Boffins flock to Blacon for eco research

Oct 3 2011 by Allison Dickinson, Chester Chronicle

SIX universities are now conducting research with Sustainable Blacon to find out more about the fight against climate change.

The universities, which are all at the cutting edge of climate change research, are Chester, East Anglia, Oxford, Oxford Brookes, Southampton and Strathclyde.

The University of Chester will be the first to make its report into the Blacon Energy Management Programme, part of the DECC Low Carbon Communities Challenge in the area.

In all, 95 households completed the year-long programme to see how people could cut their energy use and bills by up to 20%.

The results will be made available at the Blacon Sustainability Convention on November 1 at The University of Chester.

Professor Roy Alexander of the University said: “Reducing the emissions of greenhouse gases produced by the fuels we use to heat and power our homes is critical for our long term future.

“At the same time people are interested in saving money by saving energy and in getting to know others in their area better.

“The Blacon Energy Management Programme provides an excellent opportunity to find out what works in helping people to reduce their energy consumption and it has important lessons for us all.”

Ged Edwards, chief executive of Sustainable Blacon, said: “We are pleased to welcome the universities to the area.

“Blacon has a fantastic community which is changing the area and is at the forefront of climate change work in the UK.

“We want other communities to hear and to see for themselves what they can do and so take the path to a safer, cheaper and better future for us all.”

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