Just another brick in the Walsall

Discover Walsall’s award winning local energy advice programme, the local schools partnership that won APSE Energy’s inaugural ‘supporting innovation’ award.

Walsall Council, in partnership with ‘Achieve Your Goals CIC’ has been delivering an innovative project in Walsall, principally in the catchment area of Hillary Primary School. A package of learning has been created that incorporates literacy, numeracy, and reading through core subjects to allow pupils to fully understand the road to net zero. The programme allows children to learn about actionable climate changes

During the course of the programme, Walsall Council has carried out a targeted engagement project with the children’s parents which has enabled them to access the following support and advice:

• Energy Efficiency Advice

• Energy Efficiency Tariff Advice

• Energy Efficiency Measure Advice

• Energy Efficiency Measures Installed

The programme has a four-step approach process to enable delivery of a full turnkey approach to reducing fuel poverty and reducing the impact of carbon emissions.

Step 1: Prepare – Installation of monitoring equipment at the school to explore the energy consumption of the building. This helps the children start to understand kWh and how much energy is used per square metre.

Step 2: Explore - Innovative, bespoke learning packages to provide a full understanding of sustainability and prepare pupils to leave a legacy.

Step 3: Community - Engagement with the wider community to give cost saving tips and advice on energy efficiency, while assessing the residents’ suitability for funding to install energy efficiency measures.

Step 4: Deliver - Schools can make informed decisions and take steps to reduce their environmental impact. They can also look at how new technologies can be implemented.

Approach

Through the programme and with support from a number of funding streams, Walsall Council offered energy efficiency measures to 128 residents within the catchment area of the school. These measures comprised of 60 External Wall Insulation, 9 Loft Insulation, and 59 Solar PV systems installed.

Prince Street in Walsall received extensive External Wall Insulation to a number of properties. Due to planning restrictions on the street, houses were required to have brick slip feature to the front elevation of the properties.

Outcomes

The total value of works completed in the WS2 postcode area was in the region of £1.5 million and the average property received £12,500 of funding with total annual energy savings of £78,500. The properties completed within the WS2 area have had an average EPC increase from band E (pre EPC) to band C (post EPC).

Testimonial from school staff

“We have been working with Walsall Council and ‘Achieve Your Goals’ for a year now and have seen a real impact for our pupils. The project has many strands and has benefited the local community as well as our children. It is fully funded and hasn’t cost us a penny.”

Future planning

Walsall Council is planning to extend its sustainability programme to a further three schools at the start of the next academic year.