Exploring Sustainable Solutions: Insights from the 'Sustainable You' Event

On 4 June 2024, CREW partnered on an event entitled 'Sustainable You', hosted by Climate Action Wandsworth at St Andrew’s Church in Earlsfield, attended by 46 local residents.

The event provided a platform for attendees to hear from people in the community (like us), ask questions, share their views and engage in meaningful discussions regarding home retrofit and other sustainable measures. Participants were invited to share their thoughts on four key areas: barriers to retrofitting, community energy group support suggestions, areas of interest in sustainable actions, and ideas for a local climate hub. 

Lily from Climate Action Wandsworth kindly summarised the event and our findings in the blog below. Have a read and let us know if you have any thoughts to add!

Question 1: Barriers to Retrofit
Among the responses to this question, three main themes prevailed:

• Suitability of Homes: 37.5% of responses were concerned about the suitability of their homes for home retrofit, with challenges such as planning permission issues, limitations for tenants, and disruption during installation.
• Cost Concerns: Cost emerged as a significant barrier, particularly the payback period of a fabric-first approach. Conversely, more affordable and small-scale changes were met with more positive feedback
• Overwhelming information: A recurring sentiment was the overwhelming nature of retrofit information, with some attendees explicitly stating “Where to start?”.

Figure 1. Pie chart to show distribution of responses to Question 1: What are your barriers to retrofit? (Percentages based on 12 responses)

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Question 2: Community Group Support

• Need for Information and Education: Most attendees emphasised the need for more information and education. Making this information accessible and easy to understand can attract a broader audience, including those less familiar with sustainability measures.
• Interactive Community Events: The positive feedback on the interactive format of the event suggests that similar community-based events could be highly effective in the future. Such engagements not only inform but also foster a sense of community involvement.
• Personalised Home Visits: There was a notable interest in personalised home visits, providing tailored advice on retrofitting. Although more time-consuming, this approach could significantly boost satisfaction and lead to more recommendations.
• Tangible Examples: Using tangible examples to explain complex retrofit technologies can help residents better understand and visualise these measures in their homes.
• Collective Purchasing Schemes: Some attendees expressed interest in collective purchasing facilitated by community groups, making retrofitting more affordable and feasible through shared resources and support.​

Figure 2. Pie chart to show distribution of responses to Question 2: How could a local community group offer support with home retrofit? (Percentages based on 9 responses)

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​Question 3: Areas of Interest

• New Technologies: Nearly 31% of respondents were intrigued by new technologies introduced during the event. This suggests that a monthly newsletter featuring the latest developments in retrofit measures could maintain and grow this interest.
• Affordable Measures: Many attendees were interested in affordable retrofitting options, indicating a need to highlight cost-effective measures that can still significantly impact carbon emissions and energy bills.
• Innovative Heating Solutions: The concept of “heat the person, not the room” garnered interest, with discussions around heated blankets, infrared panels, and similar measures. Further information on these innovative solutions could be beneficial.
• Heat Zoning: Heat zoning was another area of interest, with several attendees having follow-up questions during the Q&A session. Providing more detailed information on this topic could attract more interest in these technologies.

Figure 3. Pie chart to show distribution of responses to Question 3: From tonight’s presentation, which areas of home retrofit have spoken to you? (Percentages based on 11 responses)

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Question 4: Ideas for a local Climate Hub

• Information and Community Bond: The idea of a local climate hub received enthusiastic support, with 13 suggestions emphasising the need for a space dedicated to providing detailed, accessible information and fostering community bonds.
• Specialist Advice and Local Services: A climate hub could offer specialist retrofit advice in a friendly, local setting and provide links to other sustainability services, supporting the community's journey toward more sustainable living.
• Collective Purchase Schemes: The hub could also facilitate collective purchase schemes, a recurring interest among attendees, making sustainable measures more affordable through shared community resources​

Figure 4: Pie chart to show distribution of responses to Question 4: If there was a climate hub in your local community, what services would you like it to offer? (Percentages based on 13 responses)

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​The Sustainable You event provided valuable insights into the barriers and interests surrounding home retrofitting. Key barriers included home suitability, costs, and overwhelming information. Addressing these by raising awareness, simplifying information, and promoting cost-effective options can enhance engagement and adoption. The positive feedback on community-based events and personalised support underscores the importance of interactive and tailored approaches. The strong interest in a local climate hub suggests that such a space could effectively support sustainable actions, offer specialist advice, and facilitate collective purchasing, fostering a more informed and connected community.

By leveraging these insights, community energy groups like ours can better support residents in their retrofit journey, ultimately contributing to a greener approach to energy.