Survey of domestic energy efficiency in Bromborough, Wirral, UK. Healthy Cities Community Interest Company in partnership with Transition Village Eastham and Bromborough and Energy Projects Plus. Funded by Local Energy Assessment Fund, Energy Saving Trust. 2012

1. NEIGHBOURHOOD
ENERGY WATCH SURVEY
FINDINGS FROM TRANSITION VILLAGE EASTHAM AND BROMBOROUGH
Why we did the survey: Areas surveyed (red):
Port Sunlight
● To explore why some residents of
Bromborough area have not taken up free
home insulation (Warmer Wirral)
Bromborough Pool
● To guide development of the
Government’s new scheme; the Green Spital
Deal, later in 2012 (east of railway)
● To investigate whether community net-
works could help residents; sharing
information, peer-support or practical action Bromborough
● We asked whether vulnerable groups,
including older people, may find it more
difficult to access insulation schemes Dibbinsdale Road
area
Brookhurst Avenue
area
Thanks to the Mayor for launching the project
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2. Participant’s views about
Climate Change
Natural phenomenon - 16%
Consequence of industrial
development - 14%
Combination of natural
and industrial - 70%
ATTITUDES AND PRIORITIES
● We knocked on 2000 doors!
● We spoke to 541 residents of Bromborough, New Ferry, Port Sunlight and Brookhurst
● 12% were tenants of private landlords, 10% were tenants of housing associations.
Most people that we spoke to were homeowners (74%)
● We were interested in people’s views about climate change. Residents who expressed
alternate views to the scientific consensus about climate change and the
greenhouse effect may be less motivated to insulate their homes
● 84% of responses indicated they viewed that human activity was partially or totally
responsible for climate change
● 16% expressed the ‘sceptic’ view; that climate change is a natural phenomenon
Approximately 90% of residents take some action to reduce their energy use
Turn down thermostat 59% 40%
Only one room heated 19%
62% 28%
or don’t know
Turn off heating
No insulation
None of above 10%
insulation
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70%
Some
Within the group of residents who had no insulation or didn’t
know, a greater proportion said that money was a priority, rather
than being an equal priority with protecting the environment. This
suggests that it is important to continue raising awareness of the Saving money
impact of climate change. priority
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3. HOW CAN WARMER WIRRAL
HELP RESIDENTS INSULATE THEIR HOMES?
Warmer Wirral offers free cavity wall and loft insulation
to every homeowner or tenant of private landlords
Do you have maximum loft insulation (27cm thickness)?
Loft insulation - the majority of participants (77%) said they
have the maximum amount
● If you have less than 15cm thickness of insulation
Warmer Wirral can top it up to 27cm
● Some residents had technical difficulties about loft
access or storage of items
Has maximum Less than maximum Don’t know - 10%
loft insulation - 77% loft insulation - 13%
Do you have cavity wall insulation?
100%
Brookhurst and Dibbinsdale
Bromborough Central
Bromborough South
Bromborough North
Port Sunlight South
Bromborough Rake
75%
New Ferry South
50%
25%
0%
Don't have suitable walls Don't know Doesn't have Cavity Has Cavity Wall Insulation
Wall Insulation
● Cavity wall insulation - 46% of residents already have this.
● Residents who do not have cavity wall insulation could benefit from Warmer Wirral -
they were encouraged to get in touch, as the free offer will close soon
● Older properties with solid walls cannot have cavity wall insulation
• Some areas within the survey have a greater proportion of these (orange bars in figure)
• Next page gives opportunities for insulating solid walls
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4. GREEN DEAL OPPORTUNITIES
From October 2012
the Green Deal will offer
financing for up-front costs of
fitting insulation. Residents
will repay costs over time from
energy savings, resulting
from the insulation.
Interested - 56% Not interested - 38% No response - 6%
What is the Green deal?
● What is the Green Deal? The Governments new programme to help people finance
home insulation (and other energy efficiency measures)
• This will include solid wall insulation
● Amongst households that weren’t fully insulated, a majority (56%) were interested in
schemes such as the Green Deal (of 307 participants whose houses were not fully insulated)
What is solid wall insulation?
● Houses built before 1920 are likely to have solid walls, and cannot be insulated in the
same way as modern walls
● Instead, insulation can be applied to the outside or the inside of the wall
● Cavity walls have a regular brick pattern, whereas solid walls have an alternating pattern
How many homes need it?
● Almost a quarter of participants said they had solid walls or didn’t know.
These residents could benefit from the Green Deal to finance insulation
For more info on the green deal:
http://www.energysavingtrust.org.uk/Take-action/Grants-and-savings/Green-Deal
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5. HEALTH ISSUES AND VULNERABLE GROUPS
All participants = 541
Older than 70 = 82
Vulnerable = 138
Size of circles do not represent data.
Within our survey participants reported Within our survey, houses with solid walls
that members of the household were; but with loft insulation had a higher
proportion of households with vulnerable
• Older than 70 years old (15%) people than other types of house.
• Older than 80 years old (7%)
• Had learning difficulties (2%) This may indicate that vulnerable people
• Had sight or hearing problems (4% ) are more likely to live in older houses.
• Or had health needs (12%) However it also indicates that vulnerable
people have had their lofts insulated,
These households may find it more which may mean that insulation
difficult to engage with home insulation programmes are reaching vulnerable
schemes – issues included: groups.
• Unknown representatives calling at This group may be a priority for the Green
the door Deal solid wall insulation.
• Mobility issues mean no longer able to
access loft space
• Special modifications in bathroom may
be disrupted with improvement work
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6. HOW YOUR COMMUNITY
CAN HELP
Some people expressed an
interest in ‘Neighbourhood
Energy Watch’ Scheme
Scheme
20%
17% solidwalls + loft insulation
15% 14%
partially insulated
fully insulated
8%
not insulated
10%
6%
5%
0%
Community networks may be important to help people with more difficult insulation
improvements. Would you like to discuss insulation and other issues with neighbours?
● Local meetings or online
● www.transitioneastham.ning.com
Transition Village Eastham and Bromborough would like to facilitate groups of
neighbours getting together to share problems about a particular house construction, or
problem with financing. We’re not experts, but we can support each other.
This project was funded by Local Energy Assessment Fund (Energy Saving Trust) and has
been led by the community organisation Transition Village Eastham and Bromborough, in
partnership with the social enterprise Healthy Cities Community Interest Company, and the
charity Energy Projects Plus.
Helpful Links
www.transitioneastham.ning.com
www.healthycitiescommunityinterestcompany.co.uk
www.energysavingtrust.org.uk/Take-action/Grants-and-savings/Green-Deal
Warmer Wirral: www.warmerwirral.org.uk
Warmer Healthy Homes: http://www.warmerhealthyhomes.org.uk
Goverment’s site: www.decc.gov.uk/en/content/cms/tackling/green_deal/green_deal.aspx
Centre for Sustainable Energy, Solid-wall insulation: options for older homes:
www.cse.org.uk/pages/skills/advice/energy-advice-leaflets/solid-wall-insulation
This report was written by
Neil Chadborn and Bill McGarry,
Healthy Cities CIC. April 2012.
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