Community Action on Climate Change Pathfinder induction – March 2011

Reducing residential carbon emissions

Catrin Maby

CO2 emissions from homes in Wales

45%

21%

31%

3%

space heating

water heating

lights and appliances

cooking

The basic ingredients

• Build low carbon new homes• Retrofit improvements to existing homes:

• Thermal insulation• More efficient heating and hot water appliances• Improved controls• Renewable heat sources• Micro-generation

• Purchase more/most efficient lights and appliances• Use less/use more efficiently

Perspective on retrofit

• Space and water heating account for approx 66% of home emissions

• Regulations for new homes controlled by Building Regs, which are periodically tightened as regards energy - new homes to be zero carbon by 2016 (aspiration to achieve by 2011 in Wales)

• But 80% of homes that will be there in 2050 have already been built *

……….so focus needed on existing homes

* Home Truths, Environmental Change Institute, 2007

Retrofit improvements

• Singular measures – can be done in isolation from other works:• Loft insulation• Cavity wall insulation• Replacement boiler• Upgrade heating and h/w controls (time and temp)• Low energy lighting• Solar hot water• Heat pump• Biomass boiler/stove• Microgen: photovoltaic, wind, small hydro• Secondary glazing (and some double glazing)• Draughtproofing windows and doors

Retrofit improvements

• Opportunity measures – include in renovations:• Solid wall insulation• Under-floor insulation• Flat roof insulation• Sloping ceiling, dormer and bay insulation• Replacing windows with high efficiency ones

Exercise: individual reflection

• Retrofit improvements: exploring the motivations and barriers

• Write down 3 retrofit measures you have carried out on your own home, and why you chose to do these?

• Write down 3 retrofit measures you could apply to your own home, but have not yet done so, and why not?

Retrofit of existing homes - issues

• Home-owners often enthusiastic about sustainability but put off by costs/difficulties finding installer

• Sustainable energy measures still tend to be sold as single technologies by specialist companies

• General building market characterised by small companies, competing on price and avoiding taking risk on new technologies

• Builders merchants and DIY sheds tend to have limited range of sustainable energy materials

Retrofit of existing homes - issues

• O/O homes change hands on average every 7-9 years

• Many of the significant measures have much longer paybacks than this at current energy and installed prices

• Fuel supplier programmes focus on quick payback measures to date

• Energy Performance Certificates favour same measures in ‘cost-effective measures’ recommendations

• Govt /Energy Saving Trust advice & campaigns now promoting wider range of measures

Key national programmes • Fuel suppliers – CERT (to become ECO in 2012): carbon saving

targets for homes, design own programmes within rules set by Ofgem, current focus on cavity and loft insulation

• Energy Performance Certificates obligatory when home sold or rented (EU Energy Performance of Buildings Directive)

• Wales New Fuel Poverty Scheme – April 2011: raising F/G rated homes to C for most vulnerable

• Green Deal – 2012: framework for accreditation of advice and installers, plus system of finance for retrofit

• Smart meter roll out – 2012: potential for varying tariff structures, and effect on user behaviour

• Feed in tariffs / Renewable Heat Incentive: market transformation

Purchasing behaviour – some key areas• Seeing low carbon as an attractive feature (doing better not doing

without)• Including carbon/energy efficiency as key element of choice of new

appliance/lights• Retailers attitude/info provided• Retailer and consumer understanding of energy labels/info• Availability/where to find better appliances• Access to range of efficient lighting to suit different needs

User behaviour – some key areas

• Setting of heating thermostats (wall and radiator)• Setting of hot water thermostat• Timing heat and hot water to needs of household• Showers instead of baths/shorter showers• Hot wash in evening in summer, if solar thermal hot water• Turning off unused lights, tvs, pcs, and stand-bys• Minimising use of tumble dryer• Washing on lower temps where possible• Waiting for full loads to wash

User behaviour – some key areas

• Transfer of usage to sunny daytime if have PV• Boiling only what’s needed in kettle • Keeping fridge condenser clear/clean/with air flow• Keeping fridge and cooker seals clean/functioning• Keeping freezer clear of ice• Wait for food to cool before refrigerating• Not standing with fridge door open reviewing contents…..• Microwave instead of oven for reheating

Exercise – round table

• User behaviour: exploring the motivations and barriers

• Think of one energy inefficient behaviour in your own or a friend’s household, and what you think are the barriers

• As we go round we will give the rest of the group the chance to suggest solutions to these barriers

Supporting user behaviour change – basics

• Feedback on consumption• Target setting for savings• Advice and info –specific, relevant, practical• Peer group motivation• Sense of agency (individual and collective)• Identifying, unfreezing and re-freezing habits:

