Affordable Warmth
Project Aim:
"To identify and implement methods of improving energy efficiency, to remove 50% of
identified fuel poverty in the domestic housing stock of" Rousay, Egilsay and Wyre,
reducing our combined 'Carbon Footprint' by 76.95 tonnes per year.
'Carbon Footprint' refers to the amount of 'greenhouse gases' we produce through
burning fossil fuels for electricity, fueling our cars, heating our homes, etc.
It is usually measured in tonnes, and given as the equivalent of 'Carbon Dioxide' - a
greenhouse gas which is causing 'Climate Change'.
What has happened so far:
- January-February 2009: Home Energy Check Survey was carried out within the community, with a 68% response rate, and which identified that a staggering 83% of households spend
more than 10% of the total household income on heating their home, and thus were deemed to be in 'fuel poverty'.
- April 2009: Community Powerdown Officer, Michelle Koster is appointed by the Development Trust, on a 2-year contract.
'Reduction of Fuel Poverty' is identified as one of her main projects.
- September 2009: Application for funding for this project is submitted to the Climate Challenge Fund (a grant scheme for community groups within Scotland).
- December 2009: The Trust received £39,798 from the Climate Challenge Fund.
- January 2010: Presentations delivered to the community, giving an outline of this project, and an explanation of the grants and loans available for insulation top-ups.
- January-April 2010: FREE energy assessment, including audits on energy efficiency and thermal imaging, offered to all households within the community (105 homes participated).
Following the assessments, the households were offered grant packages to improve insulation, as applicable, with some even having a new central heating system installed.
- January-April 2010: Households were offered the chance to take part in an OWL Electricity Monitor Loan Scheme, which helps to guage electricity usage within each individual home.
Forty monitors were available, with households offered a FREE one-month loan (75 households initially agreed to take part in the scheme).
- June 2010: Two Part-Time 'Loft Empitiers/Workers' (David Farquhar and John McInnes) are appointed to work until 31 October 2010.
- June 2010: Development Trust enters into a partnership with 'Changeworks Resources for Life', resulting in the employment of an Energy Adviser (John McInnes), who was tasked
with offering FREE energy advice and FREE insulation top-ups, under the Scottish government's 'Home Insulation Scheme', to every household.
- September 2010: Our designated Energy Adviser completed his duties within our community.
- March 2011: A second Home Energy Check Survey was conducted in March 2011, to guage improvements in our islands' fuel poverty. It found that the percentage of households in
fuel poverty had reduced from 70% to 30% of respondents.
What happens next:
- This project has reached completion.
Links to relevant Around Rousay news articles:
Development Trust advertises more vacancies
Links to Relevant Documents:
'What is the purpose of the Home Insulation Scheme?' (Leaflet produced by HIS)
Click here to go back to the list of Development Trust projects.
