Previous Initiatives
Home Energy Conservation Annual Survey 2007
As part of the Home Energy Conservation Act Dartford Borough Council are required to collect data on energy efficiency measures across the district.
As part of these activities the Council undertakes a Home Energy Conservation Survey with homes within a quarter of the Wards in the Borough.
The survey for 2007 took place in the wards of Town, Stone, West Hill and Wilmington. The Home Energy Surveys were sent to homes that from previous surveys indicate that the property may not be very energy efficient. Surveys were also sent to properties that we had not received a home energy survey form from in previous years. The Home Energy Surveys were distributed through the post.
All completed survey forms returned by 2nd November were entered into a prize draw for 4 prizes of £50 work of B and Q vouchers and the prize draw winners were from:
- London Road, Stone
- Wellington Road, Dartford
- Whitehead Close, Wilmington
- West Hill Drive, Dartford
In total 8649 survey forms were sent to properties within the selected wards and 1480 completed home energy survey forms were returned.
All people who returned the completed survey form received a report with suggestions for making their home more energy efficient.
Home Energy Conservation Annual Survey 2006
As part of the Home Energy Conservation Act Dartford Borough Council are required to collect data on energy efficiency measures across the district.
As part of these activities the Council undertakes a Home Energy Conservation Survey with homes within a quarter of the Wards in the Borough.
The survey for 2006 was delivered to all households in the wards of Longfield/New Barn and Southfleet, Brent, Castle, Greenhithe and Heath. The Home Energy Surveys were distributed with the electoral registration forms during September.
All completed survey forms returned by 3 November were entered into a prize draw for 5 prizes of £50 worth of B and Q vouchers and the prize draw winners were from:
- New Barn, Longfield
- Station Road, Southfleet
- Westwood Road, Southfleet
- Eynesford Road, Greenhithe
- Winner wished to remain anonymous
10921 forms were sent to properties within the selected wards and 2780 completed home energy survey forms were returned.
All those people who returned the survey received a report with suggestions for making heir home more energy efficient
Home Energy Conservation Annual Survey 2005
As part of the Home Energy Conservation Act Dartford Borough Council are required to collect data on energy efficiency measures across the district.
As part of these activities the Council undertakes a Home Energy Conservation Survey with homes within a quarter of the Wards in the Borough.
The Home Energy Surveys for 2005 were delivered to all households in the wards of Swanscombe, Joyce Green, Littlebrook, Sutton at Hone/Hawley and part of Joydens Wood. The Home Energy Surveys were distributed with the electoral registration forms during September.
All completed survey forms returned by the end of October were entered into a prize draw for 5 prizes of £50 worth of B and Q vouchers and the prize draw winners were from:
- Bondfield Walk, Dartford
- Broad Road, Swanscombe
- Durrant Way, Swanscombe
- Craylands Square, Swanscombe
- Trevelyan Close, Dartford
10078 forms were sent to properties within the selected wards and 3452 completed home energy survey forms were returned.
All those people who returned the survey received a report with suggestions for making their home more energy efficient.
Targeting properties benefiting from energy efficiency measures
In June 2006 the Dartford Sustainable Home Energy Strategy and Action Plan was adopted by Dartford Borough Council. Contained within the Action Plan was a specific action to increase the Standard Assessment Procedure (SAP) ratings.
The Standard Assessment Procedure (SAP) is adopted by Government as the UK methodology for calculating the energy performance of dwellings.
National Energy Action (NEA) secured funding from DEFRA (Department Rural Affairs and the Environment) and the energy supplier Powergen, to work with a limited number of local authorities that had already developed a strategy to deliver affordable warmth and also required support to progress its implementation. Dartford Borough Council successfully made an application for this support and NEA offered up to 7 days consultancy services to develop and deliver a proposal to support Dartford in targeting homes with a low SAP rating. The period for the project was October 2006 to March 2007.
Dartford Borough Council as part of their annual Home Energy Conservation Act data gathering exercise undertakes a home energy survey each year with a quarter of the borough’s residents. From responses received via completed home energy survey forms the Council is able to identify those buildings with low SAP ratings or possibly benefiting from energy efficiency measures.
A total of 761 properties in the Borough where identified with energy efficiency ratings below 30. A home energy survey form was delivered and responses received monitored.
A number of council owned properties where instantly placed as a priority for contacting to ascertain if cavity wall and loft insulation could be installed into the properties
From the responses received a number of people where eligible for a Government Warm Front grant, with details about the scheme and application forms sent to those people identified.
In addition a number of referrals were made both to the local Pensions Service and also Benefit Checks undertaken.
The project was completed by March 2007.
In 2008 properties identified as possibly benefiting from energy efficiency measures were targeted and offered a free home visit including independent advice on how to reduce bills by saving energy; a basic energy efficiency survey, discounted or even free loft and cavity wall insulation.
Energy/Carbon Saving Initiative with B&Q.
The Climate Outreach and Information Network (COIN) and B& Q agreed to undertake a pilot project involving Local Authorities as part of Energy Saving Week in October 2006. The pilot project involved 6 local authorities coupled with 6 B&Q stores where B&Q will promote a range of energy/carbon saving products along with information resources to promote low impact carbon lifestyles. Dartford Borough Council applied to participate in the initiative along with another 31 Local Authorities.
COIN undertook a selection for the pilot in two rounds drawing up a long list and a short list of local authorities.
In March 06 it was announced that Dartford Borough Council was amongst the shortlisted local authorities
Dartford Borough Council and Dartford B&Q Store Green Champion attended a Workshop to discuss how the project could be progressed and defining the scope of products or ranges which present the best opportunities to promote the cost saving benefits to the customer and aid the objective of reducing the impacts on climate change.
Richard Sexton, the Co-Executive Director of COIN was leading this particular project and during the early stages of the development of the project with the shortlisted Local Authorities was taken ill and died in September 2006. Despite attempts by COIN they were unable to attract funding to ensure that the B & Q project continued.
