Home Energy Saving Forum March 12th 2022

Sustainable Dawlish held The Home Energy Saving Forum at The Strand Centre, Dawlish on March 12th for peopleworried about their Energy Bills to find out what options are available to save energy.
In addition to Sustainable Dawlish's stand which listed differnet ways of saving energy. The following organisations and companies came to give free advice on different aspects of saving energy

  • Exeter Community Energy: Energy saving tips, referral for help with benefits and energy debt Information about grants availability for insulation and boiler upgrades & free energy saving measures advice
  • Devon Community Together: provides a range of support to help people in Devon save energy and money, helping to alleviate fuel poverty, Advice for people on Low Incomes
  • Action on Climate in Teignbridge: Advice on retrofit appliances to save energy
  • SCIS Ltd: Advice on home energy efficiency, with a focus on insulation
  • Target CO2: Energy Saving Upgrades & Grants and no obligation surveys for Homeowners
  • Exe Energy: Energy Assessment Advice and EPCs which indicate a property's energy efficiency. It is a legal requirement to have an EPC when selling or letting a property

We estimated that we had over 60 people drop in for free Energy advice. Among them were some people who were really struggling already - even before April when the energy price cap will go up by 50%. Devon Communities Together who help people in fuel poverty were pleased to have 7 contacts to follow up.. As a result, Exeter Community Energy are going to hold drop in regular free Energy Advice sessions at The Strand Centre in the future. We have had positive feedback from the participants and visitors. Exe Energy felt that there was a good blend of exhibitors who were able to pass on some good advice and information to the attendees, who all seemed to have a genuine interest in saving of energy, costs and COČ emissions

Tara from Exeter Community Energy said ' We made some valuable contacts, formed new partnerships and helped local residents with general energy advice. We will also be doing further work with 5 households, who requested home visits. Their issues varied with one family facing high monthly energy bills from April that they can't afford, and another with a broken boiler and no means to repair or replace it. Events such as this really help us to spread the word about our free energy advice services'
Graham Heals from Exe Energy, an Energy Assessor, found the event 'useful, informative and useful from both a personal and business perspective. It was very well attended for an event of this nature with a good blend of exhibitors who were hopefully able to pass on some good advice and information to the attendees, who all seemed to have a genuine interest in saving of energy, costs and COČ emissions.
Fuad from Action on Climate in Teignbridge, who attended to give advice on Energy Saving Retrofit for older houses, stated that people were genuinely engaged and appreciative of the free energy advice.
Carolyn Ballard, Chairperson of Sustainable Dawlish, would like to thank Councillor Gary Taylor, who supported the event through the Teignbridge Community Fund. Carolyn has contacted Anne Marie Morris M.P. to inform her that the Government should be giving much greater support to enable people to insulate their homes adequately. For many families, just above the low income threshold and who are not on benefits, there is little or no grant support available at present. So, with huge energy bill rises due soon in April and the Autumn, for many households, the winter of 2022 will be a real struggle. As one of the Energy experts at our Forum stated, 'There is a huge crisis waiting to happen'.