tap to run cold can waste more than 10 litres a day! Put a bottle of tap water in the fridge so you have cold fresh water whenever you want it.

• Fix your dripping taps. • Don’t leave taps running when brushing your

teeth. • Look to replace your shower head with a

recommended energy saving product. • Reuse bath water for watering the garden

For further ideas on how to reduce water consumption either within the workplace or at home visit: www.waterinthesoutheast.com www.envirowise.org.uk www.savingsontap.co.uk www.est.org.uk www.waterwise.org.uk www.thecarbontrust.co.uk www.water.org.uk


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Fact sheet: Composting

Fact sheet 2: Composting

Introduction

In 2006, over 800,000 tonnes of household waste had to be collected and disposed of in Kent. Over 30% of this resource was vegetable and garden material which could have been composted.

Climate Change

Vegetable and garden waste that is simply thrown away contributes to climate change in two principle ways: As organic material biodegrades (rots) methane and carbon dioxide are released into the air. These are the two greenhouse gasses that are chiefly fuelling climate change across the globe. Secondly, producing, transporting and storing food uses a lot of energy, water and packaging. Each of these processes creates harmful climate change gases .

Saving Money

Research shows that the average household spends up to £400 on food per year that wasn't eaten. Yet composting is an inexpensive, natural process that transforms your kitchen and garden waste into a valuable food for your garden.

Getting started

You can buy a compost bin or make your own (for tips on how to make your own compost bin visit websites listed below). Kent County Council or your local authority may be running a scheme for reduced cost compost bins. Make your own: Some people simply have a heap, or you can make your own container. These are usually constructed from wood (pallets are particularly good), or some people choose to pile up four or five old tyres. You may need to cover the heap with cardboard or an old


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Fact sheet: Composting carpet to keep in the warmth. Remember, you can also take your green garden waste to Household Waste Recycling Centres where it will be composted into a peat free compost soil improver. Your local District or Borough Council may also provide a garden waste collection service.

What is Kent doing?

There are currently 18 Kent Household Waste Recycling Centres where your garden waste will be composted into a peat free compost soil improver. For further information please contac t Kent County Council on 0845 345 0210 or [email protected] Additionally, your local District and Borough Council may also provide a garden waste collection service.

Top tips:

• A 50/50 mix of greens (grass, food scraps & manures) and browns (leaves, woody material) is the perfect recipe for good compost.

• If your compost heap tends to be wet & smelly,

add more browns; if it is dry, add some greens. • If the bin is quite empty lay some flattened

cardboard over the top as this will keep heat in. You can keep adding waste on top of it as it will rot down as well.

• Allowing air into the bin will help make good

compost. You can do this in a variety of ways either by adding scrunched up paper or ruffling up the compost with a garden fork.

• Place the bin in partial sunlight with the compost

covered to ensure enough warmth for the Microbes to thrive.

• Organise outreach activities.


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Fact sheet: Composting

Compost Advisor Project

Funded by Kent County Council, the British Trust for Conservation Volunteers currently runs a Compost Advisor Project, which aims to appoint volunteers, who will advise people on composting issues and help promote the need for waste reduction in Kent. www.btcv.org/kent Tel: 01233 812033, Recycle for Kent is now a partner in the Recycle Now Home Composting Campaign led by WRAP (Waste & Resources Action Programme). Residents of Kent can now buy compost bins at a discounted price. Further enquiries can be made to the Waste Management team at Kent County Council.

Further information

www.lovefoodhatewaste.com – For practical advice on how you can reduce your food www.kent.gov.uk/environment/recycling-rubbish-and-waste/reducing-waste/compost for information on how to receive discounted compost bins . www.recyclenow.com/home_composting www.wrap.org.uk/composting


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Fact sheet: Local food

Fact sheet 3: Local Food What is meant by local food?

The Kent Energy Centre is aiming to promote local and sustainably produced food that has not been transported long distances, either by air, ship or road. Current energy intensive production and distribution is fuelling the concern surrounding global warming through increased levels of carbon dioxide emissions. Grass root action, coordinated through local communities, will provide an excellent tool to highlight the changes that are needed.

The Benefits:

• Supporting local farmer produce. • Increased awareness of where the food is

sourced from and what farming practices have gone into the product.

• Better health as fresher food produce is sourced locally.

• Local economy, which will benefit. • Offers traceability so you will know where your

food has arrived from. • Help the environment by reducing “carbon

mileage” i.e. the distance that food has travelled before it has arrived on your plate.

Methodology

Is your food clocking up air miles?

Supermarkets are increasingly offering local produce so check the label for authenticity.

Buy organic

Buying organic produce offers a more robust standard and better quality of foods . Producers will often try to minimize the level of artificial fertilisers and pesticides involved in the production process.


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Scenes from the local Farmers Market in Tunbridge Wells.

Fact sheet: Local food

Local Vegetable Box Schemes

A vegetable box scheme delivers fresh, locally grown and seasonal organic produce; either directly to your home or to a local collection point. For more information visit www.vegboxschemes.co.uk

Farmers Markets (know your Farmer know your food)

It is important to know what local produce is available to you within your community. Make yourself aware of what times the farmers markets will be operating within your area. If you are unsure of the times please contact your local council or visit: www.marketfarmers.net

Free range

An ethical choice for consumers, however, it is important to do your research, ensuring that the vendor adheres to ethical standards intended to benefit livestock.

Buy Fair Trade

Whilst fair trade has come under some recent criticism, it can still provide a more sustainable shopping option than standard produce. Look

for the logo as seen on left.

Involve the local schools

Schools often act as excellent conduits to the wider community, whilst consuming a lot of food!! Children who are taught from a young age the importance of buying local produce and steering away from “junk” food, will benefit from improved health and concentration levels in class. Pupils are often great at applying pressure on parents, influencing their behavior and thus the wider community.

Involve local farmers in your steering group

Try and establish a working relationship with local food producers in your area. It is important to understand the issues that they face on a local scale. You may find that


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Fact sheet: Local food farmers will be more than willing to offer their services about raising awareness on the importance of buying local and the associated benefits.

Produced in Kent

Produced in Kent is a not for profit organisation, which works closely with local producers, helping to promote and educate the value of local produce. www.producedinkent.co.uk Tel: 01732 853170

Kent Farmers' Market Association

Helping to reduce food miles, the association is run by the managers of the Kent Farmers’ markets. The association offers a comprehensive list of local farmers’ markets operating throughout Kent, whilst providing advice to existing Markets and Stallholders, and to anyone wanting to set up a market or start selling at a market. www.kentfarmersmarkets.org.uk Tel: 01732 833976 Email: [email protected] The following sites provide useful information on farmers markets/ shops throughout the UK and Kent: www.farmersmarkets.net/listKent.htm Tel: 0845 45 88 420 www.farma.org.uk www.farmshopping.net

Kent Produce – Fruit & Veg Box scheme

Kent Produce aims to deliver locally produced fruit and vegetables to a number of towns and cities throughout Kent. www.kentproduce.com Tel: 01304 824187

Further information

www.allotment.org.uk www.allotments-uk.com www.commonwork.org

Look out for the Certification logo, above! This symbol means the market has passed inspection and represents true farmers' market values.


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Fact sheet: Recycling

Fact sheet 4: Recycling Rubbish in Kent

Kent County Council currently manages over 800,000 tonnes of rubbish produced by Kent householders each year. Whilst local authorities are trying to recycle as much of OUR waste as possible, the majority of rubbish in Kent is disposed by means of landfill. This causes a variety of ecological nightmares . When waste from landfill begins to break down Methane, a powerful greenhouse gas, is leached into the atmosphere enhancing the greenhouse effect. The pressure to manage this waste in an environmentally sustainable and responsible manner increases every year. Your community can do its part by trying to follow the waste hierarchy explained as below.

