 Heatwaves can be dangerous, particularly for the elderly, babies, young children, pregnant women and those with chronic health conditions. People who live in urban areas and on the top floors of buildings can also be vulnerable.
So it’s important to make your home a place to escape from the heat - but it’s not as simple as just opening a window. Here’s our guide to keeping your home cool with some easy to achieve and cost-effective tips
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 Nope, that's not a typo. This month, we've been out on the lake!
You may recall that last autumn we spoke about our work to power the Victorian cascades in Battersea Park. This month, we've spent a lot of time out on the lake for the latest phase of the project. You might not have realised a lake even USES power. But, as a matter of fact, not only does this small body of water use energy... it uses a whopping 90,000 kWh of it every year! To put that into perspective, that's the equivalent of heating 8 homes for a year. To try and reduce this, we're getting creative with when and how this aeration system is used, taking our learnings from building management systems.  “We’re trusted. We’re here. We can train local people. With investment, we can do this right." As England looks to tackle climate change and make homes warmer and more affordable to run, there’s a growing spotlight on something called retrofit. While the word might sound technical, it’s really about improving buildings – mostly homes – so they use less energy. This could mean anything from better insulation and windows to more efficient heating systems.
But who’s actually doing this work? Until recently, retrofitting has mostly been the domain of large contractors or small businesses. However, a new report from the Centre for Sustainable Energy (CSE) shows that charities and social enterprises like CREW Energy – non-profit organisations that work for the good of communities – are quietly stepping up. And they may just hold the key to a fairer, greener future.  Sylvie Fifer, 88, speaks to HEAT energy advisor, Meg More than 1,000 residents have been supported to manage their energy consumption and reduce their bills, thanks to a partnership between Hackney Council, CREW Energy and community organisations across the borough.
The Hackney Energy Advice Team (HEAT) offers fuel poverty and energy-saving advice to residents in the borough’s community spaces. It has so far helped 1,256 people since launching in April last year.  Did you know around 22% of the UK’s carbon emissions come from our homes? That's our heating, lighting and appliances.
This week, Citizens Advice and Energy Saving Trust have teamed up to bring us Energy Saving Week (20-26 Jan). In case you missed it, we've been sharing tips, ideas and facts on our social media so you can learn more about the hugely positive impact of energy efficiency. We've summarised them below so you can have them all in one place. We hope these simple, easy measures help you feel inspired to reduce your emissions and save money and energy in the process!  From those wanting to save a bit of money on their bills and reduce their carbon footprint, all the way to those at risk of fuel poverty – struggling to heat their homes and pay their bills – we've seen time and time again the sheer power of advice.
Because, the reality is, knowledge is power. Access to the right support can change lives. Without it, many can become trapped – in arrears, in draughty, mouldy, unsuitable homes, sometimes both. Situations which, in turn, can have long-lasting negative effects on mental and physical wellbeing. That's why we wanted to shine a particular spotlight on the incredible work our energy advisor Sobia has done over the phone this year, particularly one customer (let's call her Ms T) who has saved a combined £20,000+ on her bills in this first year alone.  If you've been following us for a while, you'll know that CREW Energy started out in a pub in Wandsworth in 2014. Just a bunch of south west Londoners with a pint and a dream!
Back then, we were a fully volunteer-led community benefit society called Community Renewable Energy Wandsworth. Ten years later, while much of our team is paid for their energy advice, consultancy, project management and more, we're still very much powered by a team of seven volunteer directors: Amy, Armelle, Leonie, Sobia, Steve, Toby and Yunus! This International Volunteer Day, we caught up with Yunus to hear how he got into volunteering with CREW and the value it has brought him over the years.  In winter 2024, energy prices are still 50% higher than pre-crisis levels and people are struggling. The impact of January’s energy price cap means that 6.1 million UK households will be in fuel poverty by early 2025.
This Fuel Poverty Awareness Day, we wanted to take a closer look at what fuel poverty action means to us and how we're helping people in south west London stay warm, safe and healthy in their homes.  Last Friday we had the privilege of attending the Community Energy Awards 2024, hosted at M Shed in the lovely Bristol!
We were very lucky to have been shortlisted for the Fuel Poverty Action Award, which celebrates ‘the remarkable contributions of community energy organisations in addressing the multifaceted challenges of fuel poverty and energy efficiency in England.’  Throughout the winter, our SWLEAP team will be distributing warm homes packs in Wandsworth and Richmond, saving the average home around £200 a year on their energy bills.
The scheme has been funded by Wandsworth and Richmond Councils for the second year running. This year kicked off with launch events held in both boroughs on 30th October and 6th November respectively, where we distributed 198 packs in total to local residents! |
