SDCE is looking to connect with South Hams based building contractors, construction professionals, architectural technologists and architects who are interested in retrofitting existing housing to reduce carbon emissions.

The UK must decarbonise existing housing, and we expect increasing demand for skilled people to train and work as Retrofit Coordinators.

​Please get in touch with us to discuss partnership opportunities.

Email retrofit@sdce.org.uk 

The Townstal Community Partnership is organising this great event for local residents to provide advice on housing, energy, benefits and all sorts of other support available to help people get through the coming winter months. 
Our energy advice team will be there ready to answer your energy questions to help you afford to keep warm. 

This is a very worrying time for all of us as we are unsure just how much energy bills are going to increase, or even if our suppliers will still be around in a few months time.
 
If you are concerned about whether you can afford your energy bills please contact our free and impartial energy advice team. We cover the South Hams and can advise by phone, email and at home visits. You can reach us on 0800 112 3044 or email advice@sdce.org.uk. (Our partners provide the same service across Devon.)
 
While it may not be possible to find a cheaper tariff anymore, we will check your tariff and ensure you are getting all the support available from your supplier, in some cases this also includes financial support. Crucially, we can also help you apply for insulation grants to reduce the amount of energy you need to keep your home warm, and through the LEAP programme we are able to fit small energy saving measures such as LED bulbs, draught proofing, power down gadgets and hot water tank jackets – all for free.
 
In crisis situations there is additional support, this can happen to anyone, so please if you are concerned we urge you to contact us because we are here to help.
 
Our advisors are trained to help you understand tricky heating controls and set them up most efficiently for you, and can advocate on your behalf to you landlord if your home needs heating or insulation improvements.
 
We work closely with South Hams District Council and our service is 100% grant funded so is free for you. All our advice team are qualified and DBS checked.
 
We’re a not-for-profit community organisation, our mission is to help people save energy and stay warm and healthy in their homes.

Three of our team, Kara, Dan and Sophie, are all running marathons this Autumn to raise funds for their favourite charities. They'd all be super grateful for your support to encourage them to keep going and to support these brilliant charities.

Click on the photos for links to their fundraising pages.

​Good luck guys!

Benefits of Community Energy: Report Launch 18th June @10am Zoom
Please join us at the launch of a new report into the benefits of community-owned energy schemes. The free webinar is part of Community Energy Fortnight on the 18th June from 10:00 to 11:30.
 
The evidence-based study concludes that investing in local, community-owned renewable energy generation projects can deliver better value for money for a local economy than purchasing similar energy from a traditional commercial provider. The report was completed by CAG Consultants and is based on Treasury Green Book compliant methodology to determine the socio-economic benefits.
 
The report was commissioned by Devon County Council and the South West Energy Partnership which is part of the European Local Energy Assistance programme. The webinar is supported by the AgroRES project.
 
The webinar will be joined by a panel of experts to discuss the report’s findings and its potential to stimulate further community projects.
 
To register please click here.
 
Agenda

• Welcome by Cherilyn Mackroy MP, representing the Environmental Audit Committee
• The Report Findings by Bill Kirkup, Dave Lawrence and Mary Anderson, CAG Consultants
• Review of the Report with the Panel:
  • Emma Bridge, CEO at Community Energy England
  • Jake Burnyeat, Managing Director at Communities for Renewables
  • Matthew Clayton, Managing Director at Thrive Renewables
  • Patrick Allcorn, Head of Local Energy at Department at BEIS
• Q&A with delegates, speakers and panelists

  
This webinar is part of the AgroRES project which is funded by Interreg Europe and aims to develop measures that encourage the production and use of renewable energy in the agricultural and rural sector.

We'd like to hear from you about how you prefer to pay for your energy, most of us are familiar with monthly direct debit and prepayment options. But could there be a different way?

For many of us energy bills can be worrying and changeable, would you prefer to not have to think about how much energy you use. What if you could choose a 'Comfort Supplier' instead of an energy supplier who can guarantee to keep your home warm, and they'd be responsible for maintaining your heating system? Or maybe you like paying for the exact units of energy that you use.

If you complete the survey before 30th April, you will be entered into a prize draw to win a delicious ethical goody bag including some very special chocolate!

If you've been following the progress of our housing project, you may have noticed that the planning decision date has now passed.

A few weeks ago, South Hams notified us that they had changed the planning officer on our case and they have a backlog of applications to deal with.
​
We are awaiting a new determination date, but will update you when we can. 

SDCE is growing and we currently have two vacancies to join the organisation. Both roles require technical experience and commitment to tackling climate change and fuel poverty, and we value very highly a positive and creative attitude.

1. We're looking for a new director to join the board and bring expertise particularly relevant to facilitate the delivery of our passivhaus social housing project which is currently in planning. This role is voluntary and extremely rewarding and brings an opportunity to use your professional skills for the benefit of the local community and shape projects which will help the UK to decarbonise.

2. We're looking for a freelance technical project manager to lead on our passivhaus social housing project. We are not an employer, so you will need to be self employed or be seconded and set up to work remotely using Office365. 

​Please visit our Vacancies page for full details.

Below is some suggested text if you would like to write a letter, you're welcome to use this text as you wish.
Click here to download a template letter of support

I support the planning application (ref 4254/20/FUL) from South Dartmoor Community Energy. I believe this eco-affordable housing development is much needed for Ivybridge and Ugborough and will have a positive impact on the local community.
 
There is a clear need for more affordable and social housing in the local area: Despite several large new developments in the area there are not enough homes which local people can genuinely afford. There is also hidden housing need which SDCE have uncovered in their surveys.
 
It’s exciting to see how the whole project has been designed to reduce carbon emissions and to generate its own clean solar energy, the microgrid is a clever solution to balance the electricity within the site and reduce the impact on the local electricity network. This also means that the tenants have access to clean low-cost electricity, making these homes affordable to run as well as rent.
 
I can see that this scheme has been designed to be sensitive to the location and the wildlife on the site and laid out with plenty of green spaces, meadow roofs and areas to protect the wildlife on the site such as dormice, slow worms and bats.
 
A lot of attention has been paid to the drainage strategy and it is good to see how the landscaping is working together with the banks and swales, I think this site will be a lovely place to live and will have a really positive impact on the wellbeing of the residents.
 
I am happy to see that SDCE has been very open and honest about this proposal from the outset and has undertaken extensive community consultation which shows the community strongly in favour of the project. It is great that it will be run as a not-for-profit and that local people will be able to invest in it. I like the additional benefits that the project will bring to the wider community, such as the electric car club, the new community hall and even the new jobs for local people. There are so many new homes being built on the Eastern side of Ivybridge, the community hub will provide a useful extra space for clubs and groups to meet.
 
I am pleased to see that SDCE are taking measures to minimize the impact of additional vehicles on the roads in the town, providing shared electric bikes to reduce short car journeys. And the shared electric cars will mean that households can avoid having a second car which will save them money as well.
 
But what is really brilliant about this project is the holistic approach to providing affordable housing. This proposal ticks both boxes of tackling fuel poverty and reducing carbon emissions and answers the question ‘how should we build zero carbon new homes in a climate emergency?’ SDCE are very brave for taking on this challenge and demonstrating how we can Build Back Better, they have my support.
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