Energy Saving Homes Oxford
How low-carbon community groups in Oxford have been helping to transform the way we heat and insulate our homes.
All the best ideas come from people working together, sharing knowledge and resources. That’s exactly what Communities for Zero Carbon Oxford achieved when they were awarded a large grant and several smaller grants from Low Carbon Hub to create Energy Saving Homes. The project began in 2022 and is now in its third year.
Our Community Grant Fund offers financial support for community energy activities across Oxfordshire. Any of Low Carbon Hub’s network of community groups can apply for one of a small number of grants of up to £5,000 that are awarded each year, in a competitive process. The application process is currently open and the deadline for outline applications is Friday 17 January. Please see our Community Grants page for more information.
The initiative, led by Rose Hill & Iffley Low Carbon (RHILC) and Low Carbon Oxford North (LCON), aimed to encourage residents who had improved the energy efficiency of their homes to open their doors and share their experiences with neighbours and visitors.
Energy Saving Homes inspired Oxford residents to conserve domestic energy in practical and affordable ways by providing clear information on various aspects of retrofit, such as insulation, heat pumps, ventilation, and renewable energy generation. The project covered smaller, affordable measures that could be implemented immediately, as well as larger whole-house retrofit projects.
For homeowners, landlords, and tenants, visiting an Energy Saving Home was an ideal opportunity to see what a home fit for the future might look like and to chat with residents about the process.
Being able to talk directly to homeowners who aren’t trying to sell you anything is one of the most effective ways to inspire others to consider installing energy-efficient measures.
The project consisted of three main initiatives:
- Green Open Homes Week, 22–29 June 2022
- Energy Saving Fair, 26 June 2022
- Seven short Energy Saving Bite-Sized Films featuring Oxford residents who had installed energy-saving measures in their own homes
2022
Green Open Homes, Great Big Green Week
Inviting visitors into your home is quite a brave step, but following a well-organised recruitment campaign from the Energy Saving Homes team, 38 residents took part in Green Open Homes Week, June 2022. They opened their homes to 153 visitors, showcasing a range of measures to suit all budgets, from low-cost draught-proofing to heat pumps, solar PV and battery storage, and whole-house retrofits.
Energy Saving Fair, Oxford Town Hall
More than 200 people attended this lively all-day event on Sunday 26 June 2022, which featured expert talks and contractor demonstrations offering advice on everything from air-tightness testing to renewable energy generation. The Cosy Homes Oxfordshire stall was particularly busy, fielding 54 home retrofit enquiries from the public.
Energy Saving Bite-Sized Films
The group launched seven bite-sized films as part of the Energy Saving Homes project during Great Big Green Week at Oxford Town Hall in September 2022.
Eleanor Watts, from Rose Hill & Iffley Low Carbon, collaborated with local filmmaker Benedict Robbins to produce the films. These three-to-four-minute videos showcased residents who had installed a range of energy-saving measures in their homes and saved money on heating bills. The films have been widely shared with other community groups, local associations, GPs’ surgeries, bus companies, football clubs, cinemas, and libraries across Oxfordshire. They are all available on YouTube.
2023
Oxford Open Doors
The team received a second large grant from Low Carbon Hub to build on the momentum established the previous year. This time, they partnered with Oxford Preservation Trust to open homes during Oxford Open Doors weekend in September 2023. Being part of a larger event over a shorter period enabled the group to benefit from the Trust’s publicity campaign.
Twenty residents participated, opening their homes to 191 visitors. A remarkable 98% of surveyed visitors said they were inspired to take action to reduce their home energy consumption after their visit.
At a house in East Oxford, the architect of a whole-house retrofit was on hand to explain the process to visitors. Nearby in Howard Street, two residents praised their heat pump and insulation, sharing how warm their home now felt.
2024
At Oxford Open Doors
Now in its third year, the project is going from strength to strength. The Energy Saving Homes team continued their successful partnership with Oxford Preservation Trust, which boosted publicity and led to 24 residents opening their homes to 291 visitors.
Eleanor and Chris’s house in Rose Hill was a popular destination, offering tea and cakes alongside detailed information about their internal wall and loft insulation, provided by Cosy Homes Oxfordshire.
The Energy Saving Homes project offers a legacy that will continue to inspire people – whatever their budget – to take action to make their homes warmer and lower their energy bills, especially at a time of rising energy costs. If you’re inspired by the project and think it might work in your community, the Energy Saving Homes team has produced a helpful resource: Organising an Energy Saving Homes Event: A Brief Guide for Community Groups [PDF].