Action on Energy advisors will be available in the Addenbrooke’s concourse between 11:00 and 15:00 on January 27, 28, 30 and 31 to support ‘Big Energy Saving Week’.
Katherine Smith, Sustainability Manager at CUH said: “We are working in partnership with Cambridge City and South Cambridgeshire District Councils, the Cambridge Citizens Advice Bureau and Climate Energy, in an inspiring and innovative collaboration to help staff, partners, patients and visitors save money on their energy bills, reduce the effects of cold homes on health and encourage the reduction of carbon emissions through energy efficiency improvements.”
The Trust is getting involved as the impact of cold weather on health is predictable and mostly preventable. The Chief Medical Officer at the Department of Health estimated that fuel poverty costs the NHS £850m per year through the treatment of winter related diseases as a result of cold homes. Therefore, improving the energy efficiency of homes helps to deliver affordable warmth which is crucial if we are to reduce the 3.2m households in fuel poverty and the 24,200 annual excess winter mortality. It is estimated that for every £1 spent improving heating in homes, the NHS saves £0.42.
Quick and easy access to the Action on Energy scheme is provided through the Councils partnership with Climate Energy, the UK’s largest independent energy efficiency company.
The Climate Energy group is completely independent, so its energy experts have access to all of the options available and are able to give impartial advice on the sort of energy efficiency measures that will work best in residents’ homes.
Those in receipt of a range of qualifying benefits may be able to use ECO funding to upgrade their homes at no or minimal cost. All others can have a Green Deal Assessment at a cost of £99.00. This unlocks Green Deal Cashback payments, which can be worth over £1000, and paves the way for a Green Deal Plan which allows energy saving measures to be paid for over time as savings in heating bills are realised.
About Action on Energy Cambridgeshire
Action on Energy Cambridgeshire is an ECO and Green Deal project developed to offer a single, Council led route to encourage energy efficiency improvements and provide residents with free advice and access to funding. The scheme is tailored to the local needs of each district, whilst working closely with community groups.
Cambridge City Council, Huntingdonshire District Council, Fenland District Council, South Cambridgeshire District Council, East Cambridgeshire District Council and Cambridgeshire County Council are all part of the Action on Energy scheme.
For more information on the scheme, or to book your home energy assessment, visit actiononenergy.net or call 0800 0933303.
About Climate Energy
The Climate Energy Group is the UK’s leading independent provider of carbon reduction and energy efficiency services. Working with local authorities, registered providers, businesses and communities, Climate Energy provide a range of bespoke retrofit and new build services that help their clients to reduce the environmental impact of residential and commercial buildings. Extensive knowledge and experience, coupled with long established funding relationships, enable Climate Energy to effectively plan manage and fund energy efficiency and carbon reduction schemes across the UK.
Climate Energy Press Contacts
Diana Gharbieh, PR Manager
climateenergy.org.uk
DL: 0208 633 9772
M: 07515 974 553
diana.gharbieh@climateenergy.org.uk
Cambridge Citizens Advice Bureau provides free, confidential advice to people in Cambridge and South Cambridgeshire from its main office at 66 Devonshire Road in the City as well as from outreaches in Sawston, Girton and Papworth. We also run a benefit appeals service from Cambridge City Council Customer Service Centre at Mandela House. Last year our Advisers helped 8,350 people to solve over 22,500 different issues. Nearly 33,000 more people found help online via our advice website www.cambridgecab.org.uk and a further 72,579 people used our Advicehub touchscreen kiosks in community locations around Cambridgeshire to access advice without leaving their own neighbourhoods.
Our national Big Energy Saving Week (27-31 January) is helping people to save money on energy costs by checking that they’re on the right tariffs, helping them to switch provider if necessary, and signposting them to organisations who can help them make improvements to better insulate their homes. See www.consumerhub.org for more details and to find an energy-saving event near you.
For more information contact Kate Flannery, Comms Manager at katef@cambridgecab.org.uk
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PR & Communications
Cambridge University Hospitals
For further information, please contact Adrian Ient, media relations manager
Communications Department, Addenbrooke's Hospital, Hills Road, Cambridge CB2 0QQ
Tel: 01223 274433, Email: adrian.ient@addenbrookes.nhs.uk
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CUH and council partners take ‘Action On Energy’
24 January 2014
The Cambridge University Hospitals (CUH) sustainability team and Council partners will roll out the Action on Energy scheme next week, in the hope of inspiring staff, patients and visitors to ‘Think Green’ and make better energy choices.