Reduce

• Reduce the amount of landfill by reducing your consumption.

• Shop smart, consider the packaging that foods are contained in.

• Buy loose fruit and vegetables for example. • Consider buying in bulk to minimise packaging

waste. • Don’t buy disposable items such as razors and

pens. • Use re-usable boxes for packed lunches and

storage of food in the fridge, rather than foil or cling film.

Re-use

• Repair – fix it don’t bin it. • Use re-sealable containers. • Recondition products. • Donate, sell or buy second hand.


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Fact sheet: Recycling • Reinvent – clothes, plastics & cardboard can all be

re-used.

Recycle

• Get organised for recycling - sort out areas or containers to store and separate your items when you are finished with them. Make sure the whole family knows what goes where.

• Does your community operate a kerbside collection scheme?

• Make recycling part of your regular routine. • Buy products packaged in material that can be

reused or recycled. • Link local businesses into recycling schemes. • What is happening within Kent? • “Shop and Drop” – take your recyclables when you

go to the supermarket . Many have recycling activities .

Household Waste Recycling Centres (HWRC) are recycling centres managed by Kent County Council that accept a wide variety of materials for reuse, recycling or safe disposal. Items need to be separated and deposited in the appropriate container. For further information please contact Kent County Council : www.kent.gov.uk/environment/recycling-rubbish-and-waste/recycling Tel: 0858 247 247

Waste Disposal

Once we have reduced, re-used and recycled as much as possible from our waste bin, what is left has to go for disposal. Disposal involves the containment of waste with no energy recovery, most often in landfill sites or by incineration. If we maximise resource recovery we will reduce our demand on Kent’s natural resources.

Further information

www.recyclenow.com www.kentco mmunityrecycling.org.uk www.letsrecycle.com www.wrap.org.uk www.reducereuserecycle.co.uk


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Fact sheet: Transport

Fact sheet 5: Transport

Transport and Climate Change

In the UK, transport accounts for around a quarter of man-made greenhouse gas emissions and is the exception to the overall decline in emissions. It is an important issue to tackle through government policy but also community and individual action.

Cars

Living in rural areas like Kent, cars can be the quickest and most convenient option for getting from place to place. Even though this is not the best option environmentally, it is still possible to minimize your impact by choosing low carbon vehicles, eco driving and/or car sharing.

Low carbon vehicles

When buying a car it is important to consider its efficiency and CO2 emissions. There are a number of low carbon vehicles now available:

• Electric cars - do not produce emissions directly, but use electricity generated through the burning of fossil fuels or renewable technologies . The cars need to be recharged frequently and are therefore best in urban areas or for short distances.

• Hybrid cars - use a combination of petrol and electricity to optimise the vehicle's performance. They use less petrol than traditional vehicles and therefore produce lower emissions.

• Super efficient cars – are run mainly on liquid petroleum gas (LPG), which is cheaper and produces lower emissions than unleaded petrol (about 10-15% less carbon dioxide, 75% less carbon monoxide and 85% less hydrocarbons).

For more info on vehicle efficiency and emissions go to www.vcacarfueldata.org.uk


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Eco driving

Eco-driving uses smoother and safer driving techniques that can lead to fuel savings and therefore reductions in carbon emissions. Driving in this way also saves you money, the Energy Saving Trust (EST) estimate that you could save up to £120 per year in petrol or diesel costs, not to mention savings from reduced wear and tear on your vehicle. For more information on eco-driving please visit the energy savings trust website: www.energysavingtrust.org.uk

Car sharing

By sharing your regular journeys with others you can meet new people, save money and reduce your carbon footprint. www.kentcarshare.com is a regional car sharing scheme for businesses and the public. It is a free, easy-to-use, internet-based service that allows you to find passengers or drivers to share regular or one-off journeys. For more information on car sharing schemes go to: www.carplus.org.uk www.liftshare.org www.shareacar.com www.streetcar.co.uk www.nationalcarshare.co.uk

Public Transport

Public transport is a great option for reducing your carbon footprint. It can be cheaper and more convenient than owning and driving a car and there are plenty of resources available to help plan your journeys. For example www.transportdirect.info includes travel by public transport and car, plus calculation of CO2 emissions. The Kent County Council Transport Integration team also provides assistance on planning your journey, community transport, commercial services and other public transport initiatives. For more information: www.kent.gov.uk/transport-and-streets Email: transport.integration@ kent.gov.uk

Eco Driving Tips

• Change up a gear before reaching 2,500rpm (petrol) and 2,000rpm (diesel)

• Drive smoothly avoiding sharp acceleration and heavy braking

• Use air conditioning sparingly

• Drive more slowly, a car is typically most efficient around 45 - 50mph

• Drive away immediately when starting from cold

• Improve the car's aerodynamics by removing accessories such as roof racks

• Avoid short journeys, a cold engine uses more fuel than a warm one

• Plan your journeys to avoid congestion, road works and getting lost

• Check your tyre pressure regularly

• If you're stuck in a jam, switch the engine off


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Cycling

Cycling is a great way to improve your health and fitness, providing a quick, easy and cheap mode of transport without producing carbon emissions – and most of all, it is great fun! A cycle network links towns, cities and countryside across the UK, with paths and roads which can be used safely for cycling. Route maps and information are available from: www.cyclingengland.co.uk www.sustrans.org.uk www.ctc.org.uk www.cycle-route.com To find out more about cycle trails and initiatives in Kent, you could visit your local tourist information centre or some of the following websites: www.kent.gov.uk/explorekent www.gocyclekent.co.uk www.vikingcoastaltrail.co.uk www.spokeseastkent.org.uk www.boarsonbikes.co.uk

Walking

Walking has positive health and environmental benefits as well as being cost free. Replacing short car journeys with a walk could improve your wellbeing, save you money and reduce your carbon footprint . For more information on schemes in the UK and Kent go to: www.ramblers.org.uk www.kent.gov.uk/explorekent www.walkingbritain.co.uk www.walkinginkent.co.uk www.kentwalkingbus.org

Safe Cycling Tips

• Wear a helmet which fits properly.

• Maintain your bike. • Get some training. • Be seen and heard. • Stay alert and plan your

route. • Follow the Highway

Code. • Cycle with a friend or

group.


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Schemes for Schools

There are a number of schemes available for schools, parents and students in Kent including:

• Kent school run – Enabling parents to share the regular school run with other parents. www.kentschoolrun.com

• Travel advisor scheme – Run by Kent County Council, the scheme helps schools to develop realistic travel plans for staff and students. www.clusterweb.org.uk/Policy/schooltravel.cfm

• Kent walking bus scheme – This scheme involves groups of children walking to school chaperoned by two adults. www.kentwalkingbus.org

• Sustrans (Safe routes to school) – Offering information to teachers, parents and pupils on cycling to school.

www.saferoutestoschools.org.uk

Schemes for Businesses

There are a variety of sustainable transport options available for work places:

• To reduce car use and pressure for car parking spaces, employers could introduce a car sharing scheme. They could also consider purchasing low carbon company cars.

• Providing a work bus is also a good option to encourage staff to use buses and trains, or offering discounted travel passes/interest free season ticket loans.

• To encourage cycling, employers could provide cycle parking, company bicycles, maps, showers/lockers and a bicycle mileage allowance. There is also a government supported cycle to work scheme - which allows staff to save around 40-50% on the cost of a bicycle and accessories by not paying tax.


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Fact sheet: Cavity wall insulation

Fact Sheet 6: Cavity Wall Insulation

If your home has cavity walls that aren't insulated then they are rapidly leaking heat into the atmosphere. Up to 33% of the heat produced in your home is lost this way. The good news is that cavity wall insulation is a quick, clean and relatively inexpensive solution.

Is your home suitable?

1. Was it built between 1932 – 1976? 2. Are your outside walls thicker than 30cm (11.5

inches)? Measure at a doorway or window reveal to find out.

