Eco-Homes Open Days
Project Summary
Five private homes in Chesterfield were opened to the public over a weekend to display a variety of energy/water efficiency retrofits. Tours of the Town Hall, particularly the rooftop solar photovoltaic panels, were also included.
Transition Chesterfield is a non-profit voluntary organisation, working to prepare the community for peak oil and climate change. The idea for this project came from Climate Outreach and Information Network, who organised a similar event in Oxfordshire in 2007 and 2008. We worked under the umbrella of Heritage Open Days, a national organisation, who provide publicity and insurance coverage as well as practical advice. They set the dates (12-13 September, 2009).
We found the houses simply by asking our membership base. The homes were typical of Chesterfield, ranging from an 1890s end-terrace to a 1950s 3-bedroom detached house. Renovations ranged from rainwater collection through solar panels to a strawbale extension and a shed made entirely of reclaimed materials. Each homeowner prepared a short summary and more detailed information (in one case, a complete list of all service and material providers used in the renovation), which is on our
website:
Homeowners also chose which parts of the weekend they would be open, and prepared interpretive materials. Transition prepared a simple leaflet (A4, double-sided, single fold, full colour, on our website) and distributed it through various channels. We also took out an ad in the Derbyshire Times and appeared on several radio stations. Our homes were featured on the front page of the Derbyshire Times property supplement.
Our costs came to £232.64, most of which was advertising, and we received funding from Chesterfield Borough Council and the Energy Saving Trust. The Council also printed our flyer and other materials for us.
On the days, volunteers helped out at most of the houses, so that the homeowners weren’t overwhelmed. Seventy-nine people (or families) signed our visitor books, 43 of whom only visited (or signed the book at) one property. Fifteen visited two properties, 13 visited 3, 6 visited 4, and 2 visited all five, for a total of 146 property visits recorded. Our impression was that this was close to maximum, and some of the houses would not have had the capacity for more visits.
From comments in the visitors books or received on the day, many of the visitors were inspired to undertake eco-renovations of their own properties (or in some cases, modifications of planned new-builds), or at least to research the options more thoroughly. Much of the information shared was of a very practical nature, and the experience of seeing something real and talking to someone who has paid for it, lives with it, and in some cases designed it, is much different from reading about it in general terms in a book. We provide links on our website to the Energy Saving Trust, South Yorkshire Energy Centre, Ecovation and the Sustainable Energy Academy, for people wishing to find out more.
We complemented this project up with two visits from Nick Parsons of the South Yorkshire Energy Centre. In August, he conducted ‘public’ eco-audits of two typical houses, i.e. a small number of members could follow along and ask questions as he went through the house. Details are on our website: http://www.transitionchesterfield.org.uk/content/eco-audit-tours
His reports are also on the website: http://www.transitionchesterfield.org.uk/content/energy-audits
After the Open Days, Nick Parsons visited again, to do five short eco-audits in one day at a reduced rate. These reports will hopefully be published soon.
We regard the event as a success and are planning to run another Open Days in 2010.
Further information:
Bill Leverett, telephone 01246 239289
www.transitionchesterfield.org.uk
hello@transitionchesterfield.org.uk
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