Countdown to Low Carbon Homes aims to develop a model for home energy improvements that can be replicated and rolled out at a local level.

The project builds on the successful Target 2050 project, where Severn Wye worked with homeowners, communities and small businesses in the district of Stroud to improve the energy efficiency of their buildings.

Countdown to Low Carbon Homes expands this model across a wider area, and aims to achieve a number of things.

Firstly, it involves conducting action research with households, local installers and other key players, such as planners, building control officers and conservation officers, suppliers and community groups. This is with the aim of identifying the triggers for and obstacles to, domestic retrofit. We will research when and why households decide to improve the energy performance of their homes; what are the barriers to doing so; and what are the potential solutions.

The project will establish and trial a ‘Revolving Retrofit Guarantee Fund’, which is a financial mechanism to fund domestic energy improvements.

We will also build capacity in the local supply chain by developing our ‘Link to energy’ installer network. Through Link to energy we are supporting local businesses by running regular networking events where installers can share their knowledge and get updates on training opportunities, government legislation and new products.

Partners

In the UK we are working with: Forest of Dean District Council; South Gloucestershire Council, Stroud District Council, and Wiltshire Council.

This project is run in conjunction with two European partners: Power Systems Lab, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (AUTH) and Cyprus Energy Agency (CEA).

This project is funded in the UK by the Sainsbury Family Charitable Trusts and The Technology Strategy Board.