The challenge of improving the energy efficiency of homes in Bath and North East Somerset to help tackle the climate emergency is the focus of an online event next week.
The Green Homes webinar to be held by Bath & North East Somerset Council on November 19th at 5pm will hear from three residents who have made carbon-cutting improvements to their homes.
When the council declared a climate emergency in March 2019, it committed to providing the leadership to enable B&NES to achieve carbon neutrality by 2030. The first phase of research identified that energy efficiency improvements were needed for the majority of existing buildings, together with zero carbon new-build.
Councillor Dine Romero, council Leader, will chair the webinar and discuss the challenge with:
• Tim Williamson who has made energy efficiency improvements to a 1930s house and is part of the Energy Efficient Widcombe community project
• Philip Haile who has made energy efficiency improvements and installed low carbon heating in a 1970s house
• Cate Le Grice-Mack who has made energy efficiency improvements to a Georgian house and is a past Home Opener for Bath Green Homes community initiative
Councillor Dine Romero said: “Our commitment to tackling the climate emergency depends on us all taking individual action as well as needing larger system change. If you are a homeowner, it’s important to consider where you could make energy-efficiency improvements. These could be as simple as making sure your thermostat is set correctly and your boiler is working efficiently, buying energy-efficient appliances and adding insulation to your home to reduce heat loss. This can make your home more comfortable, save money on your bills as well as reduce your carbon footprint.
“The Green Homes webinar is a great opportunity for property owners to hear some ideas first-hand from people who have made carbon-cutting changes to their homes. Please log on and join the discussion.”
Register in advance to join the webinar at 5pm on November 19 on Zoom here
Questions to the panel can be submitted by email in advance or during the live discussion. A recording of the discussion will be available afterwards on the council’s YouTube channel
Bath & West Community Energy is running a complimentary event on November 26, Making Your Home Warm and Green. Register here
Find out more about how the council is tackling the climate emergency at https://www.bathnes.gov.uk/climate-emergency
When the MOD sites in Bath were eventually sold for building a lot of new homes, there were several strong suggestions for installing solar panels. 700 new homes were planned for Foxhill alone, and if solar panels had been installed at the outset it would have brought the price of it down considerably. It would seem that developers should be forced to do work like this by law, otherwise they will wriggle out of it. There were plans for allotments at Foxhill, but apparently no land is being put aside for this.
What a wasted opportunity all round.
Jane Stickland.
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