As part of ADAS’ Helping Hands initiative, principal consultant Jon Abbatt is providing free support to residents in the small upland village of Killington, Cumbria, to reduce its CO2 footprint by 10 per cent.
Jon began measuring the village’s carbon output in August by distributing detailed survey forms to the 160 residents. The survey questioned residents on loft insulation, heating systems, whether houses had double glazing and their transport arrangements.
Jon’s findings include:
• Household CO2 footprints ranged from 3.5 to 29.6 tonnes
• The village’s total carbon output is nearly 690 tonnes
• 20 per cent of homes have no roof insulation and 64 per cent had below the recommended 270mm standard
• A third of homes have no double glazing
• The 93 cars registered to village residents contribute to an annual mileage of 935,000 miles – approximately 10,000 miles per vehicle.
“If the research recommends anything it’s that loft insulation in most houses is inadequate. Over 80 per cent have none or less than the suggested 270mm,” said Jon.
“In a way, it provides a quick and relatively cheap opportunity for the village. If all houses met the suggested 270mm level, it would probably shave about 29 tonnes of CO2 off its collective footprint at a cost of less than £550 per house.”
Village residents have also set up the Killington and District Sustainable Energy Trust to investigate the possibility of installing renewable energy generating equipment. Jon’s report included practical options that would come in under a budget of £5,000 per dwelling.
“Realistically, the only two viable options are solar thermal heating on roofs and small scale biomass boilers – both of which are affordable but have their own pros and cons,” said Jon. The village will now decide whether it wants to implement Jon’s recommendations, which could be paid for through fundraising and grants.
“We've done nothing less than put our environmental and social responsibility at the heart of the business. By its very nature sustainability is a constant process rather than a defined goal, so while we've made a strong start we know there is a lot more to do.”
For further information on the project please contact Jon Abbatt by e-mail jon.abbatt@adas.co.uk or telephone 015396 21801.