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My Home Made Better

gillhickman2024

There are few of us who live in brand-new homes so we were pleased to welcome Bea Udale-Smith from The Environment Centre (tEC) to explain their new retrofit project.


The Centre is setting up a retrofit advice hub supporting Hampshire residents to retrofit their properties, save money and make their homes warmer and greener.


tEC aims to engage with people directly in their communities and offer to support households in retrofitting their homes. They hope to shift awareness and build confidence and expertise with the 100,000 people they hope to engage during the project.


How it will work

  • A Central Hub

  • Qualified advisors

  • Energy champion network

  • A council network

  • Referrals and signposting


Our talk from Bea was delivered approximately one month from the project launch. Bea explained that there is already a central hub with free phone, website and digital resources.


There are 30 retrofit advisors at tEC, all level three qualified in giving retrofit advice. They are pleased to have begun work with local groups such as NFFOE or those in greening campaigns. A network of energy champions will be formed to share their energy experiences. It’s hoped that people can offer their own account of retrofitting.


There will be free training by the team for energy champions who will join a countywide network of people working in the field. They will have access to resources and guides.

Via a referral pathway, householders will get free independent advice which will springboard them to obtaining the correct advice from the right installers.


An energy directory of trusted qualified installers will be set up.


Hampshire’s behavioural insight team has shaped the approach. Their research suggested that retrofit advice may be best framed in the context of adding assets or value to the home. Too many people increasing the value of their property is as important as their reduction in energy bills and increase in comfort.


Targets are ambitious:

  • Contact with 100,000 people.

  • 9,620 households provided with retrofit advice.

  • 100 energy champions recruited and trained.

  • 2,030 households to have installed at least two retrofit measures in the next year. This will mean 3,634,135 kg/yr of carbon savings as a result of installations.


How New Forest Friends of the Earth can help

  • Share the news of the new service: advice provision will start at the beginning of February. At this stage it will be through the phone. The website and digital hub will be launched in March/April. To express interest in the new Retrofit Advice Hub: https://eu-submit.jotform.com/24308270448035

  • Become an official supporter: Those present at the meeting immediately agreed to do so.

  • Ask people to contact tEC if they have queries about their home, or if they have specific expertise that can be shared.


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