3. What do they look like? If you can answer yes to questions 1 & 2 and the brick pattern is the left hand diagram. You have cavity walls and it should be possible to fill the cavity.

Has the cavity been filled previously?

If you have cavity walls and they have already been filled you will usually see a pattern where the holes were drilled. These are ‘plugged’ afterwards to try and match the existing mortar but are usually a slightly different colour. The best place to see these ‘plugs’ is brick piers between windows or below window sills. The pattern is usually a diamond shape with holes approximately 1-2m apart.


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Fact sheet: Cavity wall insulation

The process

We can assign an installer to you and they will come out and survey your property to confirm it is suitable. The installer will provide you with a quotation. If you accept the quote an appointment is made. The cavity wall insulation is injected into the cavity between the inner and outer leaves of brickwork that make up the external wall of your property. An installer will do this from the outside of your property. There are a variety of different insulating materials, but they all work in the same way: by combining with the still captive air, the insulation acts as a barrier to heat loss.

How long will it take?

Between two to three hours for a three bedroomed semi-detached house.

Will it make a mess?

No. The insulation is injected from the outside, so the installers will not be working in the house and will sweep up afterwards.

What do they use as insulation?

The material used will most likely be mineral wool or polystyrene beads. It will be properly accredited as a building material, guaranteed by the Cavity Insulation Guarantee Agency (CIGA), and will be installed by a certified contractor.

Will the work be guaranteed?

If you use a professional, the work will be guaranteed for 25 years by the Cavity Insulation Guarantee Agency (CIGA). To find out more visit the CIGA website: http://www.ciga.co.uk/ Tel: 01525 853 300


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How much will it cost?

There are numerous grants available, depending on your age, benefit entitlement, and the main fuel type used in your home. Your utility supplier may well provide the best quote to get the work done, look on your utility bill for their free phone number. The Kent Energy Centre can also provide grant and general information on cavity wall insulation as well as the following:

• Loft Insulation. • Boiler replacement . • Central heating. • Solar water heating. • Solar photovoltaics .


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Fact sheet: Energy efficiency labeling for appliances

Fact Sheet 7: Energy Labelling

Introduction

You can reduce your bill by choosing energy-efficient appliances when you are replacing your old electrical and gas appliances. The efficiency of electrical appliances varies. Appliances that do not use electricity efficiently mean high running costs over the life of the appliance.

How to choose energy-efficient appliances

The energy label

The European energy label shows how energy-efficient an electrical appliance is. The label must be shown on all new fridges, freezers, fridge-freezers, washing machines, tumble dryers, washer-dryers, dishwashers, light bulbs and electric ovens. The letter ‘A’ shows the most efficient appliance and ‘G’ is the least efficient. You will save money with lower running costs if you buy an appliance that is rated as close to ‘A’ as possible. Energy-efficient appliances do not always cost more to buy than inefficient ones. The certificate to the right shows a fridge/freezer, which uses 325 kWh every year. If electricity costs 8p per unit, it will cost around £26 a year to run. The labels sometimes show how much electricity the appliance will use in a year, or sometimes each time it is used.

Energy Saving Recommended

Look for the logo on the right when you purchase new products and it will help you save energy. Products, which carry the Energy Saving Recommended logo are independently tested and meet strict criteria on energy efficiency.


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Fact sheet: Low energy lighting

Fact Sheet 8: Low Energy Lighting

Introduction

Energy-efficient light bulbs use about a fifth of the electricity of traditional light bulbs and they last eight to ten times longer (12,000 to 15,000 hours longer), depending on the bulb. So, although they are more expensive to buy, they are much cheaper in the long run. Replacing an ordinary 100W light bulb with a 20W energy-efficient light bulb will save you about £65 over the life of the bulb. Each bulb will save about £7 to £10 a year on your electricity bills. If everyone in the UK installed just one energy-efficient light bulb then we would be able to switch off a power station! Using energy efficient light bulbs is one of the best examples of how small actions can make a big difference if everyone does them.

Choosing energy-efficient light bulbs

You can get energy-efficient light bulbs with a bayonet or a screw fitting so you can usually fit them simply by removing the old bulb and replacing it with the energy efficient bulb. Energy-efficient light bulbs are slightly heavier than traditional bulbs, so make sure the fittings and wiring are able to support the lamp.

The best position

The best position for energy-efficient light bulbs is in rooms where they are on for the longest periods of time, for example your hall or living room. This will save you money quickly. Standard energy-efficient light bulbs will not work with dimmer switches, some electric timing devices or automatic presence detectors, however new compatible bulbs are now becoming available so look out for these.


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Fact sheet: Low energy lighting

Brightness

The brightness of a light bulb is usually described by its wattage. Energy-efficient light bulbs will give you more light for lower wattages. Here is a guide to wattages of traditional and energy-efficient light bulbs. If in doubt, choose the next wattage up. Some energy-efficient light bulbs take a little time to reach their full brightness, so wait a few minutes to see if a bulb is bright enough. Traditional light bulb: 40W, 60W, 75W, 100W Energy-efficient light bulb: 7-10 W, 11-14W, 15-18W, 20-25W

Design and shape

The light bulbs come in several designs. The most common design is the ‘stick’ type. In general, the higher the wattage, the longer the stick, although some designs keep the light bulb short by ‘looping’ the tubes. More recent designs look almost exactly like a traditional light bulb as the tubes are enclosed in a glass bulb. Some energy-efficient lights have their own reusable adapter so that replacing the light is cheaper than buying new energy-efficient light bulbs.

Lampshades

If you are buying new lampshades, look for those which you can adjust to take the length of the energy-efficient light bulb. Some shops now sell shades specially designed for energy-efficient light bulbs.

New shaped low energy light bulbs.


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Fact sheet: Condensation

Fact Sheet 9: Condensation

What is condensation?

Condensation is a type of dampness that is found in houses. It is caused when warm, moist air hits a cold surface. You may be able to see water droplets on these surfaces. It is quite common to get condensation on windows in cold weather, but it becomes a problem when the areas affected do not seem to dry out, or become covered in mould.

Where is condensation found?

Condensation is often found on windows, tiles, or cold walls, particularly in the corners or behind furniture where there is not much room for air to get round. It is often found in rooms where there is a lot of moisture, for example, the kitchen or bathroom, or in rooms that are not heated very well, or do not have enough ventilation.

How do you know the dampness is caused by condensation?

There are a number of causes of dampness. A tidemark up to one metre above the ground floor is most likely to be caused by rising damp. Damp patches with definite edges on walls or ceilings may be caused by problems with the outside of the building letting rainwater in. This type of dampness gets worse in wet weather. Plumbing problems also cause damp patches. If the dampness gets worse in cold weather or is on cold surfaces, then it is likely to be condensation.

Insulate your home

• Loft insulation and cavity-wall insulation both help to keep your house warmer. This will make the roof and walls warmer and reduce the risk of condensation.

• Double-glazing can reduce condensation on windows, but it is expensive to install. It is cheaper to fit secondary glazing yourself.

Causes of condensation • Not enough heating. If

your home is not very warm, the air and the surfaces will be cold.

• Lack of insulation. The surfaces of the walls, ceilings, windows and sometimes the floors may be cold.

• Too much moisture. Day-to-day activities will always create moisture in the home, but large amounts of condensation are caused by drying washing indoors, boiling pans without lids, using a tumble dryer without suitable vent, or using bottled gas or paraffin heaters.

• Wrong levels of ventilation. You need to get rid of the moist air as it is produced, so you need more ventilation in kitchens and bathrooms than in other rooms.


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Fact sheet: Condensation

Keep your home as warm as you can afford

• To avoid condensation, keeping your heating on low throughout the day is better than putting the heating on for short periods to heat your rooms, but this may cause higher bills.

