• Visitors: 150
• Bulbs distributed: 230
• CO2 saved (lifetime): 32,868 kg CO2
• Retained economic benefit (lifetime): £9,038

The very hot weather worked for & against us as the sun kept some of the older & younger visitors inside in the shade. Sarah Meredith, from MEA, worked with volunteers Ashley Green and Simon Meredith during the day to answer a host of sustainability queries across a range of areas.

Many visitors already had some low energy light bulbs but not all. Some had struggled to find spotlights and GU10 replacements and we were able to direct them to online retailers as well as outlining the costs and savings associated with the bulbs. There was also a lot of interest in new style LED lighting.

We had an enquiry from a community group looking to improve energy efficiency in a hall in Harlescott and were able to refer them for a feasibility study. We also handed out 40 reusable shopping bags and some room thermometers to our visitors.

The energy bike was popular with the whole age range of children and some adults. Younger children also enjoyed playing the giant energy descent Snakes and Ladders game. A very busy and fun day had by all!

Date: 15th May 2010
Client: Rushcliffe Borough Council
Venue: West Bridgford Park

Visitors: 425
Bulbs distributed: 310

CO2 saved (lifetime): 44,280 kg CO2
Retained economic benefit (lifetime): £11,724.20

We were fortunate with the weather which was dry, sunny and cool. Phil Newcombe, from MEA, worked with Jenny Parrington from Rushcliffe Borough Council, and MEA volunteer Nick Ward, to answer a host of sustainability queries across a range of technical and service delivery areas.

Most visitors already had low energy light bulbs in some of their fittings but not all. Many had struggled to find spotlights and GU10 replacements and we were able to direct them to online retailers as well as outlining the costs and savings associated with the bulbs.

There was some confusion amongst people about the different types of solar panels and we were able to advise and give them factsheets and discuss the new feed in tariffs.

Customers interested in improving their loft and cavity wall insulation were signposted to the Council's preferred installer with whom they have a management agreement.

The energy bike was popular with the whole age range of girls and boys, many of whom seem to find it an edifying exploration of electricity generation and energy conversion.

Some children also enjoyed playing the giant energy descent Snakes and Ladders game.

A very busy and fun day had by all!

Carbon Forum's Top Trumps project has been hailed as an ‘exemplar European project'. On Wednesday this week, Kris McGowan, Carbon Forum Team Leader, was invited to speak to delegates from across the West Midlands who are currently planning their own pan EU projects. Kris gave tips and advice, inspiration and assistance to the help steer applications from the University of Birmingham, Staffordshire University, Herefordshire Council and the Birmingham and Coventry Chambers of Commerce.

The Eco Vehicles Top Trumps pack was developed by Kris in 2008 and distributed to over 2500 school and to individuals across the globe. The pack is now out of print and has become somewhat of a collectors item. We will shortly have the pack available electronically for use. In the meantime you can view the Green Driving Guide that accompanied the pack here: www.carbonforum.org/content/guide

Feedback received:

"Thank you personally on behalf of EU Connects for the excellent and inspiring presentation you gave at yesterday's IEE Application Workshop in Birmingham.

It is fair to say you had delegates fully engaged with the Competence and Top Trumps story".

MEA were commissioned by the Energy Saving Trust (EST) to deliver household energy training to Area Energy Champions of the Cooperative Food Group. The result was informative, engaging and stimulating advice and training. Twenty sessions were delivered to the Area Energy Champions, District Energy Champions and Operations Managers across the UK - from Belfast to Broadstairs, Inverness to Nottingham. The training was delivered to them with a view to cascading the training to the store managers, store energy champions and ultimately to all Co-op retail staff.

The basis for the training was the understanding that through undertaking energy saving measures in the home, staff would be able to apply these techniques in the work place, and in some cases vice versa. The Co-op group has an overarching ambition to cut energy use by 25% by 2012 and has made significant in-roads to achieving this target. However, they acknowledge that they are only going to be able to do this with the assistance of a motivated and fully trained group of energy champions.

The training thus developed was delivered to twenty groups of Area Energy Champions numbering 258 participants. Each, now fully trained in home and store energy efficiency, will between now and autumn be cascading the training to all staff. They are tasked with assisting the Regional Energy Managers delivering on the 25% target reduction in energy use. It is the opinion of the trainers that this is now well within their grasp.

The training was well received and appreciated by both the Regional Energy Managers (who delivered it in tandem) and the attendees, some of whom were quite skeptical of the impact that they could have. All are now ‘energy literate', fully trained to achieve major savings, both in the home and in store.

On the store energy side we had a rather hilarious ‘airing dirty laundry' session revealing several energy gaffes - a suspended ceiling that was removed to reveal another lighting rig full of working and lit T12 tubes; a water heater left permanently on but not used for three years, two floors above the trading floor and lastly; a spare extractor fan that was turned off to save the store £5,000 per year. It was also useful to note that although many stores have been refitted recently and had upgrades, most of the energy savings that have been made in this district have been through the housekeeping actions of the energy champions network, not through the installation of clever kit.

Some of the attendees were experienced energy champions. Their previous work in this area had brought them into contact with the Energy Saving Trust before and some had undertaken measures in their own home. Many of the age old myths were busted, like timing your heating rather than leaving it on all day - one energy champion had saved over £500 in the last quarter by doing so!

We hope to work with the EST and Co-op again in the near future and wish the Co-op the best of luck with achieving their targets - we are sure they can do it.

Here is a selection of the feedback form the project:

"I just want to say a big thank you for the vital role you played in delivering the training in a very professional and knowledgeable manner, whilst being amiable and engaging with the district and area energy champions."

"Thanks for all your hard work and effort in delivering this project in so many different area. I now happy that my whole region has been covered from Scotland to Ireland and the IOM."

"Thank you very much for the great job you have done in our first two energy champion training sessions."

"My belief is that we have really set the champions we have worked with up with the tools to go and continue the cascade process of a sustainable, self perpetuating package which will benefit all the recipients at home, at work and for the general good of the environment."

"Thanks a lot Kris, I enjoyed it and learnt a lot."

We are offering an internship position to a highly motivated undergraduate or graduate.  The role will be primarily focused with the development, marketing and take up of Marches Energy Agency's online carbon management tool WeSave (http://www.wesave.org.uk/). 

What does WeSave do?

"Wesave.org.uk supplies users with the tools to perform their own energy audit through the wesave.org.uk interactive website, accompanied by its help screens and guide book.  This process gives ownership to their own carbon descent, increasing their involvement in the process and resulting in large impacts on your carbon descent.  Wesave.org.uk then continues to interact with the user, showing them how their energy consumption decreases over time and assisting with any future changes."

What does the internship role involve?

The tasks will involve:

• The study of the current use of WeSave
• Making case studies of positive examples in WeSave's use
• The preparation of promotional materials for WeSave
• The active involvement in the marketing of WeSave
• Acting as an assistant in the preparation and delivery of training sessions in the use of WeSave.
• General admin support

Gains for the successful applicant

The successful applicant will:

• Gain valuable experience working for one of the country's leading sustainable energy and climate change social enterprises
• Learn the ability to perform energy audits using WeSave
• Develop the ability to teach others how to use the tool

What we are looking for

The successful applicant should be able to show:

• Enthusiasm to combat climate change and their own part in making the world a better place.
• The ability to act under their own initiative when required
• A high level of adaptability, with the willingness to look up answers by themselves when required

The position will be for 3-5 days a week for 3 months (exact details to be agreed between the successful applicant and Marches Energy Agency).  The position is unpaid although all reasonable travel expenses will be reimbursed.

Please express your interest along with your CV to info@mea.org.uk .