Energy efficency week 1998 - Village Survey.

What is Energy efficiency?

Energy Efficiency is not about switching the heating off and feeling cold. Eenergy efficiency is about providing heat and energy where we want it, when we want it and at the right temperature. Once it's there, we should aim not to lose it!

The best thing about energy efficiency is that it can save you money.

For further information on how we could all achieve this, Farndon Residents Environmental Group (F.R.E.G.) established a partnership with Newark and Sherwood Energy Agency.

All Village residents were then offered an opportunity to have their own special plan created to show how they could save money by saving energy in the home .

£50 and many other prizes.

During Energy Efficiency Week, October 1998, members of F.R.E.G. delivered a Home Energy Survey Form to every house in the Village .


People were encouraged to fill in the survey with the incentive of a free prize draw for completed entries. The group also highlighted that the aims of the project were: 
            1. To show people how to save money on their fuel bills . 
            2. Help educate people in how to conserve energy & so help safeguard the environment for the children .

In return for completing the detailed surveys about personal energy usage in their homes, the Villager's were promised a personalised plan for their household, showing how they could save energy and thus save money .

This advice would range from simple tips, costing pennies, up to detailed description on how to effectively gain from larger improvements such as double glazing or cavity wall insulation. The suggestions were to be graded in order of maximum gain achieved for minimum outlay .

Newark and Sherwood Energy Agency also offered the services of their trained staff in the week following the collection of the survey forms. They offered free visits to Village residents (by appointment) to discuss the range of measures a householder can take to conserve energy in the home. Several households took advantage of this offer .

The Agency continues to provide free independent advice and can be contacted on Tel: 01636 863445 .

Progress to date & other energy projects.

Sadly I have to report that the Group's plans were thwarted by the Energy Agency's supplier who failed to process the forms. This was a great disappointment to the group as this was our first major public project and interest in the Village was so strong.

We actually had 20% of the forms returned (double the highest national return rate ever achieved!).

The forms went back to the Energy Agency who eventually processed them using their own facilities. They were returned to Village households nearly 9 months after we completed the survey. The detail analysis promised was lacking but useful hints & tips, along with details of grants were provided .

We are still committed to conservation projects aimed at improving efficient use of natural resources, be they aimed at reducing energy consumption, recycling waste, making better use of materials in modern buildings or finding creative ways to minimise the use of unreplaceable materials .

We have an open mind and are always interested in new ideas to balance all our needs, as individuals living in the Village, with our aim to protect the local environment