• Try to keep the chill off unused rooms. • If your heating system does not work properly,

contact your landlord or an appropriate contractor.

Deal with mould

• If there is mould growing on a wall or windowsill, wipe it off using an anti-fungal wash, which you can buy from hardware and DIY shops.

• Paint the area with anti-fungal paint. • But remember, unless you get rid of the cause of

the condensation, the mould is likely to come back.

Ways to avoid condensation

• Cut down on the amount of steam produced. • Don’t use bottled gas or paraffin heaters as they

produce a lot of moisture. They compete with you for the room’s oxygen and are considered a fire risk by the Fire Brigade. Bottled gas and paraffin are also the most expensive types of fuel that can be purchased for heating your home.

• Don’t leave kettles and pans boiling without lids. • Don’t dry washing on radiators. • Let the steam out. • Use extractor fans if you have them. The running

costs are low (about the same as a light bulb) and they are designed to get rid of the moist air as soon as it is produced. If you don’t have extractor fans, open the bathroom or kitchen windows slightly when you are having a bath or shower, cooking or drying clothes.

• Make sure air can circulate in cupboards and wardrobes and behind furniture.


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Fact sheet: Heating controls

Fact Sheet 10: Heating controls

Introduction

A good central-heating system will have a variety of controls to make it efficient and to make it work to suit you. If you use these controls properly you should be comfortable and have affordable bills.

Programmer

Use this to set your heating to come on when you need it. Set the heating to come on a little while before you get up in the morning, so the house will be comfortable. You should also set the heating to go off shortly before you go to bed or go out because the house will take a while to cool down, and this will save money. If you are usually out during the day, set the heating to stay off until just before you are due back in. Mechanical programme Digital programmer

Room thermostat

This is usually on the wall in the lounge or the hall. It is basically a switch, just like a light switch, that is controlled by the air temperature around it. If your room thermostat is in the lounge, set it at 20’C or, if it is in the hall, set it at 18’C. If, after a few days, you find that your


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Fact sheet: Heating controls house is comfortable, try turning the room thermostat down by 1°C. This could save 8% on your bill. A room thermostat can be fooled. For example, if your thermostat is in the lounge, and you put the fire on, the air will warm up and the thermostat will switch the heating off. If you want the rest of the house to keep warm, you will need to turn the room thermostat up. If the room thermostat is in a draught it will not get heated by warm air, so it will keep the heating on and the rest of the house will get too hot.

Hot water cylinder thermostat

This is usually strapped to the side of the hot-water tank, two-thirds of the way down. Set it at 60’C or 140’F and leave it alone. If your hot water is too hot, it may because the cylinder thermostat is set too high.

Boiler thermostat

This is fixed to the boiler and controls the temperature of the water inside the radiators. If you have a room thermostat and a cylinder thermostat, set your boiler thermostat to high (about three-quarters full on). If you don’t have a room thermostat or a cylinder thermostat, you will have to set your boiler thermostat lower to avoid being scalded by water from the hot taps.

Thermostatic radiator valves (TRVs)

These are large radiator valves. They usually have the numbers one to seven marked on. They sense the temperature of the room they are in and control the temperature of that room. They often have a max and a snowflake sign. The snowflake is a very low setting to protect the pipes from frost on very cold days. Set the valve low in rooms that you don’t use very often. This will protect the rooms from condensation.


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Fact sheet: Draught proofing

Fact Sheet 11: Draught Proofing

What is draught proofing?

Draught proofing is the process of filling in unnecessary gaps in the fabric of a building to reduce heat loss and discomfort due to draughts. You can draught proof windows, doors and letter boxes. You can also fill in gaps in walls due to plumbing and gaps in floorboards or skirting boards. The materials used for draught proofing include foams, brushes, sealants and thin sections of rubber, plastic or metal.

Compression seals

Compression seals are particularly well suited for external doors as the initial 3mm of the draught stripping allows for seasonal movement of the door.

There is a wide variety of synthetic rubbers which offer good performance (including EPDM and silicone seals), sheathed foam or nylon brush, with rigid PVC-U or aluminium carriers nailed or screwed to the frame of the door. Care may be needed when painting to avoid damage to brushes and some types of rubber.

Low-friction or wiper seals

Suitable for most door and window types: Wiper seals are generally made of nylon brush pile; are self-adhesive; and available in a variety of pile heights for different gaps. They are especially good on sliding windows and doors, but need special care when repainting. Rubber blade wiper seals are good for wooden doors and casement windows. Some types are suitable for sliding applications.

Gun-applied sealants and fillers

Larger gaps, including those at the heads of windows, can be filled using silicone or polyurethane sealants which, when correctly applied, expand, set and harden to permanently fill the gap. Gun-applied sealants require careful application to be effective.


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Fact sheet: Draught proofing

What are the benefits of draught proofing?

Draught proofing is a cheap and cost-effective way to reduce your heating bills and make your home feel warmer. It will save you £10-£15 a year on your fuel bills. Draught proofing is also very effective at eliminating cold draughts that can make you feel uncomfortable and cause you to turn up the heating. You can easily check where in your home needs draught proofing. Hold the palm of your hand up near windows or doors. If you can feel any cold air coming in, then it's worth draught proofing that area; it'll stop the cold air getting in and the warm air getting out.

How much does draught proofing cost?

Draught proofing costs from £40 if you do it yourself, or £85-£110 if you use a contractor. If you decide to fit draught proofing yourself (you can buy the materials in most DIY stores), make sure they conform to standard BS7386.

Vents

Vents help prevent the air in your home becoming stale and your health may be at risk if you block up ventilation routes such as the vents above windows or extractor fans. It is not only a bad idea to block vents, but it could be fatal in the event of a carbon monoxide leak. As a general rule, don’t fit full draught proofing in rooms containing gas boilers, gas fires or open fires . If you use bottled gas or paraffin heaters, do not draught proof any of the windows in the house.


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Fact sheet: Solid wall insulation

Fact Sheet 12: Solid wall insulation

Introduction

Older homes with solid walls can be problematic to keep warm. However, while they are not as easy to insulate as modern homes there are still improvements that can be made to optimise the energy efficiency of a property. This fact sheet introduces some of the options.

How do you know if your home has solid walls?

If your house was built before 1930 it is likely to have solid walls. Have a look at the diagram on the right. Which pattern matches the bricks on the outside of your house? The top diagram shows typical solid wall construction whereas the bottom picture shows a cavity wall.

If you have cavity walls it is recommended that you consider cavity wall insulation. For more information, contact the Kent Energy Centre on 0800 358 6669. Please note that some walls may have the appearance of being solid but are in fact a cavity wall. This is true for more modern buildings that may utilize traditional looking building techniques (e.g. in conservation areas). If you are in any doubt please consult an expert.

Solid walls - What can be done?

As insulating solid walls can be expensive it is important to ensure that you already have the more cost effective energy saving measures installed. These include:

• Loft insulation. • Draught proofing. • High efficiency condensing gas or oil boiler with

heating controls (main thermostat, thermostatic radiator valves, heating timer/programmer and hot water tank thermostat).

• Hot water tank jacket.


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Reducing heat loss through solid walls

If you have a solid wall (or indeed a cavity wall that cannot be filled for whatever reason), then you might consider internal or external wall insulation. As much as 45% of the heat loss in a building is through solid walls and the heat lost through an uninsulated solid wall is typically more than double that of an uninsulated cavity wall.

Insulation of solid walls can therefore dramatically reduce heat loss and improve the energy performance of a building. This, preferably in combination with other energy saving methods, can have a number of benefits:

• Increased warmth and comfort. • Reduc ed fuel bills. • Reduction of problems associated with

condensation, damp and related mould growth. • Reduced management and maintenance costs.

How do I insulate my solid walls?

