Support communities take action
Access AfSL resourcesBehavioural change programmes for Housing Associations targeting energy use, fuel poverty & arrears management
Over recent years RSLs have invested many millions of pounds in upgrading and retrofitting existing properties and in constructing new highly energy efficient homes. However anticipated outcomes are not being realised due to energy behaviour of tenants leading to:
• Continuing fuel poverty / impacts on health
• Little impact on arrears management
• Limited carbon savings
Worthing Homes’ multi award winning RELISH programme demonstrated savings of over £200 per annum can be made purely through supporting tenants change their energy behaviour.This represents a poor return on investment for RSLs and reduced benefits for tenants.
Supporting tenants in achieving energy behavioural change can yield over 10% reduction in energy use representing significant cash savings for households.
AfSL is the UK’s first RELISH approved adopter.
Action for Sustainable Living has developed a range of services for RSLs to engage, enthuse and support tenants in saving energy and money.
Built on past successful energy programmes, the Energy Academy has a dedicated team, offering a comprehensive package of support for housing associations and tenants covering:
• Training and support for residents in sharing energy knowledge with neighbours, friends and family
• Training for RSL staff in energy efficiency communication
• Quantification of financial and carbon savings as well as social outcomes.
Our programme is backed up with full use of RELISH communications materials.
Download a copy of our Residents Energy Guide.
Current and recent clients include:
• Southway Housing Trust
• Trafford Housing Trust
• Irwell Valley Housing Association
• City South Housing Trust
• Affinity Sutton Housing Association
• City Council with Guinness Northern Counties
To find out more about AfSL’s low-cost, high-gearing behaviour change model, or to discuss how AfSL can assist your tenants in cutting energy bills, please contact: [email protected]
The National Housing Federation’s Count Us In pilot
In 2011 AfSL and Trafford Housing Trust were chosen as one of five national pilots to assess domestic energy behavioural change in the Count Us In action-research project.
Between March 2012 and September 2013 AfSL will be working to engage and enthuse tenants living in the newly refurbished tower blocks on Tamworth Estate in Old Trafford.
In July 2012 AfSL presented early findings from the project and wider learning from the Energy Academy programme at the National Housing Federation’s Asset Management Conference at Warwick University. Click here to download a copy of the presentation (5mb).
Helping Shape Energy Behavioural Change in Greater
AfSL is an active member of Greater ’s Customer Engagement group, which is helping shape a coherent approach to domestic energy behavioural work city regional level.
The group feeds into the Housing Retrofit element of the Low-Carbon Economic Area programme.
In 2011, the group published The Missing Quarter, which provides an evidence base for domestic energy behavioural change.
A practical guide for housing associations was launched at the Chartered Institute for Housing’s annual conference in in 2012. Delivering the Missing Quarter explains the simple steps that social housing organisations can take in raising awareness and encouraging behaviours which save energy.