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In this issue:
Free support to help you save energy and stay warm at home
Sustainable Warmth Funding - apply before 31 Dec
Energy efficiency advice from a resident who reduced her consumption by 80%
Neighbourhoods get wilder with Wilderhood Watch
Giving more sustainable Christmas gifts
Preparing for the changes ahead
News Bites
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Free support to help you save energy and stay warm at home
 St Albans Home Energy Support Service, is now available to all households in the District regardless of your income or tenure. The service, which is provided in partnership with 'Better Housing Better Health', can provide you with:
- Information on grants and funds for home energy efficiency
- Checks to make sure you are receiving all the support from your energy supplier that you are entitled to
- Advice on switching suppliers to get the best deal
- Detailed advice on how to save energy at home
- Referrals to other organisations or contractors who may be able to help you with specific energy efficiency or energy debt problems
- Detailed home energy assessments
We want to make it as easy as possible for you to get the help and advice you need.
If you know someone vulnerable who may be struggling to pay their energy bills or having difficulty living in a cold home, do please share the contact details.
Tel: 0800 107 0044 (weekdays 9am-5pm)
Email: bhbh@nef.org.uk
Website: www.bhbh.org.uk
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Sustainable Warmth Funding - apply before 31st Dec |
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 The Sustainable Warmth Fund closes to new applicants on 31st December 2022 so do not delay applying if you think you might be eligible.
You could receive up to £25,000 (if your home is off-gas) or £10,000 (if your home is on mains gas) worth of energy efficiency home improvements ready for next winter - at no cost to you. Improvements might include:
- Insulation to keep your home warm and help cut energy bills
- A new low-carbon heating system such as an air-source heat pump
- Heating controls or an energy-efficient hot water solution helping you to only use heat when you need to
- Solar PV to generate a proportion of free electricity
- Energy-efficient lighting which is cheaper to run
A survey of your home will identify which improvements will provide the greatest benefits. You will then be offered the best solutions for your home that fit the scheme criteria.
To be eligible, your household must a) have a combined annual income of less than £30,000 AND b) your home must have a low energy efficiency rating of EPC E, F or G (you will be helped with this part of the eligibility process during your application).
We are particularly keen to hear from households heated by alternative fuels such as oil heating or electric only heaters.
The works will take several months but will help you prepare for next winter when you can look forward to reduced energy bills and a warmer home.
The scheme referral closes on 31 December 2022, so do not delay to register.
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Energy Efficiency tips from a local resident who reduced her consumption by 80% |
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Judith Leary-Joyce, an author and St Albans resident, has compiled a free booklet outlining the steps you can take to improve your energy efficiency in your home. Her booklet, entitled 'Stay Warm for Less', provides low cost ideas for reducing energy wastage, as well as setting out what you need to think about (e.g. maintaining ventilation) when setting out to make your home more efficient.
While Judith makes no claim to be an energy-efficiency professional, she has gained a wealth of expertise from transforming her St Albans Victorian terrace house into an eco-home. She successfully reduced her home's energy consumption by 80%. When researching how to refurbish her home, Judith found there was little guidance available to help homeowners understand the options in simple terms. This led her to write her book titled 'Beginners Guide to Eco-Renovation' which can be purchased on Amazon.
For those who are not yet ready to undertake full scale renovation works, she wanted to share information on how we can all make simple changes at home to save energy, reduce our environmental impacts and reduce our bills.
Judith will also be speaking at the Sustainable St Albans event, 'How to reduce your energy use – from quick fixes to eco-renovation', on 9 January 2023, 7:30 to 9:30pm, at the The Pullman Room, Harpenden Arms, if you would like to hear more about her experiences.
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Neighbourhoods Get Wilder with Wilderhood Watch |
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It's amazing what a difference we can make when we come together to tackle local issues. This is exactly what happened when a group of 70 neighbours on Lancaster Road and Gurney Court Road united to try to keep the mature trees along the railway line that backed onto many of their gardens from being removed. After successfully getting agreement from Network Rail to retain the trees, a movement was started. Across the District, other streets started coming together to make improvements for the local environment.
This local movement is called Wilderhood Watch.
Under the banner of Wilderhood Watch, neighbours have come together to improve their gardens for pollinators, hedgehogs, bees, bats, toads and swifts. We have even had swift boxes installed at the Council Offices as a result of this work. Wilderhood Watch groups are sharing ideas on how to create wildlife friendly gardens, sharing seeds, creating meadows and also building friendships.
It's not just about nature either. There are streets coming together to recycle more. For example on Burnham Road, neighbours each collect recyclables on behalf of other neighbours and take them to a local recycling facility. The residents now recycle their stationary, crisp packets, foil food pouches, medicine blister packs, razor blades, water filters, batteries, dental items, beauty products, tetra paks, smartphones, soft plastics, clothes, foil balloons and banners.
It's really easy to get involved. Resources are available to help you get started on the Wilderhood Watch website below and you can start with just one or two neighbours!