Both internal and external wall insulation can be provided in a number of ways with regard to materials and application systems. In both cases, there is a considerable amount of associated building work and such insulation upgrades are best considered as part of bigger refurbishment works. The technical solutions are well proven but attention to detail for each is important to achieve effective insulation.

Internal wall insulation

The different types of internal wall insulation include:

• Directly applied internal insulation board. • Internal studwork structure with insulation set

between studs. • Plasterboard or flexible insulation linings.

Costs: Installed costs start from around £42 per m2 (around £35 per m2 for flexible insulation lining).


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Fact sheet: Solid wall insulation Savings: Approximate annual energy bill savings of £270-£300 per property (£90-£100 for flexible insulation lining). Grants: Grants may be available in certain Local Authority areas. Call the Kent Energy Centre on 0800 358 6669 to find out more.

Techniques: Directly applied internal insulation board

• This can be in the form of a plasterboard sheet laminated to an insulation board, or the insulation board may be separate.

• Rigid insulation boarding is a composite board made of plasterboard with a backing of insulation.

• The insulation backing comes in a variety of thicknesses.

• Insulation in excess of 60mm will typically be required to achieve best practice levels of performance.

• Up to 100mm of insulation can be included. • Rigid insulation boards are usually fixed to the

wall surface using continuous ribbons of plaster or adhesive, plus additional mechanical fixings.

• The joins between boards should be lapped and sealed to help prevent air leakage.

• The insulation is fitted to all outside interior walls of the property.

• Electrical components (e.g. sockets, switches) need to be extended through the insulation.

• Window reveals need to be insulated. This can reduce the ‘open’ area for daylight.

• Before installation the surface must be carefully prepared.

• Where existing plaster is removed and the surface is uneven, the wall must be levelled using render to provide an even surface for fixing.


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Techniques: Insulated studwork

• Insulation is held between a metal or timber framed system and finished with a vapour control layer and plasterboard.

• Allows a variety of insulation thicknesses to be installed.

• Internal studwork is used where internal insulation has been specified for a wall that has previously suffered from damp.

• This allows the creation of a cavity between the internal wall surface and the insulation.

• Studwork is also an effective solution where the wall is bowed or uneven and space is not at a premium.

Techniques: Flexible insulating linings

• Flexible thermal linings have been created specifically for use in solid wall homes, mansard roofs and dormer ceilings.

• Materials vary but include latex with a durable fibreglass face or recycled polyurethane. Both can be decorated (in accordance with manufacturers’ recommendations).

• Flexible insulating linings can be cheaper and less disruptive to install, although energy savings may be lower.

Pros and cons Technique

Pros

Cons

Directly Applied Internal Insulation

• Can be applied to part of the dwelling.

• Annual savings higher than flexible dry lining.

• Cheaper than external wall insulation.

• Services need to be refitted and skirting replaced.

• May be less robust than solid.

• Loss of floor area and room size.

• Requires displacement while work is carried out.

• Possible problems due to interstitial condensation if placed on a heavy masonry wall (additional measures may be required).


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Technique

Pros

Cons

Insulation Stud Work

• Good where wall is bowed or uneven.

• Should be used where surface has previously suffered damp.


• Annual savings higher than flexible dry lining.

• Cheaper than external wall insulation.

• Services need to be refitted and skirting replaced.

• May be less robust than solid.

• Loss of floor area and room size.

• Requires displacement while work is carried out.

• Possible problems due to interstitial condensation if placed on a heavy masonry wall (additional measures may be required).

Technique

Pros

Cons

Flexible Insulation Lining (e.g. Walltransform, Sempatap)


• Cheaper than other types of internal wall insulation.

• Can be applied DIY.

• Lower annual savings than other types of internal wall insulations.

External wall insulation

External insulation systems are made up of an insulation layer fixed to the existing wall (using a combination of mechanical fixings and adhesive, depending on the insulation material used) and a protective render or cladding finish. Planning permission may be required in some cases as the insulation may radically change the property appearance. In all cases the work should be carried out by a specialist and competent installer. Costs: Installed costs start from around £1,900 Savings: £290 -£300 a year on your energy bills. Grants: Grants may be available in certain local authority areas. Call the Kent Energy Centre on 0800 358 6669 to find out more.


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Techniques: Wet render systems

• Most external renders consist of either thick sand/cement render applied over a wire mesh, or a thinner, lighter polymer cement render applied over a ‘GRP skim’.

• A ‘pebbledash’ render should need less maintenance than a painted render finish.

Techniques: Dry-cladding

• Many owners find dry-cladding to be more aesthetically pleasing because of the different cladding materials that can be used, including timber panels, stone or clay tiles, brick slip or aluminium panels.

• The drawback of dry-cladding systems is that they can be relatively expensive compared to wet render systems.

Pros and cons

Technique

Pros

Cons

Wet Render

• Cheaper than dry cladding option.

• Can improve rain screen protection and appearance.

• Does not require displacement while work is carried out.

• Cost effective energy efficiency measure if carried out alongside remedial work to wall.

• Aesthetic may not match original and there may be increased fragility to exterior skin.

• May need planning permission.

• Needs specialist installer.

• More expensive than internal insulation, similar savings.

• May have to alter/change soffits and fascias and provide alternative roof ventilation.


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Technique

Pros

Cons

Dry cladding

• Can improve rain screen protection and appearance.

• Does not require displacement while work is carried out.

• Cost effective energy efficiency measure if carried out alongside remedial work to wall.

• Aesthetic may not match original and there may be increased fragility to exterior skin.

• May need planning permission.

• Needs specialist installer.

• More expensive than internal insulation, similar savings.

• May have to alter/change soffits and fascias and provide alternative roof ventilation.

•

Other sources of information

National Insulation Association 01525 383 313 www.nationalinsulationassociation.org.uk/ Insulated Render & Cladding Association 01428 654 011 www.inca-ltd.org.uk/ External Wall Insulation Association 01428 654 011 www.dubois.vital.co.uk/database/ceed/draught.html


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Fact sheet: Loft insulation

Fact Sheet 13: Loft insulation

Introduction

Everyone knows that heat rises - it's a well-known fact. But did you know that 25% of your heating costs could be escaping out of your roof? This can easily be remedied. Loft insulation will keep your roof's energy-leaking habits at bay. Loft insulation is a very effective way of reducing your heating bills. Simply by adding a layer of 270mm thick insulation, you can save wasted energy and money. However, as can be seen from the picture to the right, once installed it is not possible to use the loft area for storage because the insulation is laid across the ceiling joists to prevent cold spots. If you currently use your loft for storage for an additional fee you could have 2m2 (approx size of a single bed) boarded to allow you to still have some space for storage adjacent to the loft hatch.

The process

An installer will come out and survey your property to confirm it is suitable. The installer will provide you with a quotation. If you accept the quote an appointment is made and the loft insulation is installed. There are a variety of different insulating materials, but they all work in the same way: by combining with the still captive air, the insulation acts as a barrier to heat loss.

How long will it take?

Between two to three hours for a three bedroom semi-detached house and you will need to be there to provide access.

Will it make a mess?

Access will need to be through the property but nothing is unwrapped until it is in the loft.

Loft insulation materials Non-recycled: • Mineral fibre/wool • Fibreglass matting • Cellulose fibres • Vermiculite Natural/Recycled: • Newspaper (e.g. Warmcel) • Sheep’s wool (e.g.

Thermafleece, Black Mountain Sheep’s wool)

• Plastic bottles (e.g. Eco Wool)

• Hemp/cotton (e.g. Isonat) • Flax (e.g. Isovlas)


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Fact sheet: Loft insulation

How much will it cost?

There are numerous grants available; depending on your age, benefit entitlement, how much is already installed, even the main fuel type can have an affect. Prices may vary from completely free through to about £300 for an average 2 or 3 bedroom semi detached house. Additional costs may arise if you need ventilation in the loft (approx £40 per property) . Your utility supplier may well provide the best quote to get the work done, look on your utility bill for their free phone number.


