We talk to Cambridge Carbon Footprint trustee Tom Bragg about what to expect from this autumn’s green homes event
Cambridge Carbon Footprint (CCF) has been running Open Eco Homes every year since 2010, when then-trustee Andy Brown came up with the idea after taking inspiration from summer phenomenon Open Gardens. The initiative invites curious individuals to tour properties retrofitted or built from scratch to be as low carbon as possible. It’s a chance to take steps to a more sustainable future.
Home heating accounts for around 14% of UK emissions (according to the Institute for Government, 2021). And the Energy Saving Trust states that UK household emissions from heating and hot water need to be reduced by 95% if we are to achieve net zero by 2050. Replacing the high-carbon fossil fuels that currently heat our buildings with low-carbon fuels and technologies will play a fundamental role in hitting these targets –and CCF’s Open Eco Homes events provide the practical guidance needed to make this a reality.
“We want to inspire and inform people to make big changes to their own home, in order to tackle climate change,” says CCF trustee Tom Bragg. “The heating crisis has brought about an extra incentive to make home energy savings. This year, we sense extra hunger for Open Eco Homes.”
Running from mid-September to mid-October, there will be various tours and talks held both on Zoom and in person. This edition sees nine properties opening their doors (virtually or physically) to visitors – ranging from a retrofitted 17th-century house boasting a modern extension, to a new build in Whittlesford that’s extremely well-insulated and built to a near-passive standard, with no active heating system required. The hosts will lead you through the tour, with plenty of time to ask questions and receive advice from those who have already undertaken the challenge of making their home more environmentally friendly.
Talks will cover a variety of themes aimed at helping people achieve net-zero homes, including a discussion on living with a heat pump, with homeowner and installer perspectives presented. There’s an introduction to the Cambridge Retrofit Guide, which covers how to retrofit the seven main types of home in Cambridge and its associated costs, a presentation on smart electric homes, and an air tightness demonstration. With the autumn heating crisis looming on the horizon, a talk on low-cost home energy savings is also set to make a popular return. Most of these will be held online, but in-person event The Human Library will take place at Cambridge Central Library, where experts unfurl pages-worth of wisdom on creating and maintaining an eco home. Find both invaluable insight and practical steps for reducing the carbon footprint
own abode.
Booking for all events opens mid-August and is a must for any in-person tours. Most Open Eco Homes tours will be recorded and uploaded to YouTube, meaning you can watch after they have taken place – so don’t worry too much if you miss out on securing a place!
Check out our guide Open Eco Home directory here.
