Energy
Winning DECC funding in the Low Carbon Communities Challenge
Blacon is one of 22 UK communities chosen by the Department of Energy and Climate Change in a high profile programme to lead the way to a low carbon future. Sustainable Blacon's response to the Low
Carbon Communities Challenge is an innovative and exciting community-based project with two main strands, sharing the aim of achieving a 20% reduction in domestic energy consumption.
In Strand 1 - two Demonstration Homes are being equipped with low carbon appliances and technologies to show residents how they can cut household energy consumption and CO2 emissions and demonstrating this with practical support.
In Strand 2 - three groups of households are piloting different energy saving approaches.
All will receive advice and support
...in addition one group will also trial (passive) energy monitoring equipment
...and another group will trial innovative technology to actively manage energy usage.
The results, available in 2011, will help develop national policy for carbon reduction. Seven universities have so far approached the project to request inclusion in further research programmes.
Commenting on the selection of Sustainable Blacon in December 2009, the then Energy and Climate Change Minister Joan Ruddock MP said: “There's a real appetite out there to save energy to help tackle global warming and save money on fuel bills. Blacon will help to develop the policies we need in the future to make the successful transition to a low carbon economy.”
Evaluation Report Jan 2011
The University of Chester’s evaluation of ‘The Blacon Energy Management Programme’ part of the Low Carbon Communities Project in Blacon, has issued it’s Baseline Report, exploring the behavioural responses to energy consumption from three different groups involved in the trial and examining the impact of such a community-based trial on broader sustainability behaviours and on the quality of life of participants.
Evaluation of Energy Management Systems Trial Report (click to open pdf)