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Fact sheet: Solar hot water

Fact Sheet 14: Solar hot water

What is a Solar Hot Water System?

A solar hot water system consists of one or more solar panels which are easily fitted on your roof and then connected to your existing plumbing system. The collector panels absorb heat from sunlight which is transferred to the water that comes out of your hot tap (not the central heating system).

How does it work?

The heat from the sun warms up liquid pumped through the panel on your roof. The panels heat the liquid inside them and it is then either pumped straight into your boiler (direct heating) or used to warm the water in your hot water cylinder (indirect heating) to be stored and used when required.

Why use it?

With the onset of climate change there is a need to reduce carbon dioxide emissions through lowering the use of carbon-based non-renewable fuels such as oil and gas. This can be achieved by opting for low and zero carbon emission technologies, such as solar water heating and solar electricity systems.

What are the requirements?

To get maximum benefit from your system, you should have:

• A large un-shaded area of south facing roof (4m2).

• Enough storage space to accommodate a twin-coil hot water cylinder. This is 1.8m (6ft) tall, to replace the existing hot water cylinder.


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Fact sheet: Solar hot water

• A compatible central heating system (most combination boilers are not suitable for solar thermal although compatible systems have been developed).

Solar collectors are mounted on the roof of your building and connected to your existing heating system. The roof must be south east to south west facing and not receive any shading as this will impair the performance of the panels. A back up system (usually gas) is required when there is not enough sunlight.

Types of system

There is a range of different system types and configurations for solar hot water systems. There are two different types of solar collectors: flat plate and evacuated tubes. Flat plate systems have an efficiency of around 30% and are cheaper. Evacuated tube systems occupy a smaller area and have an efficiency of about 40% but are generally more expensive. For areas that are liable to periods of freezing temperatures, either a drain back or a closed loop system is used, where an intermediary (anti-freeze) fluid and a heat exchange system heats the water in the tank indirectly.

Cost and Maintenance

Kent Energy Centre has been running a successful solar hot water scheme since 2002. This means that they have been able to develop a system where their installers work to pre -agreed discount prices. The KEC check all quotes, and post-inspect works.

• Medium-sized house 2.75m2 panel system - from £3,000

• Large house - 4m2 panel system - from £3,500 Costs vary due to a range of factors such as size of collector, type of roof, existing hot water system and geographic location. For a typical domestic installation flat plate collectors are £3,000-£5,000 while evacuated tube systems cost £3,500-£5,500. Solar hot water systems generally come with a ten year warranty and require very little maintenance.

Planning considerations Recent Government legislation has relaxed planning rules to make it easier for people to install microgeneration technology. From 6 April 2008 microgeneration technologies became ‘permitted development’ which means householders will be able to take up microgeneration, within sensible limits, without having to apply for planning permission. However, it is still recommended that you consult the local authority planning department in your area initially to check on any local rules (e.g. those relating to listed buildings and conservation areas).


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Fact sheet: Solar hot water Grants are available for the Government via the Low Carbon Buildings Programme. Some Kent local authorities may also offer grants from time to time. Please either contact them directly or enquire via the Kent Energy Centre on 0800 358 6669.

Savings?

Heating water is a very expensive process; solar water heating is a very effective way of saving money and carbon. Solar thermal can produce up to 100% of your summer hot water heating and up to 50% of your winter hot water (the collectors are still effective if the weather is overcast). This can save you in the order of £100-£150 per year. The installation of a solar system allows you to use a free clean and environmentally friendly source of energy and helps to protect you from future rises in gas and electricity prices and may increase the value of your home.

Useful Websites

Solar trade association: www.greenenergy.org.uk Government grants: www.lowcarbonbuildings.org.uk Local assistance: www.kentenergycentre.org.uk


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Fact sheet: Solar PV

Fact Sheet 15: Solar PV

How Does it Work?

Photovoltaic (PV) cells harness the sun’s radiation and convert it into useful electricity. The PV cell is made up of one or two layers of a semi-conducting material, usually silicon. When light shines on the cell it creates an electric field across the layers, causing electricity to flow. The amount of electricity that flows from the PV cells is increased when the sun’s radiation is higher. However, PV panels are designed to work even when the weather is overcast and do not require direct sunlight .

Types of system

PV products now come in a variety of shapes and colours, ranging from the conventional “panels” and grey ‘solar tiles’ that look like roof tiles, to glass-panel-glass laminate (cells ‘sandwiched’ between two layers of glass) that can be used on conservatories and windows to provide shading as well as generating electricity.

How are they installed?

PV can be fitted on top of your existing tiled roof, integrated flush into the roof, or installed using the solar roof tiles. If the building has mains electricity, any excess electricity can be exported to the National Grid and when demand is high, extra electricity can be purchased from the National Grid through the utility companies. Where there is no mains supply, PV arrays can be used to charge batteries.

How many panels do I need?

The size of a PV installation depends on a number of issues; how much power is required, the type of cell used, roof space available and budget.


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Fact sheet: Solar PV Typical domestic systems are generally around 1.5-2kWp (kilowatt peak), enough to provide almost half of the average family’s annual supply (assuming gas is used for heating requirements). Larger installations for businesses or communities are limited by similar constraints, but can be of almost unlimited size. Every 1kWp of solar panel requires approximately 8m2 of roof space.

Costs

Prices for PV systems vary, depending on the size of the system to be installed, type of PV cell used and the building on which the PV is mounted. For the average domestic system, costs can be around £6,500- £8,000 per kWp before grants. Economies of scale may apply to larger systems. For detail of grants available see below; prices are guidelines only and it is strongly recommended that you have professional give you a quote – remember that they must be low carbon building programme accredited. To fit a panel flush into the roof costs more than simply placing the panel on the surface of the tiles, as there is more labour involved. Solar tiles cost more than either type of conventional panel, but if you intend to have major roof repairs carried out they may be worth investigating as they can offset the cost of roof tiles. Kent Energy Centre has been running a successful solar photovoltaic scheme since 2004. This means that they have been able to develop a system where their installers work to pre-agreed discount prices, and they check all quotes, and post-inspect works. The average domestic system costs can be around £6,000 to £8,000 per kWp before grants which cover around a third of this cost.

Exporting back to the grid

With a grid connected system you will have an inverter that imports and exports electricity as you need it. When you export electricity you will get paid for it, this is known as “feed in tariff”. The current rate of feed in tariff

Check List • To get maximum benefit

from your system, you should have:

• A roof that is not shaded by trees or other buildings during the day

• A large south-east to south west facing roof minimum 8m2

• A structurally sound roof to support the PV panels


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Fact sheet: Solar PV or payback is fairly unfavourable when compared with countries such as Germany and Spain. However, as the government continually looks to push domestic solar PV systems, the feed in tariffs may rise.

Maintenance

Systems connected to the National Grid require very little maintenance, generally limited to ensuring that the panels are kept relatively clean and that shade from trees has not become a problem. The wiring and components of the system, such as the inverter (converts the output electricity to mains voltage) should however be checked occasionally by a qualified technician. For stand-alone systems (i.e. those not connected to the National Grid) further maintenance is required on system components such as batteries.

Useful Websites

Solar trade association: www.greenenergy.org.uk Government grants: www.lowcarbonbuildings.org.uk Local assistance: www.kentenergycentre.org.uk


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Fact sheet: Biomass

Fact Sheet 16: Biomass How Does it Work?

Biomass fuels are considered to be plant material or animal waste, which is used as a source of fuel. The fuels may therefore be living or recently dead organic matter. However, the most common form of biomass seen in our homes are wood fuelled stoves that can provide heating and hot water. Modern biomass systems typically work at 90 percent efficiency and are ideally suited to properties that are off mains gas and have previously run on oil.