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Choosing more Sustainable Christmas Gifts |
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 As we all start preparing for the holiday season, remember that the combined impact of all our celebrations and gift giving, is an extra 29,000 tonnes of waste produced in the UK.
Here are some ways that WasteAware Herts suggest we can each reduce our impact so that we spoil our loved ones and not the planet:
- Talk to your family or friends about a Secret Santa between you, or ask everyone to offer a list so you know the gifts will be enjoyed.
- Not sure what to buy? To avoid buying gifts that no-one will use, check - Do they want it? Do they need it? Will they wear it or will they read it? Will it be going to good use.
- Choose a subscription for magazines or books. These can be paper copies or e-vouchers - for example for Audible or Kindle.
- With so many independent providers struggling after the pandemic, you could really make a difference by buying locally.
- Buy an experience instead of an item - for example afternoon tea, escape rooms, theatre tickets, spa pampering, or a day out. See websites like Groupon or Red Letter Days.
- Make your own gifts and gift bags. See Pinterest for hundreds of ideas.
- Not crafty? Try to buy upcycled presents, handmade items or gifts containing recycled content instead.
- Agree with your loved ones that you will give and accept second-hand items.
- Looking at toys for children? Consider wooden toys as they are more durable than plastic.
- Include a gift receipt so a gift can be exchanged without causing offence.
The Sustainable St Albans website also has lots of hints and tips for a greener holiday season.
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Preparing for the changes ahead |
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Climate change is happening now around the world leading to catastrophic crop failure, flooding, storms, drought, and more. There are currently 20 million people in Pakistan reliant on aid following the devastating floods. A further 150 million people in Africa are on the verge of famine.
As governments continue to negotiate on how to reduce emissions sufficiently to prevent the most destructive impacts happening, we still need to consider what we do now to ensure we are resilient to climatic changes. Even if we halted all use of petrol, oil, gas and coal tomorrow, the greenhouse gases we have already released to the atmosphere have a long lifespan and will continue to warm for many years to come. In some cases, thousands of years.
In Hertfordshire, we are projected to experience:
- Warmer winters
- Hotter, drier summers with greater potential for heatwaves and drought
- Increased humidity
- Wetter winters with greater potential for extreme rainfall events and flooding
- More intense storms
As a Council we are already thinking ahead and taking action now to prepare for these changes where viable to do so. We have committed to:
- Planting more trees in public areas to provide shade and cooling
- Installing grey water harvesting and sustainable urban drainage to new developments and housing refurbishments to improve water efficiency and drainage where possible
- Reducing grass cutting schedules to retain moisture in the ground
- Restricting planning permission for new developments in locations at risk of flooding
There are small things you can also do. Insulating your home is a good start as this will keep your home cool in summer and warm in winter. When weather warnings occur, make sure that fences, garden or any peripheral equipment is secured, and check to see drainage channels are clear around your home. If your home is at risk of flooding it could be useful to keep flood protection, such as sand bags, to hand.
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More electric vehicle charging infrastructure in the District
As more people opt to drive electric vehicles, we have been busy installing electric charging points to meet the demand.
While Hertfordshire County Council is responsible for the on-street electric charge points generally, in 2021/2022 the District Council installed 16 EV charging spaces on our land. By the end of 2022/23 we will have installed a further 14 spaces and replaced the older charging units on Bowers Way and Charter Close (4 spaces). We will also install 21 EV charging spaces in new Council developments.
Would your organisation, group or business like to learn more about Climate Change?
 Climate Champion volunteers have been recruited from across the community to help raise awareness about the climate emergency and practical action that can make a big difference to our carbon footprints. This could be an informal lunchtime discussion to engage employees, or an evening presentation to your club or society, from specific topics to general awareness-raising.
For more information about booking a Climate Champion for your event, or to find out how to become a climate champion, please contact info@sustainablestalbans.org
Did you know you can borrow a smart meter from your local library?
You can also borrow a Thermal Imaging Camera from Sustainable St Albans.
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Improving efficiency of Council Housing and preparing for Net Zero
The Council is currently undertaking major improvement works to 130 Council properties using funds awarded through the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund.
We are taking a fabric-first approach to maximise the property’s suitability for low carbon heating either now or in the future when it becomes more cost-effective.
Our target is to lift the Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) ratings to at least C by installing cavity wall insulation, solid wall insulation, loft insulation, window and door replacement and renewable energy systems such as solar panels.
This is a continuing programme and we have also bid for additional government funding from the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund. If successful the funding will allow us to improve a further 900 Council homes over a two-year period.
Bright ideas to save money
 LED lights are the most efficient way to light your home. Upgrading your lighting to LED could save an average household £40 per year on your bills.
Just by replacing the lighting in the display cabinets at Verulamium Museum, we expect to save around £1000 per year.
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Wishing you a happy and peaceful festive season |
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This newsletter is brought to you by the Sustainability team
at St Albans City and District Council.
For inquiries or comments, please contact sustainability@stalbans.gov.uk |
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