The Blewbury Energy Initiative (BEI) 1st Year Report 2005/06 Updated 5 September, 2006
Background    First Year    Achievements    Lessons Learnt    Year Two    Partners Blewbury Energy Initiative   Contacts   Domestic Renewable Options   Facts and Figures   Legal Matters   Reducing Energy Use Background Information: Energy Links   Global Warming   Green Energy   Hydrogen as a Fuel   Saving Energy Main Blewbury Site

Background and Outline Description of the BEI

In November 2002, the Blewbury Parish Plan was commissioned by Blewbury Parish Council in association with the BVS Environment Group, a special interest group of the Blewbury Village Society . After just over a year and a half of work, this was approved in July 2004. Although recognised as important at the time, it was decided not to tackle energy issues as they related to the Village, as this was felt to be a larger topic, worthy of more specific attention at a later date. Thus, in the summer of 2005 a specific working party, under the auspices of the BVS-EG was established, to review and tackle energy issues as they relate to the village.

The project will run for three years and seeks to ascertain an informed estimate of the carbon footprint of the buildings of the Village based on their energy use and to suggest a raft of energy efficiency measures to reduce this footprint, as well as seeking to encourage those renewable energy technologies that are deemed appropriate for the Village.

This should not only have environmental benefits, in the reduction of carbon emissions into the atmosphere, but should also alleviate any existing fuel poverty within the Village (and there are still homes that lack central heating), foster a healthier internal environment which links to wider health related issues, free up cash that would be spent on heating and power to be spent within the local economy and finally, to foster local business opportunities in the form of energy efficiency and renewable energy installations.

First Year Focus

The focus in the first year has been on the domestic sector, although there has been some involvement with community and commercial buildings.

The aim has been to raise awareness of energy issues within the home and the opportunities for increased energy efficiency in both day-to-day domestic living and through home improvements such as increased insulation and installation of low energy lighting.

A series of articles has appeared on almost a monthly basis in the Village magazine, the Bulletin, outlining the work of the BEI and providing information to householders as to how they can be involved. This has been augmented by the establishment of a dedicated energy website hosted on the main Blewbury website - www.blewbury.co.uk

It was through these media that a home energy questionnaire was delivered and explained to all homes in the village. Those responding received bespoke home energy surveys, processed by the Vale of White Horse District Council, which outlined the energy efficiency of their home and listed options that could be considered for improvement. Coupled with the surveys came advice on grant funding for insulation measures and two free energy efficient lightbulbs (kindly donated by the Vale of White Horse from a supply provided by British Gas).

The results from the questionnaire also provided details of carbon emissions associated with each house. Using local knowledge, this information has been extrapolated, based on the differing ages, size and styles of the houses in the village, to come up with a rough carbon footprint for the total of village houses, as well as an average figure for a Blewbury dwelling.

A further area of work in the first year of the project was to undertake a simple thermal imaging survey of a selection of village buildings that represented the overall stock. This was the most costly piece of work and could not have been undertaken without financial support from the North Wessex Downs AONB Sustainable Development Fund (which also assisted with additional funding issues). The results of this survey were graphically presented at the Village Open Day in March 2006 and proved to be a huge success in capturing people's interest and attention.

Achievements

• 103 homes participated in the survey and received an energy survey and bespoke advice.
• 41 thermal images were produced of village buildings, highlighting a range of energy efficiency issues.
• Nearly 8,000 hits to the energy website, with many from outside the village interested in the project and the general energy information provided.
• £2,710 of funding was secured from the North Wessex Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty Sustainable Development Fund for the 1st year of the project with £2,000 worth of low energy lightbulbs being donated by British Gas via the Vale of White Horse District Council.
• Establishment of a total CO2 emissions baseline of 5,136 tonnes per annum for the village housing stock at an average of 7.2 tonnes per annum per home.
• Approximately 200 low energy lightbulbs distributed and anecdotal evidence of increased uptake of cavity wall and loft insulation grant schemes.

Lessons Learnt

• The quality of domestic energy surveying software is poor and reports need to be provided with additional information and caveats.
• Thermal imaging is an effective way of stimulating interest in energy issues, but is expensive.
• A dedicated team of volunteers and enthusiasts based at the local level is essential for a project such as this to succeed.

Year Two and Beyond

• The second year of the project will see a continued focus on energy efficiency advice provision to householders.
• The carbon footprints of the community and commercial buildings will be established and bespoke advice on energy saving will be offered.
• Information and advice on domestic renewable energy systems will be provided to village households and a review of what is deemed acceptable in relation to this within the village conservation zone.
• Ultimately, the village will be resurveyed to ascertain the effectiveness of the whole project in stimulating energy and by association, carbon savings.

Key Project Partners

Vale of White Horse District Council - contact Mark Saunders (01235-547603)
North Wessex Downs AONB Management Board - contact Wendy Tobitt (01488 -680456)
TV Energy - contact Ian Bacon - (01635-817420 or e-mail ian.bacon@tvenergy.org )

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