Carbon Neutral

The carbon dioxide released during the burning of wood was absorbed when the tree grew. The process is therefore known to be “Carbon Neutral”. It is important however, that the wood is taken from a sustainable source and does not travel more than 8-10 miles. Otherwise it is not deemed to be carbon neutral .

Types of system

Wood burning stoves: These can be fuelled by pellets or logs but only pellets are suitable for automatic feed. Stoves can achieve efficiencies of more than 80% compared to 0-20% for an open fire. They are normally used to provide background heating whilst adding aesthetic value and are designed to be located in the living area of the house itself. Wood stoves are generally 5 - 12kW in output. Some models can be fitted with a back boiler to provide water heating. Biomass boilers: These are connected to central heating and hot water systems and are suitable for pellets or logs. Biomass boilers are generally larger than 10kW in output. Due to their high cost biomass boilers are unusual in domestic installations and are usually used for larger buildings. We are not able to refer you to an installer but it is possible to refer to the list of approved installers recommended by the low carbon building programme.

Requirements • Space: Biomass boilers are

larger than fossil fuel boilers and should ideally be situated in an outhouse or large

• Garage. Simple room stoves do not require as much space.

• Fuel: It is important that you have storage space for the fuel, appropriate access to the boiler for loading and a good local fuel supplier.

• Flue: Solid fuel appliances require special flues and there must be sufficient air supply for proper operation of the stove. Chimneys can be fitted with a lined flue.

• Regulations: The installation must comply with all safety and building regulations (see current Building Regulations available at www.communities.gov.uk)

• Planning: If the building is listed, or in an area of outstanding natural beauty (AONB), then you may need to check with your local authority planning department before a flue is fitted.


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Fact sheet: Biomass

Fuel For small-scale domestic biomass, the fuel usually takes the form of wood pellets and logs. Wood pellets are a compact form of wood, which have low moisture content and a high energy density. In exceptional situations, it might also be possible to use wood chip. This fuel requires more storage. Although pellets are currently more expensive than logs, they are easier to handle and ideal for automated systems. The type of heating system you choose has a direct effect on the fuel used and the storage space required.

Capital costs This generally depends on the type and size of system you choose but installation and commissioning costs tend to be fairly fixed. Wood Burning Stoves: Stand alone wood burning stoves generally cost £1,500 - £6,000 installed. Boilers: The cost varies depending on the fuel choice; a typical 15kW (average size required for a three bed semi-detached house) pellet boiler would cost around £10,000 - £13,000 to install, including the cost of the flue and commissioning. A manual log feed system of the same size would be slightly cheaper.

Running costs Unlike other forms of renewable energy, biomass systems require you to pay for the fuel. Fuel costs are generally dependant on the distance from your fuel supplier; if you have a supplier nearby this can reduce the costs of the fuel considerably. Logs are normally less expensive than pellets but this is not always the case and may vary with where you live.

Local benefits Producing energy from biomass has both environmental and economic advantages. It is most cost-effective when a local fuel source is used, which results in local investment and employment. Furthermore, biomass can contribute to waste management by harnessing energy from products that are often disposed of at landfill sites.

For information about all aspects of biomass visit www.biomassenergycentre.org.uk


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Fact sheet: Heat pumps

Fact Sheet 17: Ground source heat pump

What is it?

A few metres below our feet, the earth is at a constant temperature of approximately 12-13°C throughout the year, storing heat from the sun. Using a ground source heat pump (GSHP) we can extract this heat from the ground to provide space heating.

Why Use it?

GSHPs are not a carbon-free technology like wind turbines, as they require energy to run the heat pump. GSHPs that replace electric heating will make considerable carbon savings (4-6 times less carbon emitted per unit of heat), and most GSHPs will result in lower carbon emissions than conventional heating fuels like gas or oil (typically 30% less carbon). GSHPs might be slightly cheaper to run than gas central heating if a cheaper overnight electricity tariff is used to run the GSHP: they can be significantly cheaper to run than bottled LPG, oil, or electricity heating systems. There are also reliable, have low noise levels and require no storage space, unlike oil or other solid fuels.

Costs and Maintenance

The installed cost of a GSHP, for a professional installation, ranges from £800 - £1,400 per kW of peak heat output, excluding the cost of the distribution system. Trench systems are cheaper so tend to be at the lower end of this range, and the price per kW gets lower for larger systems. The installed cost of an 8kW system would be £8,000 - £12,000 plus the cost of the distribution system. Costs are dependent on property and location. The effective cost of the system is lower if

What are the requirements? • Space available for a trench or

borehole to accommodate a ground loop (e.g. big garden)

• Ground free from obstructions such as sewers and tunnels

• Installing GSHP with under floor heating is more efficient as temperature requirements for under floor heating are not great

• Incorporating insulation measures including wall, floor, and loft insulation, will reduce your heat demand and so the size of system required

Air-source heat pumps Relatively easy/inexpensive to install and have historically been widely used. Limitations due to their use of the outside air as a heat source/sink due to higher temperature differential during periods of extreme cold or heat which can lead to a lower efficiency. Geothermal heat pumps Typically have higher efficiencies than air-source. This is because they draw heat from the ground or groundwater which is at a relatively constant temperature all year round below a depth of 2.5m. The trade-off is the relatively high cost due to the ground work required.


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Fact sheet: Heat pumps there is already building work going ahead or if under floor heating is already installed. A GSHP should last 40+ years, and should require a similar amount of maintenance to a conventional gas fired central heating system.

Types of System ‘Horizontal loops’

Piping is installed horizontally in trenches. The depth of the trenches will vary according to the design and soil characteristics, but is generally 1.5 – 2m deep. Horizontal loops require much more surface area than vertical loops. Around 200m of pipe work is generally required for a single dwelling.

‘Vertical loops’

Most commercial and institutional projects using GSHPs use ‘Vertical loop’ systems. The advantage of a vertical loop system, which consists of pipe inserted into vertical bore holes, is less space is required. Holes are spaced at around 5m intervals and can vary between 15m and 60m according to the design and soil characteristics.

‘Slinky coils’

The ‘Slinky’ is a variation of the ‘Horizontal loop’. Slinky coils are flattened coils of overlapping piping, which are spread out and laid either horizontally or vertically. Their ability to focus the area of heat transfer into small volume reduces the length of the trenches and hence the quantity of land needed. A 10m long trench laid with a ‘Slinky’ coil will typically supply 1kW of heating load. Three options are available for the ground loop: borehole, straight horizontal and spiral, and horizontal (or slinky). Each has different characteristics allowing you to choose the most suitable for your property. Horizontal trenches can cost less than boreholes, but require greater land area. For slinky coils, a trench of about 10m length will provide for about 1kW of heating load.


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Fact sheet: Heat pumps A GSHP system is inadequate for directly heating hot water. Hot water for taps needs to be stored at 60°C (140°F) whereas for domestic GSHPs the maximum water storage temperature is 40-50°C (122°F). A water heating strategy can be designed where the incoming water supply is preheated by the GSHP before reaching an ancillary heating source. However, it will often be more economical to use an immersion heater using off-peak electricity.

Space heating

Because GSHPs raise the temperature to around 40°C they are most suitable for under floor heating systems or low-temperature radiators, which require temperatures of between 30°C and 35°C. Higher outputs, such as to conventional radiators requiring higher temperatures of around 60°C to 80°C can be obtained through use of the GSHP in combination with a conventional boiler or immersion heater.

Water heating

The GSHP system is inadequate in itself for directly heating hot water output. Hot water for taps needs to be stored at 60°C whereas for domestic GSHPs the maximum water storage temperature obtainable is 50°C. A water heating strategy can be designed where the incoming water supply is preheated by the GSHP before reaching an ancillary heating source. However, it might be determined that an immersion heater working off off-peak electricity is more economical.


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Fact sheet: Wind power

Fact Sheet 18: Small scale wind power

How does it work?

