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New guide shows how to reduce fuel poverty and carbon emissions at local level
Targeting Fuel Poverty highlights how local authorities can develop and use local domestic housing energy management databases to target resources more effectively to households most in need of help to improve energy efficiency.
Using the database to target resources has led to an improvement of 86% in the average energy performance rating of housing in East Durham between 1997 and 2009, reduced carbon emissions by 162,183 tonnes and improved take-up of energy efficiency measures by householders by 40%. It also helped Durham lever in £6.75 million external energy efficiency funding in 2009/10.
Graham Russell, Executive Director, Commission for Rural Communities said: “The scale of rural fuel poverty presents a significant challenge to local councils – more than 21% of households in villages, isolated dwellings and hamlets are living in fuel poverty, compared to just 12% of households in urban areas. Limited resources need to be targeted to those in most need. I hope that this guide which captures a successful approach provides a model and a practical tool for other local authorities.”
The new guide helps address a call for better information and a national database on the energy efficiency performance of all homes by the Government’s Energy and Climate Change Select Committee inquiry into fuel poverty published in March 2010.
George Garlick, Chief Executive, Durham County Council said “Durham County Council’s Warm Homes campaign and the housing stock database described in this guide play a vital part in our ability to target fuel poor households across the county and provide them with the help and support they need. I hope other authorities will find the guidance on how to establish a local housing database useful and that it helps others to effectively target fuel poverty in the future.”
The Chairman of the Local Government Association’s Environment Board, Councillor Gary Porter has also welcomed the guide saying: “The work undertaken by Durham Unitary on their local housing energy database shows the pivotal role that local authorities can play in delivering real change through the application of local knowledge. Targeting the issue locally in this way is a key tool in eradicating fuel poverty in the future.”
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