Local stories – Energy Efficiency in North Cornwall constituency

“North Cornwall” (CC BY 2.0) by Townleyp

Our second in a series of area-based energy efficiency reports covers North Cornwall constituency. We spoke to local energy efficiency practitioners, and investigated national datasets that are detailed enough to tell us something about the area. We aimed to raise awareness of the benefits energy efficiency can bring locally, the hard work involved to achieve them, and the opportunities and challenges that still remain in North Cornwall. We’re pleased to have seen the Western Morning News and Business Cornwall cover it, including reference made to the report by The Plymouth Herald.

Dr Tim Jones, Chief Executive of Community Energy Plus, said: “This report is really helpful for an area like North Cornwall, where the rural and dispersed nature of housing presents us with particular challenges. Over the past 17 years we have helped thousands of households with energy advice and practical support.  But the collapse in support mechanisms for home energy efficiency improvements has meant that we have been left struggling to provide the help householders need. I welcome this report, which highlights the huge benefits to local residents of home upgrades and shows how more of the same could cut bills and improve residents’ health and well-being.”

North Cornwall MP Scott Mann added: “I commend local installers and scheme managers who’ve done so much over recent years to help my constituents live in warmer, healthier homes.  This report allows me to know what more needs to be done and how I can play my part in making sure it happens.”

Katy Beach, Operations Manager at Cornwall Wall Insulation, said: “I have seen first-hand how having energy efficiency measures installed can help homes feel warmer, save money and improve people’s lives. The last 12 months have been hard for businesses like ours so it’s great to see a report like this which proves that there is so much more that could be done in the area.”

Anthony Ball, Winter Wellness lead at Cornwall Council, said: “Improving energy efficiency in the county is really important for the health and wellbeing of residents. It is a useful tool for helping the local economy – money saved by energy efficiency and insulation, staying warmer for less, is more likely to go to local shops and businesses. This report is a great help in highlighting the benefits Cornwall could get from improved energy efficiency.”