The turbine converts the energy in moving air (wind) into the rotation of a shaft connected to a generator, which converts this energy into electricity. The electricity can either be kept as DC and used to charge batteries for simple off-grid applications, or converted to 240V AC to allow it to run conventional appliances or exported back to the grid.

Why use it?

The UK has 40% of Europe’s total wind energy resource, but this remains largely untapped and wind power (including large wind turbines) currently supplies approximately 1 per cent of our generated electricity. Wind is among the most cost effective ways of generating your own carbon-free electricity.

What are the requirements?

For the wind turbine to be worthwhile there should be an average wind speed of at least 5 m/s. An approximation of wind speed in your local area can be obtained by following the instructions at the British Wind Energy Association www.bwea.com. The height of the turbine also has a significant effect on the power output as wind speed increases with height above ground; the higher the turbine, the better.

Types of turbines Stand alone turbines

Free standing (stand alone) wind turbines have been around for longer than the roof mounted type and are a more established technology. They are larger than the smaller roof mounted versions and produce more energy (with typical rated powers ranging from 1.0kW

Consideration points • Is the location free from

obstruction – surrounding trees?

• Is the average wind speed above 5 metres per second?

• Is the chosen location near any electrical mast/ signalling station?

• Is there potential for the turbine to be used for educational purposes?

• Are there any obstructions from the direction of the prevailing wind, which is south west?


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Fact sheet: Wind power up to 15kW). The larger turbines require an open space of ground (a garden 50 metres in length could be sufficient although you would want more than this if your nearest neighbours are close by), and do cost more than the smaller turbines, but are much more cost effective per unit of energy generated.

Roof mounted turbines

Roof turbines are sometimes suitable for urban domestic installations. There are currently several types of wind turbine being developed for mounting on the roofs of domestic houses. The turbines vary in size from a diameter of 1.1m - 2.1m and are mounted on poles. They are not currently proven technology and it is hoped that they will be ready for installation later on in 2007.

How do I choose a turbine?

Roof mounted systems produce 0.6kW – 1.5kW and make a contribution to the household energy need. Free standing turbines start at around 1.0kW and can produce a significantly larger proportion of electricity needs than roof mounted systems. The optimum size for meeting the electricity demand of an average household is usually 2.5 - 6kW depending how windy your site is. Turbines are rated to a certain capacity; however this output is only achieved for the time that wind speed is at its optimum level. As a rough guide, a good wind site will produce an average output of 10 - 20% of its rated capacity over the course of a year.

Cost and maintenance

Small stand alone wind turbine systems (1.0kW to 6kW) cost £5,000 - £30,000 installed. These costs include the capital cost of the turbine, mast, inverters, battery storage (if required) as well as installation. Note that costs always vary depending on location and the size and type of system. Full installation costs for free standing turbines tend to be more than roof mounted ones. Turbines have a life of up to 25 years but require


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Fact sheet: Wind power service checks every year or two to ensure they continue to work at an optimal level. The payback period can vary considerably and can be anywhere from 10 years to 25 years. Generally a larger wind turbine will have a shorted payback period despite the higher initial costs. Average wind speed of the site is a very important factor in determining the length of the payback period. Electricity prices are unlikely to remain stable and any increase in prices will shorten the payback period.

Planning permission

Planning issues such as visual impact, noise, and conservation have to be considered. System installation normally requires planning permission from the local authority. If the site is in a conservation area, green belt area, or an area of historical interest this may be an obstacle although it is still worth investigating.

Useful Websites

British Wind Energy Association (BWEA), the trade association of the UK wind industry: www.bwea.com

Grants

Grants for wind technology can be found through the Low Carbon Buildings Programme website: www.lowcarbonbuildings.org.uk


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Fact sheet: Payback periods

Fact Sheet 19: Payback periods

Payback

The example costs and paybacks shown below are approximate, are provided for illustrative purposes only. They are based on a gas heated semi-detached house with three bedrooms. Savings assume a gas price of 4.03p/kWh. Some of the savings made may be taken in increased comfort. Due to the continuing fluctuation of energy prices, these payback periods are likely to change. For a complete list and up to date figures, please visit the Energy Saving Trust website: www.energysavingtrust.org.uk/Energy-saving-assumptions

Payback examples

Cavity

Wall Insulation

Loft Insulation (0-270mm)

Hot Water Tank

Jacket

Primary Pipe Work Insulation

Annual saving (£/yr)

Around £160

Around £205

Around £40 Around £10

Approx. Cost (£)

£250 (Installed)

£250 (Installed)

£12 (DIY)

£10 (DIY)

Installed payback

Around 2 years

Around 1 year

Around 5 months

Up to 1 year

Annual CO 2

saving

Around 800kg

Around £205

Around 195 kg

Around 65 kg

(Energy Saving Trust, December 2008)


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Fact sheet: Climate change myths

Fact Sheet 20: Myth busters Introduction

You may encounter people who are still sceptical about climate change and climate change science. Whilst this can be frustrating it is understandable given the volume of ‘disinformation’ that exists . We recommend that you familiarise yourself with the main myths and arguments before you engage formally with your community. We won’t attempt to address the concerns directly in this toolkit. Rather we have provided details of several excellent web based resources that will cover the main topics succinctly. As a quick guide, the Royal Society recognise 8 key misleading arguments: • Our climate is always changing and is nothing to do

with humans. • Carbon dioxide only makes up a small part of the

atmosphere and so cannot be responsible for global warming.

• Rises in the levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere are the result of increased temperatures, not the other way round.

• Observations of temperatures taken by weather balloons and satellites do not support the theory of global warming.

• Computer models which predict the future climate are unreliable and based on a series of assumptions.

• It's all to do with the sun and there is a strong link between increased temperatures on Earth and sunspots.

• The climate is actually affected by cosmic rays. • Negative effects are overstated - there is no need for

urgent action.

Suggested further reading

• www.metoffice.gov.uk/corporate/pressoffice/myths • www.direct.gov.uk/en/Environmentandgreenerliving/Thewiderenvironment/Clim

atechange/DG_072959 • www.defra.gov.uk/environment/climatechange/uk/individual/attitudes • www.bbc.co.uk/climate

The evidence to counter these arguments is compelling. You might want to consider compiling your own responses to questions raised and make these available to your group.


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Acronyms

8. Glossary & acronyms CAfE Community Action for Energy. Carbon Footprint

A measure of the amount of carbon dioxide or other greenhouse gases that a person, business, organisation or community releases into the atmosphere through burning fossil fuels when using energy in buildings, travel and lifestyles. It shows how much impact someone or something has on the environment in terms of contributing to climate change. See Section 2 for a more detailed explanation.

CEN Creative Environmental Networks. Climate The average weather in a given location over a 30 year period. CO2 Carbon dioxide. A major greenhouse gas released by burning fossil

fuels. DECC Department of Energy and Climate Change. Defra Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. EST Energy Saving Trust. ESTAC Energy Saving Trust Advice Centre. GHG Greenhouse gas. Greenhouse gases trap heat in the earth’s

atmosphere and contribute to climate change (e.g. carbon dioxide, methane).

HEC Home Energy Check. HECA Home Energy Conservation Act. IPCC Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. KCC Kent County Council. KEC Kent Energy Centre. LA Local Authority. LAA Local Area Agreement. In Kent this is the Kent Agreement and is

the shared set of priorities for improvement in the area. The 2008-11 Kent Agreement includes a carbon reduction target for Kent.

LCC Low Carbon Community. NGO Non-governmental Organisation. RESOLVE Research Group on Lifestyles Values & Environment. UKCIP UK Climate Impacts Programme – the government body responsible

for modeling impacts and helping organisations prepare. Weather The weather conditions at a particular location at any one given time

– what is outside right now. WEN Women’s Environmental Network. WI Women’s Institute.


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