2010 has seen us make energy efficiency more accessible on the high street. We’ve worked with Homebase to introduce the Eco Home in its stores. The 3D interactive display is intended to allow home-owners to visualise how different measures could work in their own home. There’s a strong focus on loft insulation, cavity wall insulation and solar panels as these measures offer a huge potential in reducing householders energy consumption. We also provide a wealth of energy-saving hints and tips as we acknowledge the significant part that education and knowledge-sharing has in reducing consumers’ bills and carbon footprints. Homebase also provided and delivered 1,500 rolls of loft insulation to 65 homes on the remote island of Westray. Without our help, the residents would have had to make a 200 mile round trip to their nearest DIY store. It is expected that the loft insulation will save the householders around £7,131 between them on their energy bills and about 49 tonnes of CO₂ each year.

We’ve also supported small independent retailers in offering affordable energy saving lighting on the high street by teaming up with the Lighting Association to form the Energy Efficient Light Scheme (EELS). This has given around 600 local businesses across the UK access to high-quality and innovative energy saving light bulbs at highly competitive prices and improved the availability of energy saving lighting in local communities.

2010 saw us develop and deliver ‘whole house’ solutions to a considerable number of the hardest to treat properties in the UK. Through the Community Energy Savings Programme (CESP), we’ve concentrated resources on providing tailor-made energy efficiency packages to meet the needs of some of the most deprived communities in Britain. We worked with local authorities and registered social landlords across the North West, the East and West Midlands, and the South East to improve housing conditions for vulnerable householders, and 2011 will see a roll-out to further areas across the country. Some homes have been completely renovated, with the installation of external solid wall insulation, loft insulation, double glazing, A-rated boilers and new heating controls. This should see real long term benefits in improving quality of life, reducing expenditure on energy, and delivering substantial carbon savings.

In 2010, our Community Reward programme helped local people across the country reduce their energy consumption. The programme has seen us work in unison with a number of key local stakeholders who are well known and trusted in their community. In January 2010 we re-launched one of the programmes offering free and highly subsidised loft and cavity wall insulation to communities in the area. By working alongside county councils, the local Energy Action Groups, and 10 local authorities, we’ve installed insulation measures in over 4,000 homes, helping the residents to save energy and reduce their carbon footprint.

Throughout 2010 we continued to install HeatPlants (our ground source heat pump) for vulnerable customers who were previously using coal and inefficient electrical heating systems to heat their homes. The HeatPlant works by extracting solar energy which is naturally stored in the ground and increases its temperature so it’s at the correct level to heat a home. This allows the householder to heat their property in a far more cost effective and environmentally friendly way. The HeatPlant plays an important role in reducing household expenditure on energy and alleviating fuel poverty, and it is expected to save around £669 per year on the cost of heating and hot water.