As reported and by KeeP 106, Dorset Climate Action Network has just hosted the first Dorset-wide Open Greener Homes event. Held on the last weekend of September and the first weekend of October, fifty homes were open to the general public to showcase what changes they had made to their homes to make them more energy-efficient and sustainable.
Some of the homes had made changes to an older building, that included making sure the building was well insulated and draught-free, and then adding solar panels and batteries to generate electricity or heat pumps to heat their homes. Other homes were newly built to high specifications to make them near passive – that is, needing almost no external source of power to remain lit and warm.
The event was a great success and over 350 visitors were met by enthusiastic and well informed owners who were able to share their experience of what it was like to live with these technologies.
But it wasn’t all about technology, as some homeowners were able to showcase a change in lifestyle; growing their own organic fruit and vegetables, repairing rather than throwing away and buying new, building from recycled materials, ditching the car and generally being conscious of consuming less.
Dorset Climate Action Network will be hosting Dorset Greener Homes again next year but in the meantime if you are thinking about making green changes to your property, do email us and we may be able to direct you to a homeowner near you who is willing to share their knowledge before then. https://www.dorsetcan.org/contact.htm
If you think you might be willing to open your home next year we would also like to hear from you. Email colintracy66@gmail.com or samwilberforce@gmail.com
