Attendees at the workshop included representatives of local authorities, energy companies, central and regional Government, consumer bodies and delivery agents.

The aims of the workshop were to enable networking between these organisations and to develop ideas of how best EEPH, LGA and UKBCSE can work to support the development of successful local energy partnerships.

The report describes a number of barriers which hamper effective working between community groups and energy suppliers, and outlines how these barriers could be addressed. It demonstrates the need for improved approaches to local partnership working, where both parties have greater clarity on each others’ aims, objectives, remit, resources and timelines, and suggests working with intermediaries such as local authorities. A number of useful case studies are also presented.

The report is part of a bigger project by the SDC on integrating energy efficiency with other neighbourhood infrastructure upgrades which will be launched on 5th July, called “The Future is Local: Empowering Communities to Improve their Neighbourhoods”. See www.sd-commission.org.uk

The future financing of energy efficiency and low carbon retrofit in social housing
This paper assesses the strategic implications of the various policies and initiatives in relation to the social housing sector and sets out options for improving the financing of low carbon retrofit. It has been produced by the Energy Efficiency Partnership for Homes’ Social Housing Finance and Strategy Taskgroup and contains the informed views of key social housing organisations from across the sector. It was prepared in close dialogue with officials responsible for setting the framework within which the sector operates from CLG, DECC, and the Homes and Communities Agency.

Funding and finance: mapping of policies, mechanisms and research
This paper provides an overview of the key finance mechanisms, policy drivers and schemes in relation to the take up of energy efficiency and low carbon technologies in social housing. It sets out the mechanisms, drivers and schemes that were identified at the first meeting of the Social Housing Finance and Strategy Taskgroup on 10 December 2009.
 

For further details please see report below or click here.

Recognising that the agenda is wider than advice on measures, and also encompasses behaviour change, the report contains compelling evidence of the real value of advice to consumers and providers. It is highly relevant given the current economic climate and policy environment, where paramount objectives include enabling householders to save money and reduce emissions, while maximising opportunities for job creation. The report sets out a strategic direction which could help to realise the great potential energy advice can play in meeting these objectives.

The key messages it contains include:

• The importance of establishing a coordinated certified/accredited scheme for individuals and organisations providing advice with levels to cover professional advice providers as well as smaller community advice providers
• The need to re-evaluate skills requirements and provide ongoing skills support
• The need for a national provider of resources and technical expertise
• The requirement of a flexible approach to funding and performance assessment in response to the diversification of the advice delivery structure.

The report outlines a detailed raft of recommendations arising from the research which centre around the need to mainstream the more expensive measures that are used to treat hard to treat homes.

The report also reveals the need to place more emphasis on insulation measures and urgently address the current situation in which the fuel poor living in hard to treat homes are paying for energy efficiency schemes but are not benefiting from the most appropriate improvements to their homes.

Alongside this a database of 72 case studies has been compiled which provides a useful evidence base of different projects that have focussed measures on a range of typically hard to treat property types.

Report

Project Database