One Planet Sutton

10/12/2009 By Sam

In partnership with a range of organisations, including B&Q and BioRegional, Sutton Council have secured funding to trial two different approaches to energy retrofit in Sutton. Hackbridge has been declared one of 10 Low Carbon Zones in London and residents will be offered free basic energy efficiency measures (such as loft insulation, and energy saving lightbulbs) and training in how to save energy in their homes.

The other initiative, called Pay As You Save is borough-wide. Residents will be able to borrow £10,000 to spend on energy efficiency measures (including boiler upgrades and solid wall insulation) and renewable energy technologies (like solar panels to generate electricity of provide hot water). These measures will reduce the running cost of the house and the loan is paid back over a 10-25 year period in-line with the savings made, then once the loan has been paid back the ongoing savings will go straight into the occupier’s pocket!

If you’d like more information on either of these programmes please contact: philippa.ward@bioregional.com or katherine.Hudson@sutton.gov.uk

Library loan to cut energy bills

12/10/2009 By Sam

A handy gadget that allows householders to see how much energy they are using in real time is available to borrow from Sutton Library.

The smart meters will literally allow people to see how much it costs to switch a light bulb on or off and are the perfect aid to cut your household energy bills by showing you where energy is going to waste. They are simple to use and easy to install without professional help.

Many household devices such as TVs and video game consoles use electricity even on ‘standby’ mode while phone chargers and other similar devices also consume electricity if left plugged in. The smart monitors show how much energy is being used, how much it costs and also how much CO2 – a major cause of climate change – is being produced.

Sutton Council has teamed up with the Energy Saving Trust to offer the meters which will be available to borrow from Sutton Library from Thursday 8 October. The meters can be borrowed free of charge for up to a week.

llr Graham Tope, Executive Member for Libraries on Sutton Council said,

“With winter fast approaching more people than ever will be keeping an eye on their energy bills and these new smart meters are a really easy way to get started.

“Little things, like properly turning off the TV or switching the light off in the hallway can drastically reduce the amount of energy we use. Being able to see exactly where every penny goes is a great way to cut down on waste, be kinder to the environment and save money.

“Just pop into Sutton Library, borrow a smart meter, and see how you could start saving straight away.”