Brighton & Hove community groups win government funding

Brighton and Hove residents could be entitled to receive free home energy efficiency assessments after four local community groups won the best part of £250,000 in government funding.

Brighton & Hove 1010, Brighton Energy Co-operative, the Low Carbon Trust and Brighton Peace and Environment Centre were successful in receiving £242,188 from the Government’s Local Energy Assessment Fund (LEAF).

The grant will be used to carry out free, energy efficiency surveys in 175 homes in Hanover, Hollingdean and Portslade, and in community centres across the city.

Tom Chute, project manager for Brighton & Hove 1010, said: “This is fantastic news for Brighton & Hove residents. With energy bills increasing every year, it’s vital that we help residents stop wasting energy and make their homes warmer and more comfortable to live in. LEAF helps us start this process.”

The residents who receive the free assessment will get a report advising them on which energy efficiency measures would be suitable for their homes.

The council’s cabinet member for Environment and Sustainability, Cllr Pete West said: “We’re very pleased to see the LEAF funding being awarded to support these local groups. We recognise all the hard work they have been doing in the city to promote energy efficiency and carbon reduction, and this funding provides a great opportunity to work together and make a real difference for our residents.”

Mischa Hewitt, Low Carbon Trust’s project manager, added: “The project will make a real difference to the city by making 19th century housing fit for purpose in the 21st century. The housing in Brighton and Hove is some of the oldest and coldest in the country, and this is a great opportunity to improve it.”

The Department of Energy and Climate Change’s £10 million Local Energy Assessment Fund was set up to help community groups understand their energy issues locally.

Simon Kirby, MP for Brighton Kemptown, welcomed the announcement and said: “I am pleased these local community groups which cover Brighton Kemptown and Peacehaven, have seized the opportunity to receive funding for a community energy or an energy efficiency feasibility study. This will enable them to take responsibility and identify the opportunities to make energy work better for them.”

Related Posts:

• No Related Posts

Posted by Joseph Lewis on February 20, 2012. Filed under Brighton Environment News,Latest News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry