Community Partners Needed for Solid Wall Insulation Project

Fri, 1 June 2012
If you are interested in this opportunity please send an email to Simon Ross: simon@mea.org.ukno later than 5pm Wednesday 6th June 2012.
 
  • Does your community include homes which are using electricity or coal for heating?
  • Would you like to help those in your community on limited incomes to access free solid wall insulation?
  • Would you like to earn some money for your community group?
Marches Energy Agency, the Midlands-based charity which provides the CCAN-e newsletters, is working with British Gas on an exciting new solid wall insulation project. We are looking for a limited number of ‘Community Partners’ (e.g.: local community groups who are focused on climate change/low carbon and/or working with low income groups) from across Nottinghamshire & Derbyshire to help us find eligible households who could get fully funded (free!) solid wall insulation. The eligibility criteria for receiving solid wall insulation are set by the Office of Gas & Electricity Markets (OFGEM) and focus on maximising carbon savings in the ‘hard to treat’ homes of the most vulnerable. The funding comes from the Government’s Carbon Emission Reduction Target (CERT) obligation on the big energy utilities. The funding is only available to owner-occupiers or those renting from private sector landlords. Those living in homes rented from registered social landlords are not eligible for the funding.

British Gas are looking for solid wall homes heated by electricity or coal with at least one member of the household receiving a specific benefit (see eligible list of benefits at the bottom of this email).

We are able to provide support directly to successful ‘community partners’ who want to help us find eligible householders, and we can also cover the cost of local activity which might include targeting solid wall homes with a leaflet mail shot, using local volunteers to contact householders directly,

 running a solid wall insulation coffee morning or attending an existing event
 
We are also able to pay the Community Partners a ‘surveying fee’ (paid when British Gas Home Energy Plan assessors completes a solid wall survey of an eligible home) and an ‘installation fee’ (paid when a solid wall installation is complete).  

As a first step to gauge the level of interest from CCAN members we would like to hear from any potential Community Partners who – in principle – wish to explore next steps. Depending on the level of response and interest we will either arrange a series of briefing sessions with British Gas or contact individual groups directly to answer questions; hear your ideas for finding eligible householders; outline project timescales; the levels of support available for community partners; and the next steps.

If you would like to express in principle interest then please send email to

simon@mea.org.uk no later than 5pm Wednesday 6th June 2012.