This week Parity Projects Director, Chris Newman, featured in The Ecologist magazine's latest retrofit feature. The article offers hints and tips to those wishing to reduce the energy use of their home, with Chris appearing alongside Anna Laycock of Parity Partner, the Ecology Building Society.

Speaking about the importance of refurbishment, Anna points out, "Making our housing stock more energy efficient is critical to meeting the UK’s carbon emissions targets... But the time, effort and cost involved means that few people will do it purely for altruistic reasons. [But] the benefits to homeowners are clear: you pay less for your heating and your home is more comfortable and cosy to live in."

Adding a practical perspective, Chris highlight need for homeowners to know what they are seeking to achieve before they start. "Be specific about what you want to achieve. Do you want a 65 per cent reduction in carbon emissions or an energy bill free house? Are you guided by a fixed budget? Or are seeking to use only natural materials? Establish your priorities at the start, as these will influence your decisions along the way."

The article goes on to speak about some of the practical step in retrofitting your home, from choosing the right contractor to financing the work.

Read the full article here: "The beginners guide to… creating a low carbon home"


 
 
Today at Parity Projects we have launched, in collaboration with Keepmoat and Sustainable Homes, a new guide for Registered Providers and Local Authorities on the practical steps they should be taking to prepare for the Green Deal. The guide includes a summary of both the Green Deal and Energy Company Obligation, along with information on financing the Green Deal, preparing supply chains, and becoming Green Deal provider.

The idea of writing the guide came about following a series of workshops that we held with the partners for RPs and LAs where it became clear that many across the industry were desperate for answers on what the scheme would mean for their organisations. The argument for publishing a no-nonsense guide was strengthened by last week launch of the Green Deal and ECO consultation documents, which totalled many hundreds of pages of detailed information.

Launching the document, Richard Griffiths - our Business Development Manager - said:

“After attending so many events where Registered Providers were clearly concerned about the implications of the Green Deal but overwhelmed by the policy detail, it has been great to work with Keepmoat and Sustainable Homes – first in putting on the practical workshops, and then in developing this guide. We hope that the guide proves as helpful for Registered Providers as hearing their issues and concerns have been for us when thinking about the support we can offer them with the Green Deal.

You can download a copy of  the guide here: "The Green Deal A summary guide to the big decisions for Registered Providers and Local Authorities"

More details on our CROHM stock assessment service - a key step in preparing for the Green Deal.