Beech Housing Association Ltd

What is energy advice?

Energy advice is advice on:

• how you use your household energy (gas and electricity)
• how you pay for your energy and
• which company might be the best one to supply you with gas and electricity.

The aim of this advice is to improve your household energy efficiency by supplying you with the information you need to take action to reduce your household's energy use. This can help to reduce your energy bills and minimise the impact that your household's energy use has on the wider environment. This then results in more of your income being available to you. We call this achieving affordable warmth.

What is affordable warmth?

Affordable warmth is the ability to heat your home to an adequate level for household comfort and health, without developing debt as a result.

How can you benefit from Energy Advice?

Energy Advice can be made up of several elements; any combination of the following can improve a household's energy efficiency and help maximize income to achieve affordable warmth.

• No cost advice (changing behaviour)
  Using heating and hot water systems, household appliances, cookers and lighting more efficiently.
• Fuel supplier advice
  Choosing the most appropriate fuel supplier, price plan (energy suppliers call this a tariff) and payment method. This will not reduce energy usage but could help to achieve affordable warmth by reducing the cost of gas and electricity.
• Low cost advice
  Buying low cost items which will improve energy efficiency, such as energy saving light bulbs.

Adactus Housing Group – Energy Commitment

As part of our Affordable Warmth Strategy (2008-2011) we will:

• Ensure that our properties are well-insulated and have efficient heating systems, to minimise the amount of gas and electricity needed to heat the property to an adequate level.
• Offer advice on how to use gas and electricity most efficiently, through our Group Energy Advice service.
• Help our tenants to work out who the cheapest gas and electricity suppliers are in their area.

To achieve this commitment Adactus have formed an Energy Group made up of key members of staff from across the Group.

For more information on Energy Advice please contact Group Energy Officer, Louise Whan 01942 608 715.

Useful information

Have a look at our energy advice leaflets, you can download a version or obtain them from the reception areas of our local offices:

» No Cost Energy Efficiency Tips
» Heating Controls
» Storage Heating
» Switch to Save

Do you have a card meter?

If you currently use a card meter, have a look at the energy supplier Ebico, you may find that their energy prices are cheaper for you.  They are a not for profit company that charges everyone the same tariff for gas and electricity, they do not have standing charges.
» Click here for more information.

Useful websites
» Energy Saving Trust
» Home Heat Helpline
» National Energy Action
» Consumer Direct