Grant for more energy saving surveys

Transition Wilmslow has been awarded a grant of £2000 from Wilmslow Town Council to enable them to carry out more house energy savings surveys for local residents.

The organisation aims to protect and improve the natural environment and promote the prudent use of resources for the benefit of the people of Wilmslow and surrounding areas.

They do this by promoting responsibility for and commitment to local energy saving, working towards zero carbon local energy generation, local food availability and raising awareness of the issues such as climate change and resource scarcity.

Thanks to previous government aid, they have undertaken 149 local house energy saving surveys in local homes which Transition Wilmslow says has saved over 153 tonnes of carbon as a result.

They want to use the funding to do more of these surveys, however the demand is outstripping their capacity.

Transition Wilmslow have 26 requests arising from their stall at the Artisan Market and they currently only have two trained volunteers, limited free time and one camera so they are unable to take on more. Each survey takes an hour to complete by the volunteer and an hour at least to set up and follow up by the co-ordinator.

Andrew Backhouse said "We want Wilmslow to save energy, we want you all to better saving the climate, reducing carbon ommissions. We're very keen to do it but I'm not able to do it without more people helping me and without grant assistance to help."

Wilmslow Town Council voted unanimously in favour of the application at their meeting on Monday 19th January.

The grant they have been awarded will be used to provide training for at least 4 more volunteers, at a cost of about £1500, who will then carry out surveys of at least 40 homes.

Additionally, £250 will be used to fund the purchase and fitting of a new battery for a good thermal imaging camera they can borrow from the university and £250 will go towards the £400 camera insurance they pay each year.

This will work as a trial for a bigger grant application which Transition Wilmslow intend to make to the Big Lottery Fund in May, which should result in more households being surveyed.

The picture above was taken with a thermal imaging camera. The red is heat escaping, and shows that some of this house does not have cavity wall insulation, whilst the windows are also leaking heat (even though they are double glazed). This picture is of an old Wilmslow house on the left with a modern extension that has been insulated.

Andrew explained "One house surveyed by Chris Daniel in the last two weeks should halve its energy bills thanks to his visit – whilst we don't promise that for everyone, there are always tricks you can learn. Hanging washing outside and drawing curtains can make quite a difference, let alone insulating the walls and floors!"

If you'd like to have your house surveyed with a thermal imaging camera and learn how you could save money, or you'd like to learn how to survey houses give Ali Berry a ring on 07887 425387.