News
Visit a Compost Loo This Spring!
Wed, 22 April 2015You're invited to visit eight eco homes and buildings in whose owners are throwing opening their doors to the public this May as part of the third Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire Eco Open Homes event.
Solid wall insulation, solar panels, draught proofing, wind turbines and even compost toilets will all be on display. If you’ve ever wondered how well these things work in real homes (or if the loo smells or not!) and if they’re worth installing, come and have an honest chat with householders about what it’s like to live in their home and their experiences (both good and bad) of installing these measures.
Visitors in previous years have left inspired to change their own homes – with most intending to do something they’ve seen to their own homes. One of last year’s visitors said: ‘It was really useful to see a house where the owners had the confidence to make these improvements.’
Caroline Harmon, of Marches Energy Agency, said: ‘Rising energy bills are affecting everyone and there’s a pressing environmental need to reduce our energy use and get energy from renewable sources. This event is an opportunity to see real solutions in real homes, done on a range of budgets, and talk to the people who live there. Last year, more than 300 people visited a home in Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire. Why not come and get inspired this year?’
Briefly, the homes and buildings are:
- The house on Malthouse Lane, nr Belper has a condensing boiler, solar panels, LED lighting and more. Open 9th & 10th May.
- Hillside Farm near Wirksworth has a range of renewables: solar photovoltaics, a 5kW wind turbine, wood burning stoves and a ground source heat pump. It also features a sunpipe, high performance double glazing and underfloor heating. Open 9th May.
- Hockerton Housing Project is a development of five earth sheltered homes built with high thermal mass and high levels of insulation to avoid the need for heating systems. There are solar panels, wind turbines, food growing, water harvesting and recycled waste materials have been used during construction. Open 9th May. There is a charge for some to visit this home and pre-booking is essential: http://bit.ly/1cPuhJ5.
- The house on Elm Avenue in Beeston has internal solid wall insulation, solar panels, and rainwater harvesting for the toilets. Lower cost measures include blackout blinds and self-closing doors to keep heat in. Open 10th May. Pre-booking is essential: http://bit.ly/1FNULrm
- Torrs Hydro in New Mills is a community-owned hydro-electric plant. Open 16th & 17th May for tours.
- Bamford Quaker Community in the Hope Valley has internal solid wall insulation on stone walls, a replacement boiler and a composting toilet. Open 23rd & 24th May.
- Thornhill Eco House in the Hope Valley is a purpose built eco home with grey water recycling, recycled slates, a south-facing conservatory and both solar photovoltaics and solar thermal panels. Open 23rd & 24th May and throughout the month by appointment.
- Derbyshire Eco Centre is a purpose built education centre. Features local stone, a living green roof, rainwater harvesting, an air source heat pump and solar panels. Open 26th-31st May.
More details on all the homes are on our website: www.everybodys-talking.org/ecohomes
Derbyshire & Nottinghamshire Homes Sought For Eco Home Open Event
Wed, 1 April 2015Derbyshire & Nottinghamshire residents who have reduced their energy bills, insulated their home, put solar panels on the roof or even built their own eco home, are being invited to open their doors to inspire others this spring as part of the third annual Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire Eco Open Homes event.
Marches Energy Agency, a local charity, is looking for householders who have made a variety of energy efficiency and environmental improvements and would like to open their homes for a few hours, or a whole day, during May 2015.
More than 300 people visited homes in 2014
The event is an opportunity to inspire others to make their homes warmer, cheaper to heat and better for the environment by showing them what you’ve done – be it simple draught proofing, a highly efficient boiler, rainwater harvesting, or generating your own renewable energy. There’s no need to be an expert or to have opened you home before as Marches is offering support to those taking part.
Caroline Harmon of Marches Energy Agency, organisers of the event, said: ‘Last year, 325 people visited homes and buildings around the two counties. We’re lucky to have lots of energy efficient, eco homes in the area and this year we’d like to help even more of them open their doors to the public. We’re offering training and help with publicity to all homes taking part.’
If you would like to take part contact Caroline Harmon on 07748 508704 or caroline.harmon@mea.org.uk.
Details of houses which are open, and when, will be listed on the event’s website: www.everybodys-talking.org/ecohomes
The event is being funded by the Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire Local Authority Energy Partnership and a Green Open Homes Grant from the Centre for Sustainable Energy.
Mapping of non – gas households in England and Wales
Thu, 26 March 2015Many households in England and Wales are not on the gas network. The Government’s recent fuel poverty strategy indicated a need for better information to target fuel poverty programs especially for those not on the gas network. The test map indicates the spread of non gas households in England and Wales.
Check out how many household’s in your area are ‘off gas’: http://bit.ly/1DYbEBH
My Home Energy Planner Survey & Prize Dra
Thu, 26 March 2015My Home Energy Planner will be an online tool to help householders to understand their current energy usage and decide which energy efficiency improvements suit their home best. The tool is currently being developed and householders are invited to complete a short survey (www.svy.mk/1FFC8sc) that features a prize draw for one of 12 OWL micro energy monitors.
Find out more about My Home Energy Planner: www.urbed.coop/projects/my-home-energy-planner
Consulation on Derbyshire Solar Farms
Wed, 25 March 2015Derbyshire County Council are asking local residents for their views on proposals to build solar farms at several county council sites. The council has identified six locations in the North East and Amber Valley areas, for the project.
The proposals are to set up a series of ground-mounted solar photovoltaic (PV) sites - better known as solar farms - on council-owned land which is currently underused. This includes former colliery or underused agricultural land unsuitable for growing crops.
The consultation is running until 20th March 2015 and can be accessed online: www.derbyshire.gov.uk/solarfarms
The council are also holding some 'Solar Farm Drop In Sessions' to find out what people think about the plans. Forthcoming dates are:
- Killamarsh Sports Centre, Stanley Street, Killamarsh, Friday 27 March 2015, 1pm to 3pm - Westthorpe Hills, former Westthorpe Colliery site
- Swanwick Methodist Church, Community Room, Derby Road, Swanwick, Tuesday 31 March 2015, 1pm to 3pm − former Swanwick Colliery reclamation land
- St James' Church, Church Lane, Temple Normanton, Monday 13 April 2015, 1pm to 3pm - agricultural land at Mansfield Road, Temple Normanton