Grant and Andy were invited to meet Shirley Rodrigues, Deputy Mayor of London and Councillor Julian Bell, head of Ealing Council to showcase two of our solar schools, Mandeville and Horsenden. We were the first London Community Energy Fund round one project to complete, and first to receive round two funding. Over the half-term break we installed two more schools, Drayton Green in Ealing and Wolf Fields in Southall, bringing our total to nine schools.

As an extension to the School Solar PV project, Ealing Transition is working with Ealing Council and the South West London Environmental network (SWLEN), to offer free energy audits to schools. These focus on low-cost options for schools to reduce their energy use, and hence reduce their carbon emissions. We focus on the building fabric, heating systems and controls, and behavioural change. We have funding from Heathrow Communities for Tomorrow to install simple energy-saving equipment like radiator foil and door and pipe insulation, along with energy monitors including temperature loggers.

We also make recommendations on potential energy-saving changes in behaviour, like optimising heating timers and controls, reducing heat loss through open doors and windows, and switching off equipment when not in use. For more major improvements such as heating system upgrades, loft insulation and double-glazing, we make recommendations and provide estimates of annual energy cost savings to help schools and /or the Council justify potential capital expenditure.

We are looking for additional volunteers to help with these audits. Some practical experience or knowledge of energy efficiency is preferable, but we provide training, and welcome anyone who is reasonably practical with perhaps some DIY experience. Each visit is carried out by two people, one of whom will always be an experienced energy assessor. We then prepare a report, and present this to the school (most often to the building manager). Usually there will be some further follow-up, perhaps analysing energy consumption or temperature logger data, or fitting simple thermal insulation.

If you are interested in being a volunteer energy assessor, please drop a line to steering@ealingtransition.org.uk

For the second event in our series on Sustainable Cities, we are delighted to welcome Dr Katherine Drayson, Senior Policy and Programme Officer of the Mayor’s Environment Team, who will bring to life the Mayor’s recently-launched Environment Strategy for us.

Katherine’s presentation will lay out the environmental challenges we face and the planning framework for the next 30 years, as well as starting to consider the role that the people of London and groups like ours will play in managing the transition to 2050.

Afterwards, we will facilitate a group discussion around how we can use the plan to accelerate our own path to a zero carbon, sustainable Ealing. Please join us for an important evening in which we will start designing the future.

The event will be held at St Mary’s Church, St Mary’s Road, Ealing, W5 5RH. Entry to the event is free but donations to help us cover costs will be welcome.