Savings at Home

Ashford’s Future has helped to save over 40,000 baths of water and enough energy to power 27 homes in a year through an innovative project to encourage more residents to be more energy efficient.

Between March and August 2010, 451 homes in the Kennington and Bybrook districts signed up for a free visit from an energy and water expert, as part of the Savings at Home energy and water efficiency project.

More than 2,000 gadgets and advice, worth around £300 in total, were given to participating residents to help save water, energy and money, including energy monitors, chimney balloons, tap aerators and reflective radiator panels.

Experts also advised on more in depth ways to lower bills, such as installing cavity wall insulation, improving their central heating systems, applying for energy saving grants or repairing leaks.

The work carried out is expected to generate savings of around £75 per household, as well as 189 tonnes of CO₂ and 3,484 m³ of water per year (also equivalent to 12 swimming pools of water or 38 hot air balloons of carbon).

Mother of two Chris Jones, from Kennington, took part in the scheme and saw some big changes in her four-bedroom house.

She said: ““The electricity monitor is a fantastic tool for helping the kids to understand how much electricity they are using, as you can’t normally see electricity.

“We are having fun comparing how much electricity we all use, and my daughter is now timed when she’s got the hair straighteners switched on!

“It was really encouraging to find out that I am already doing well (with energy efficiency), with my low energy light bulbs, insulation and so on.”

The project was run by Ashford’s Future in partnership with Kent County Council, the Environment Agency and Ashford Borough Council, and was being delivered by environmental agency CEN (Creative Environmental Networks).

|It was one of the first projects of its kind in the UK, and it is hoped it can be rolled out across the whole of Ashford in the enar future.

The project’s positive results are expected to make an impact further afield, by showing how a local ‘retrofit’ programmes can reduce carbon emissions in line with Government guidelines and enable carbon neutral growth.

Laurienne Tibbles, Ashford’s Future Sustainability Manager, said: “We are delighted so many people signed up to this free project, and I am sure they will start to see the difference a few very simple efficiency measure have on their energy and water bills.

“Ashford is in a water-stressed area, and the likely future increases in gas and electricity prices might also add to pressure on household budgets.

“The project is a great example of the benefits that Ashford residents can have from growth.  In the long term we will look for the Savings at Home programme to be rolled out to the whole of Ashford, funded by contributions to a local carbon offset fund to reduce carbon emissions and climate change,

“As the town grows, we must ensure that it does so sustainably, and any advice or support we can give to help residents save energy, water, and money will benefit the town and its people long into the future.”