Free home energy event to help residents reduce energy bills

Chichester District Council is running a special event for district homeowners looking to make their homes more energy efficient and find out more about renewable energy.

Taking inspiration from the COP26 global summit on climate change and in line with the council's commitment to helping to reduce carbon emissions in the district, this free event will show residents how they can do more to reduce their carbon footprint and save money by implementing energy efficiency and renewable energy measures in the home.

A range of home energy experts will present on the different measures and renewable technologies available, as well as various grants and schemes that can help make these more affordable. The speakers will also discuss ways in which people can make their homes more energy efficient which can help them save money on their energy bills. After hearing from the experts, people will be given the opportunity to speak to them directly and ask questions.

Independent expert, Paul Ciniglio, Refurbishment Lead at the National Energy Foundation, a not-for-profit charity, will be the main speaker at the event. Paul has decades of experience with whole house retrofits, installing heat pumps and other technologies in the home. More speakers will be announced nearer the time.

"We know that many of our residents and businesses will be feeling inspired by COP26 to make changes to their lifestyles — big or small — and the home is a great place to start," says Councillor Penny Plant, Cabinet Member for Environment and Chichester Contract Services at Chichester District Council. "If you'd like to cut carbon in your home and have questions about solar panels, air source heat pumps, insulation or other energy efficiency options, I would encourage you to come along to this event to find out more.

"The event will bring together a range of experts who will cover the most talked about technologies of the moment and will give advice on the range of grants available to help implement these."

The event, 'Cut costs, cut carbon from your home', will be held in the conference hall at Chichester College on Monday 29 November from 2pm until 4.15pm. It is free to attend but tickets must be booked in advance.

Seating will be spaced further apart than normal to aid social distancing, and attendees will be asked to wear face coverings when moving around the building.

People are encouraged to travel to the event by low carbon means where they can — Chichester College is a five minute walk from Chichester train and bus stations, and there are also bike racks on campus. Anyone intending to park on the college campus must submit their vehicle registration details by 4pm on 26 November. Instructions on how to do this are given on the Eventbrite web page.

Penny adds: "This event is part of a behavioural change campaign to let residents know about the various ways they can make their homes more energy efficient— some of these steps are small and simple, but when we all act together, they make a big difference. Some changes people can make include: making sure radiators aren't covered or blocked by furniture so that heat can get into the room; draught proofing letterboxes, keyholes and chimneys; insulating the loft, walls and flooring, as well as hot water tanks and pipes; switching off lights and electrical goods when not in use, and; running the washing machine with full loads at 30 degrees on short cycles.

"This is one of the many actions we are taking to help tackle climate change in our area. Last year, the council produced a Climate Emergency Action Plan, which sets out a carbon reduction target of 10% year-on-year until 2025 for the Chichester District. This target was set for both the council and for the whole of the district. This plan also outlines our commitment to reducing greenhouse gases in the work that we do, and great progress has already been made."