COMMUNITY BUILDING energy efficiency CHECKLIST
Do you run a community building in Oxfordshire? Would you like to save energy? Designed by our team of experts, this short checklist will help you get started on your energy efficiency journey.
Note: For any efficiency measures you implement or low carbon technologies you install in your building, please do consider adding them to our People’s Power Station map, which showcases and celebrates how we are collectively turning Oxfordshire low carbon. Click to add your details to the map.
Get quick-win results
These quick-win actions will save you energy and set the set the stage for a more long-term, sustainable approach to better energy management. Download this checklist and tick your way through the list. To get the best results, keep revisiting your checklist to ensure all your actions are still on track.
Get data
To start your energy efficiency journey, you need data – the more, the better. Any information about your current energy use will help establish a baseline to measure the impact of your efficiency changes. This data is also crucial for setting long-term goals and planning bigger improvements.
Your energy data
- Current energy use: Get hold of actual data (not estimates) of energy used, in units like kWh, such as meter readings/bills. Some smart meters can provide half-hourly meter readings which will help you measure energy usage throughout the day (a third-party app may be needed if your electricity provider does not make that data available to you).
- Analyse energy use: Set up a routine to gather and check your energy data. It’s best to do this regularly, like once a month, to take account of seasonal patterns. With more detailed data, you can analyse energy use patterns based on building usage on various months, weeks, days or even the periods when your building is closed.
Get organised
Think about what you want to achieve and focus on defining your energy management approach. This will help ensure effective communication, tracking, and continuous energy efficiency improvements.
Set goals
- Develop a strategy, with clear targets for managing your building’s energy use going forward.
- Have documented procedures to manage day-to-day energy use, including logging any improvements made, so you can check them against the data collected.
- Agree whose responsibility it will be to oversee day-to-day energy use, for example, a building caretaker.
- Decide how to measure overall progress against your targets and set up regular reviews – this can also help with communications.
- Agree whose responsibility it will be to lead on strategy and reviews, for example, a committee member or trustee, an interested volunteer, green champion, or the building caretaker.
Get people onboard
When implementing any energy efficiency measure, remember the importance of people – your teams and community members. Effective communication about your goals and the reasons behind them is essential, as their active involvement will drive success. Don’t forget to share and celebrate your successes!
Internal communications
- Getting your community members, trustees, and volunteers on board is one of the simplest ways to implement energy-efficient behaviour. They are involved in your community building every day, so if everyone makes small changes, it will lead to significant results. You could even include energy-saving targets in role descriptions.
- Ensure your management committee regularly reviews the strategy for improving the building’s energy efficiency and aims to achieve Net Zero carbon emissions as soon as possible.
- Regularly update and reiterate training when necessary, such as when new individuals join, when new technologies are adopted, or when a reminder is beneficial.
- Share any targets with everyone involved in running the building, and provide updates on progress. Remember to say ‘thank you’ when improvements are made or targets are met.
- Include everyone in the building, even those not directly involved in community activities, such as cleaners.
Communicate with your community
- It can be useful to have evidence of your building’s environmental impact to demonstrate to your community and the public your commitment to reducing energy usage and fighting climate change.
- Communicating your energy efficiency drive can help attract more community-wide engagement and draw in people interested in sustainability.
- Added publicity opportunities: Is there a local Net Zero plan where you are? Oxfordshire has a Pathways to a Zero Carbon Oxfordshire (PDF) strategy set out. Several communities and Parish Councils are developing their own local plans. Is there one in your area?
Get implementing!
Once you have your data, an energy strategy, and everyone on board, it’s time to start making improvements. In the meantime, consider low-cost measures that will help you take control of energy use – quick wins for reducing energy bills and cutting carbon emissions.
Small actions, big results
- Check your energy supplier. Is your energy sourced from renewable sources? If not, consider switching to a provider specialising in renewable energy at a competitive tariff.
- Checking the building for draughts and adding appropriate draught proofing, looking in particular at windows and external doors. Long-term, do they perhaps need upgrading?
- Replace old-style lighting with LED lights, which use 60% less energy. This, coupled with an extended lifespan, will save your business a huge amount of energy.
- Install thermal blinds or curtains to help retain heat in cold weather and prevent overheating from direct sunlight. Thermal blinds can offer up to 20-40% reduction in heat loss in the colder months, as well as reducing heat entering your building in the summer.
- Upgrade heating controls so they can be easily set to match the times people are in the building, and you are not heating empty rooms.
- Review hot water used in your building, including boilers for drinks, so they are well managed and not left on 24/7.
- Switch off items that are unnecessarily on standby, and actively manage other appliances. Timers or smart plugs can be useful controls to help you stop wasting energy.
Success stories
Small actions leading to big results: At Low Carbon Hub we work with community groups across Oxfordshire which have a focus on low carbon and sustainability actions. Our community groups are at the heart of the work we do. Do take a look on our website at some of the amazing work they’ve been up to.
What next?
You’ve started on your energy efficiency journey, but now want to go further? Low Carbon Hub’s Energy Solutions Oxfordshire (ESOX) team can help take your energy efficiency to the next level. Our independent team of experts will conduct a thorough assessment of your community building and provide a tailored action plan, complete with practical tips and solutions to help you achieve real results. By working with ESOX, your can make a measurable impact on your community building’s energy efficiency and reduce carbon footprint.
Note: Organisations typically save 19% on energy bills when implementing ESOX’s recommendations.