This week the Committee on Climate Change is advocating a zero-carbon by 2050 target for the UK, and the UK became the first country to declare a Climate Emergency.  And in March, Suffolk County Council also declared a Climate Emergency.

On 23rd May, Suffolk Climate Change Partnership hosts the East of England edition of Low Carbon Homes Forums, providing an opportunity for the region’s housing professionals to listen, learn and question domestic energy efficiency and all-things-retrofit.

With 100% of delegates at the recent Low Carbon Homes Forum South East in Brighton recommending the event to their sector colleagues, Low Carbon Homes will bring its next energy efficiency focus day to Ipswich for the region’s housing energy professionals.

Collaborating with regional partner Green Suffolk - Suffolk’s Local Authority partnership organisation working towards creating the UK’s greenest county - this important event will tackle the challenges of energy demands and carbon emissions caused by ageing housing stock in the UK’s Eastern region, providing best-practice solutions and practical take-away actions  from the UK's leading experts.

David Walton, Programme Manager at the Suffolk Climate Change Partnership, explains why they wanted to be involved with Low Carbon Homes. “Improving the energy efficiency of our housing, lowering carbon emissions and reducing fuel poverty are important priorities for us. Hosting Low Carbon Homes will act as a catalyst in helping us engage with those across the county who influence and advise consumers.”

The forum’s focused one-day technical programmes provide thought-leadership and best-practice solutions, collaborating with experts in the low carbon heating sector including specialist Forum Knowledge Partners the Ground Source Heat Pump Association, IMI Hydronic Engineering, Spirotech UK and Norstom Proflush.

On 23rd May, the Forum East event in Ipswich is delighted to welcome East Anglia’s leading heat pump supplier and installer Finn Geotherm ‘on board’ as forum Gold Sponsor.

Finn Geotherm is one of the longest-established ground and air source heat pump installation companies in the UK’s heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC), refrigeration, air conditioning and heat pump (RACHP) industries. With more than 12 years of installation experience across nearly every type of property imaginable, Finn Geotherm has created successful, award-winning installations for homes and businesses of all ages, styles and sizes.

Guy Ransom, commercial director at Finn Geotherm said “As a nation, we need to significantly improve our efforts to cut carbon, and renewable heating presents one of the great opportunities to make an immediate difference. We’re looking forward to this event and engaging with key stakeholders to highlight the numerous tangible benefits that heat pumps can deliver for UK homes.”

Speakers and workshop leaders at May’s Forum East include:

Saul Humphrey (New Anglia LEP) examining the challenges of the region’s existing housing stock.

Malcolm Farrow (OFTEC) with insight from the fossil fuel industry on the challenges faced by consumers in transitioning to a low carbon future.

Lucy Pedler (The Green Register) will give her expert session on Fabric First and building retrofit

Bean Beanland (Ground Source Heat Pump Association) demonstrates the latest heat pump industry best-practice.

Rob Berridge (Heat-Engineer.com) and Nathan Gambling demonstrate why heat-loss measurement and heating system optimisation are essential for legacy and new heating systems.

Philippa Gill (Verdextra) looks at Indoor Air Quality and how greater consumer awareness of air quality issues can be harnessed to increase take-up of improvements for healthier homes.

The curated one-day programme features plenary sessions and hour-long workshops delving deeper into topics such as fabric first, heat pumps and heat system design and is aimed at housing professionals, architects, heating engineers, installers, local authorities, landlords and related sector professionals.

Forums are free to attend – and will give attendees a focused and practical day of information and practical actions to tackle domestic energy efficiency, retrofit, fuel poverty and carbon impact.  

Free places are available to book now: lowcarbonhomes.uk