Islington HECA: A Perspective

Simon Evans

London Borough of Islington

London 2006 HECA Award Winner

Simon Evans: The HECA Officer

• North & West London Energy Efficiency Advice Centre (EEAC) - Manager

• Federation of EEACs - London Rep• London Borough of Islington - Acting

HECA Officer

Islington: The Borough

Tenure: Islington (London breakdown)

Number of Dwellings: 85 626• Owner Occupied - 35.4% (59.2%)• Private Rented - 16.1% (14.9%)• RSL - 20.0% (8.8%)• Council Stock - 35.7% (17.1%)

Source: London Borough of Islington 2003 Private Sector Stock Condition Survey

Islington: Facts

• 10% population change • A quarter consider themselves from a BME background• 6 square miles• 72% under 45 (60% nationally)• Average House price £300 000• 6th most deprived borough in the countrySource: London Borough of Islington, Corporate Plan, June 2006

London Borough Islington Characteristics (1)

SAP Ratings

• Owner Occupied: 53• Private Rented: 56 • RSL: 63• Council Stock: 63

Overall Average: 59

Sources: London Borough of Islington 2003 Private Sector Stock Condition Survey & Energy Centre Probase

London Borough Islington Characteristics (2)

Private Sector Type as of 2003: • Terraced: 24.5%• Semi-detached / detached: 2.6%• Purpose Built Flat: 34.5%• Converted Flat: 38.4%

Source: London Borough of Islington 2003 Private Sector Stock Condition Survey

London Borough Islington Characteristics (3)

Private Sector by Age • Pre 1919: 64.1% • 1919 - 1944: 4.2% • 1945 - 1964: 6.8% • Post 1964: 24.9% Source: London Borough of Islington 2003 Private Sector Stock Condition Survey

Council Stock Sector by Age• Pre-1919 2.7%• 1919-1944 8.0%• 1945-64 29.4%• Post 1964 59.9%• Sources: Energy Centre Probase

Fuel Poverty: Current Status

• Almost 23 000 would be considered to be in fuel poverty (1 in 4 households)

Source: Camden and Islington PCT, March 2005

• Homes that are “often / always too cold,” or that utility bills are “difficult / very difficult,” to pay: 21% (2002 - 21%, 2003 - 19%)

• Average fuel bills spend is 2% of income.• Private sector households with income of less that £10 000 spend

9% on energy costs (2002 - 12%, 2003 - 11%)Source: New Perspectives, London Borough of Islington, HECA Monitoring Research 2004

Key Facts from LBI HECA report (04/05)

• Overall energy efficiency improvement identified: 30%

• CO2 reduction per annum: 113 073 Tonnes

• April 1996 baseline energy use: 6 523 250 GJ

• Current standing energy efficiency improvement (1996 - 31/03/05): 23.09%

Improvements by tenure (CO2 reduction in tonnes)

• Owner Occupied: 5.0% ( 7630t)

• Council Stock: 4.6% (9 582t)

• Private Rented: 3.6% (2 064t)

• Housing Association: 2.3 (1 240t)

HECA: The Structural Dynamics Energy Centre is the central node by which HECA activities are addressed.

• Split in to two sections: Advice Section and Technical Section

LBI dynamics: • Executive Member for Sustainability (Lucy Watt, Lib Dems)• Energy Centre: HECA Officer - Simon Evans (acting) / Lucy Padfield• Sustainability Board (Top level buy in)• Getting Greener Task Force (Management level driving team)

• HfI: ALMO SLA with Energy Centre for energy purchasing, site surveys,

energy reporting • Sustainability unit created last year

Islington: The Commitment• LBI has always had good commitment to sustainability

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Advice and Education (1)

• Islington Energy Centre: houses the North West London EEAC – Joint funded by EST, Islington Council and 3 x SLAs with London Boroughs– Provides free, independent and impartial advice to the public (and SMEs)– Freephone– Drop in centre– Outreach work (Islington and beyond)– Referrals to various energy efficiency and fuel poverty schemes– Also includes a developing programme of renewable energy– Turnover of £500 000 per year

Advice and Education (2)

• Energy Centre advice recall: 19%• Advice from Council/ Council Branded Service: 3 times

as likely to act than from other sources.

Schemes in Islington: an overview• Safe and Warm - private sector, heating, insulation and

security • CHEEP (Council Housing Energy Efficiency Programme)

• Solar Grant (tops up Low Carbon Buildings Programme) • Warm Front

• Other EEC schemes available

• DFGs / Empty properties etc

• PFI projects for street properties in council stock

• Technical Section work for Council property

Islington: An example of recent works

• 05/06 - Technical section oversaw CWI projects in Council stock (439 units insulated and £80 000 of EEC funding secured).

• Savings from overall works done on Council stock in 05/06 (as of May 2006):

• 2% decrease in CO2 emissions

• SAP gone up from 61 to 63

External Partners• London Boroughs - Camden, Harrow & Hounslow SLA + Ealing,

Barnet & Brent• EST• HfI• Peabody Trust• London Metropolitan University• EC1 New Deal & NRF• GLEEN• Energy Agencies such as SEA, CEN, EAGA & London EEACs

• Age Concern and community groups• PCT

Islington: The funds

• CHEEP £100 000 - 06/07

• Safe and Warm £350 000 - 06/07

• Solar Reward 5 X £1000

• HfI £157 million on Decent Homes

• EEC funding

HECA Monitoring

• In recent years we have used a mixture of HEC data and, more recently specialised surveys (New Perspectives)

• Probase - Technical Section• Internal Calculations Methodology• Awaiting the HECA review before making any judgements on

05/06 report• Cost of monitoring re: HfI

Islington: Priorities• General thrust • Schemes: fuel poor• Advice Services: Holistic front end service, so open to all• Movement to bring in fuel rich - I.e. renewables

Strengths and Weaknesses

• Strengths • Strategic overview / review• Islington Energy Centre is often in the middle of many

energy related activities

• Weaknesses • HfI and de-embedding of technical knowledge. Arbitrary

in activities

Islington: The Future• LAA - Carbon Baseline study• LAA - Climate Change Partnership • Ongoing work of EEAC (Development to SEN)• Increased funding of renewables• CHP project in the south of the borough • Carbon Management Programme• Sustainable Living Centre