You are invited to:

Find out how to save energy & money in your own home

A presentation by Russell Smith of Parity Projects

8pm Wednesday 7th April,

Ralli Room, Ashtead Peace Memorial Hall

No entry fee. Tea/coffee and cakes available

With 27% of all energy in the UK consumed in domestic housing and 85% of our existing housing stock set to still be with us in 2050, we all need to act now to reduce our carbon footprint, and reduce our energy bills.

Russell’s company Parity Projects offers the full range of services required to reduce the energy use and the environmental impact of existing buildings. He won the DIY category in the Observer Ethical Awards 2008. He also won Building Magazine’s 2007 Award for Sustainable Refurbishment.

The Observer Award judges said: “Russell and his company Parity Projects stood out from all the other nominations for their new way of engaging with the public, giving them the tools to reduce their house’s carbon footprint in an innovative and inspiring way.”

In addition to the presentation there will be:

A display and demo of domestic power monitors

A display and demo of thermal draught detector

Displays of energy saving products

Advice on government grants and the new feed-in tariffs

Information about domestic combined heat and power units (soon to be introduced in UK)

Hope you can make it!

We plan to have three public events – the first on 7 April to initiate interest, the second in June as a main event to have speakers and workshop/exhibitions on relevant locally available technology.  The third event is to have a speaker and equipment display on home renewable energy options.

On top of the public events we intend to do the following.

• Set up a library of locally available energy efficiency equipment – some to show and some to loan e.g. draught meters, LED and low energy light bulbs, power meters so people can see and try them out.
• Get a small number of people trained in (a) draught proofing methodologies so they can train others to create a pool of people who can do this and (b) advising people on the grants available for domestic carbon reduction work and if necessary helping people complete the grant application forms.   We plan to carry this out as part of the Ashtead churches Act10n initiative in 8-12 July, and so the main beneficiaries should be needy and vulnerable people.

• Research local suppliers of energy efficiency and renewable energy suppliers and identify those with real expertise and good reputations and create a preferred supplier list or get them added to the approved trade lists such as Checkatrade.

All this will need money and so we applied to Surrey County Council’s new Climate Change Fund for the money we think we’ll need.  I’m pleased to say that we’ve been successful and so we should now have the money to do all we want this year.

Derek Smith

Derek Smith

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HOW TO SAVE ENERGY & MONEY IN YOUR OWN HOME

 Are you worried about next winter’s heating bills?  Transition Ashtead is holding a meeting at the Peace Memorial Hall on Wednesday 7 April which will give you advice and ideas on how to save energy and reduce your bills.  Derek Smith from Transition Ashtead says “With 27% of all energy in the UK consumed in domestic housing and 85% of our existing housing stock set to still be with us in 2050, we all need to act now to reduce our carbon footprint, and reduce our energy bills.  Our meeting starts at 8 pm with a presentation by Russell Smith who will explain how this can be done.   His company Parity Projects offers the full range of services required to reduce the environmental impact of existing buildings and won the DIY category in the Observer Ethical Awards 2008.  He also won Building Magazine’s 2007 Award for Sustainable Refurbishment.  The Observer Award judges said: “Russell and his company Parity Projects stood out from all the other nominations for their new way of engaging with the public, giving them the tools to reduce their house’s carbon footprint in an innovative and inspiring way.”

So come and find out how to green your house from a recognised expert.

After a break for tea and cakes, people will have the opportunity to ask Russell questions or look at:

• Demonstration of domestic power monitors
• Demonstration of thermal draught detector
• Display of energy saving products available locally
• Advice on government grants and the new feed-in tariffs
• Information on domestic combined heat and power units.

 The meeting starts at 8 pm.  For more information, ring Derek on 01372-378914 or visit the Transition Ashtead website at http://transitionashtead.org.uk/.

• Share success and failures.  We could encourage people to put their own energy projects on our website and maybe have open days in their homes.  (We have already had an offer to view a local ground source heat pump installation.)
• Bulk buy insulation materials
• Advise on good local suppliers and contractors
• Help people to use the grants available
• Encourage people to measure their personal carbon footprint

If you’d like to get involved in the group or want to know more, we’d love to hear from you.  You can either email us using the ‘Contact Us’ link on the Transition Ashtead home page or give me a ring on 01372-378914.

Derek Smith