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T.A.R.A. Energy Efficiency Champions Project
About the project
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The TARA Energy Efficiency Champions Project offers Tenants and Residents Associations in Sheffield the opportunity to help their members reduce their energy use.
Background
Over the last 10 years, Sheffield City Council has been insulating its properties and doing as much as possible to improve the energy efficiency of its buildings. Any properties that were not insulated then are being picked up now as part of the Decent Homes work.
For further improvements to be made to reduce fuel bills, our tenants must understand how their home uses energy and where waste can be reduced.
T.A.R.A. Energy Efficiency Champions Project
This project started as a way to help tenants and residents further reduce their energy bills and CO2 emissions by offering free advice on simple ways to reduce their energy use, such as not leaving lights on and turning appliances off when not in use. We believe that the best way for us to reach the tenants and residents of our estates is through the long established Tenants and Residents Associations (T.A.R.A.s). Therefore, we choose to offer free training to T.A.R.A.s to help their members understand what to do.
The T.A.R.A. Energy Efficiency Champions Project has been piloted in selected areas of Sheffield since the middle of 2007. Member T.A.R.A.s will be trained to give energy efficiency advice to their tenants and residents and act as champions in persuading others to reduce their energy use.
What we expect from the T.A.R.A
- Be a point of contact for tenants / residents wanting information on being more energy efficient
- Champion energy efficiency to tenants / residents & within the T.A.R.A.
- Contribute a section on energy efficiency to local T.A.R.A. Newsletter
- Consider adding an energy efficiency commitment into their charter / constitution
- Display energy efficiency posters in the T.A.R.A. office
What the T.A.R.A. can expect from us
- Provide training and support to Energy Efficiency Champions
- Provide an Energy Efficiency Champions section on our website
- Provide an Energy Monitoring device for rental
- Provide information packs for tenants / residents
- Provide posters for TARA office
- Write an energy efficiency section for TARA Newsletter if required
New members application
If your T.A.R.A. is interested in joining the project, you can use our new members application page or phone us on 0114 273 6294. The training spaces will be filled on a first come, first served basis. See below for up coming dates.
How the project works
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We want to make sure that the information given out by the T.A.R.A.s is correct. Therefore all T.A.R.A.s involved must have at least one chosen representative who must attend our training session. the session is run by the South Yorkshire Energy Network on our behalf. At this session the member will learn how energy is wasted and how we can save energy. They will also learn how to calculate how much energy an appliance uses and how to read an electricity meter properly.
What the T.A.R.A. gets
As well as full training, the T.A.R.A. office will receive posters, flyers, a Powerdown unit (which turns off computer peripherals automatically) and an OWL Energy Monitor device, which shows how much electricity is being used at any one time.
What the tenant or resident gets
The tenant or resident will receive verbal advice from the Energy Efficiency Champion and an Energy Efficiency pack. The packs given out to tenants and residents includes:
- 2 low energy lightbulbs (since July 2008)
- Save Energy, Save Money Booklet
- Sheffield Homes Central Heating Booklet
- HEAT Sheffield notepad & pencil
- "How to read your meter" information sheet
- "Appliance Running costs" information sheet
As well as these sheets, there are other information sheets available from the T.A.R.A. such as, "Dealing with condensation" and "Healthy Room Temperatures".
Do you want to join?
We are now offering all T.A.R.A.s in Sheffield the opportunity to join the T.A.R.A. Energy Efficiency Champions Project. If you're interested in joining up, you can see if your area already has a T.A.R.A. Member by looking at our member list or sign up using our new members application page.
Training dates
Our current round of training event have now finished. We will shortly organise more dates, which will be publicised in this section. You can contact us to prebook a space for your T.A.R.A.
What we've achieved so far
So far the project has been a big hit in the areas that it has been running in. Below is a summary of the facts and figures of the project from September 2007 to July 2008.
Tonnes of CO2 saved 189
No. of T.A.R.A.s Involved 15
No. of tenants given advice 501
Total Low energy light bulbs given out 2004
Contact us
If you would like any further information please see the Contact us section for our telephone numbers and email address.
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