Net Zero Norfolk
Eaton has been selected by the Norfolk Climate Change Partnership and Norwich City Council to participate as one of seven Norfolk Net Zero Communities. Eaton is represented by Eaton Rise Residents’ Association (ERRA) and Eaton Village Residents’ Association (EVRA) who will work together and with the Norfolk Net Zero Project team. ERRA and EVRA have had several meetings with the Norfolk Net Zero Team to plan the way forward and identify the support required in Eaton. The map below shows the seven Norfolk communities:Here is a map showing the seven Norfolk communities:
The Aims of the Net Zero project:
The focus of the Norfolk Net Zero Project is supporting people to increase energy efficiency, install renewable heat and power, and move to lower-carbon modes of transport. The Project Team will look to support communities with a greater range of advice and actions people can take across those three areas of electricity, heat and travel. They will also endeavour to connect people to existing support and funding that’s out there.
Identification of the barriers that prevent or deter people from taking up these measures is a key element of the project with recognition that these may be different for each of the seven communities.
How Eaton Residents can help:
Many Eaton Village residents have already invested in solar panels and/or heat pumps and there appear to be many more electric cars on our roads.
EVRA would like to hear your experience on the take-up of any of the three key elements of energy efficiency, renewable heat and power and lower-carbon transport which could be shared with other residents. We would also like to know what you see as the barriers to you adopting these. Cost is probably a key issue along with conflicting advice and reports on the efficiency and cost effectiveness of products. But there may be other factors such staying warm/cool, saving money, or making more of what you currently have that are of particular interest.
You can email your responses to EVRA at: evra.vc@live.co.uk
EVRA will share your responses with the Norfolk Net Zero Project team
Links to helpful websites:
Knowing where to go for reliable advice can be an issue which the project seeks to address. Here are some websites which provide information on energy saving solutions:
Find ways to save energy in your home – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
Energy efficiency and reducing energy bills | Norwich City Council
Two Eaton residents have documented their move to more energy efficient homes which you can read here:
Paul Donnachie of Eaton Rise installed a heat pump when his gas boiler needed replacing and his experience can be found on the ERRA website at: Saving energy at home (eatonriseresidents.com)
Keri Williams of Eaton Village upgraded his solar panels and moved to electric when his old gas boilers needed replacing.
Other options for energy saving
There are other low cost ways of improving energy efficiency in your home and reducing your energy bills such as better loft or wall insulation, sealing gaps to reduce heat loss, using led lightbulbs, updating heating controls and placing foil behind radiators. More expensive options include installing double glazing and updating to more efficient boilers.
The Gov.Uk website at: Find ways to save energy in your home – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk) provides recommendations for home improvements that could make your property cheaper to heat and keep warm. And for each recommendation you can see:
- an estimated cost of making the improvement
- how much you could save on your bills
- next steps if you want to make the improvement