• Focus in on specific behaviour• Observe and identify indivisible behaviours and barriers• Develop and trial solutions

Note: training in Community Based Social Marketing later in month……

• Independent energy advice service• Run by and for local people• Free winter HES home energy survey• 50 volunteers plus some paid staff and trustees• Winners of Big Green Challenge 2010• Marches area: Newtown, Knighton, Presteigne, Clun, Bishops

Castle, Montgomery• Link up with local groups in each area, such as:

• Transition Presteigne• Montgomery Energy Group• Newtown Action on Climate Change

Example: Household Energy Services

Example: Target 2050 Homes, Stroud

• Supply and demand support

• Led by local authority/independent energy agency partnership

• Target of 60-80% carbon reduction in existing homes• Home survey, action plans and follow up advice• Local retrofit installer network – capacity building• Pilot for Pay As You Save loans • 23 exemplars representative of main housing types• Open Homes weekend (led by Transition group)• Low Carbon Homes Show

• Energy saving clubs at neighbourhood level• Monitored electricity and gas consumption individually and group• Set savings targets and competed to save most over set time • Each group led and supported by ‘Energy Master’• Awards and celebrations of achievement: groups and individuals• Trialled in 9 EU countries 2008-10, new programme 2011-13

Example: Energy Neighbourhood

• Community Interest Company• Mission to create carbon neutral, financially secure and

sustainable communities• Expert support at low cost, to individuals or community groups• Micro-hydro, specialism: 10 installations to date, 2-36kW• Also offer support on local wood fuel, bio-diesel clubs, car

clubs

Example: Green Valleys, Brecon Beacons

• Review of local businesses indicated that high proportion are micro (less than 5 people)

• Noted trend for micro businesses to operate from home • Partnership between energy agency and general business

advisory service• Development of webinar tailoring energy saving advice and

info to home-based workers, including:• Heating a home office/one room in house• Lighting and ICT• Eco-driving

Example: energy saving for home-workers

Retrofit Example: end terrace Victorian house

Measure Cost Cost saving Carbon saving

External/internal solid wall insulation £9,975 £222 pa 2 tonnes pa

• Couple with young child, employed• Double glazing, loft insulation and efficient gas

boiler replacement already done• No savings, took out PAYS loan, maximum

£10,000• External ins side and back, internal at front to

preserve features• Conservation area – had to get permission

Retrofit Example: Georgian listed townhouse

Measure Cost Cost saving Carbon saving

Internal solid wall insulation £4,500 £327 pa 2.34 tonnes pa

Secondary glazing £6,260 £52 pa 0.36 tonnes pa

Gas boiler upgrade £2,350 £93 pa 0.74 tonnes pa

• Family with teenagers, employed• Loft and sloping ceiling ins done• Wall plasterwork in need of repair• Chose solar ready combi, but now

want PV, planning consent awaited • Did DIY sec glazing on back windows

Retrofit Example: timber frame 1970s

Measure Cost Cost saving Carbon saving

Loft insulationtop up £350 £39 pa 0.26 tonnes pa

Spray foam insulation on walls £3,130 £98 pa 0.65 tonnes pa

Floor insulation £560 £118 pa 0.79 tonnes pa

Full gas central heating £9,700 £72 pa 0.58 tonnes pa

Solar water heating £3,000 £50 pa 0.40 tonnes pa

• Inherited family home, family with kids, employed

• Doing major refurbishment• Remember house as child as light and

cheerful but too cold! • Loft ins and d glazing done

Retrofit Example: stone cottage

Measure Cost Cost saving Carbon saving

Internal solid wall insulation £10,470 £841 pa 4.12 tonnes pa

LPG boiler upgrade £3,900 £175 pa 0.90 tonnes pa

• Working couple• Attic rooms, thick stone walls• Hard to heat, unreliable LPG boiler• Wanted pellet boiler, but worried

about resale as manual handling• Compromised with new boiler and

wood stove• Internal insulation preserves character

Resources Government advice:• ActonCO2.direct.gov.uk• Energy Saving Trust: est.co.uk

free advice for households 0800 512012Independent energy agencies/specialist non-profits:• Severn Wye Energy Agency: swea.co.uk• West Wales Eco Centre: ecocentre.org.uk• Centre for Sustainable Energy: cse.org.uk• National Energy Action: nea.org.uk• Global Action Plan: globalactioplan.org.uk• Centre for Alternative Technology: cat.org.uk• Partnerships/trade bodies• Energy Efficiency Partnership for Homes: www.eeph.org.uk• Association for the Conservation of Energy

Thank you for listening

Catrin Maby www.swea.co.uk