TrustNews Sep 21

Reducing your home's carbon footprint

Stuart Mills from Winchester Action on Climate Change on a new initiative.

 

 

Have you been thinking about reducing your home's carbon footprint?

 

Winchester Action on Climate Change (WinACC) has recently launched Winchester Area SuperHomes, an exciting new project aimed at reducing domestic energy use across the District.

 

Energy use in the home is responsible for around 20% of direct carbon emissions. Winchester Area SuperHomes supports homeowners to transform the energy performance of their properties by retrofitting and so reduce their carbon emissions.

 

Retrofitting means changing your home so it needs less energy to keep warm, and changing the heating from gas, oil or solid fuel to electric. There are lots of ways to do this - from insulating walls, ceilings and floors to installing technologies like heat pumps.

 

Winchester Area SuperHomes will provide help with some costs for homeowners on low and middle incomes (but is open to homeowners on all income levels). This will include some of the survey and design costs.

 

But the real benefit is being linked into a project that provides:

 

• Access to qualified and accredited Retrofit Coordinators and installers

• Technical back up from the National Energy Foundation

• Support from WinACC Project Officer

• Support to access grants

 

 

The first step is for our Project Officer to arrange a home visit or video call to explain exactly how Winchester Area SuperHomes works. We will then put you in touch with a quallified Retrofit Coordinator who will carry out a survey of your property and produce a Whole House Retrofit Plan. This is a detailed assessment of your property and will include a costed list of the measures you could take to reduce your home's energy use and carbon footprint.

 

There are several subsidies available for home energy retrofit - and we can help you apply for them. The Renewable Heat incentive covers most of the cost of installing a heat pump and is not means tested. For homeowners on low incomes, the Green Homes Local Authority Delivery scheme can provide grants of up to 10,000 pounds.

 

 

We are also working with Winchester City Council's Historic Environment team to ensure that a positive approach is taken towards retrofits in conservation areas or on listed buildings.

 

To find out more, and book a video call or home visit, go to winacc.org.uk or email wash@winacc.org.uk

 

Stuart Mills