Raven's eco projects

Tap into Savings

Helping our residents save money and save resources

Raven has delivered both the Preston Water Efficiency Initiative and the Tap into Savings project.

The Preston project was the largest project in the country to retrofit water efficiency measures to existing homes. These measures included ecobetas (which allowed a single flush toilet to be converted to a dual flush), low flow showers and spray taps. A rainwater harvesting system was also installed to a block which uses rainwater to flush residents’ toilets instead of using water from the mains. The project was supported by a water efficiency awareness programme and a project at a local school. The outcome was a 20% saving in residents’ water usage as well as raising residents’ awareness and encouraging more sustainable behaviour on water efficiency.

The Tap into Savings project retrofitted over 600 homes in Redhill and Merstham with water efficient devices such as ecobetas, spray taps, and low flow shower heads, and also provided residents free energy saving devices and electricity monitors so they could save water, energy and money.

Merstham Eco-makeover

Merstham eco-makeover is a unique project to transform a three bedroom terraced home in Merstham into one of the most environmentally efficient homes - while the family lived there. Raven won government funding to carry out this exciting work from the Technology Strategy Board and work started in September 2010 and the project was completed in December 2010. The home has been refurbished using some of the most advanced green technologies available and includes an innnovative heating system where solar thermal panels and a ground source heat pump work together.

Visit www.ravenht.org.uk/ecohouse where you can take a look at the home, find out about the technologies used and read the residents' blog.

Insulation Work

Raven has been working hard to ensure that residents homes are adequately insulated, helping them reduce their energy use, lower their bills and make them feel warmer in their homes.

Since June 2009 Raven has installed over 750 properties with additonal loft

and cavity wall insulation, reducing resident bills by around £40,000 a year and reducing carbon emissions by 200 tonnes every year!

We are using the latest thermal imaging technology to help identify cold areas in walls and lofts. These images are also used to combat damp and condensation issues.

Click here to read a case study about an innovative project to insulate two semi-detached homes in Reigate.

Although the current round of insulation work is coming to a close, if you feel your property does not have cavity wall insulation or around 8 inches of loft insulation, contact Raven on 01737 272400 or email environment@ravenht.org.uk.

Lighting

Raven are currently working on reducing the energy used in lighting at Raven House and Marbles Way offices. This work includes upgrades of office lighting and car park lighting (using LED technology). Once this work is completed in July, Raven will have saved 8 tonnes of CO₂ and £14,000 a year!

Work has also begun to survey communal lighting in flats and sheltered schemes, to try and upgrade any in-efficient lighting and ensure that the bills homeowners pay are as low as possible.

Void (Empty Property) Installations

Since February 2010, Raven have been making small energy efficient upgrades to our properties when they become vacant. In 240 properties since last year we have installed;

• 213 Eco-betas
• 11 Hippo Bags
• 223 Tap Inserts
• 279 Low Energy Lightbulbs

Since they have been installed they have collectively saved;

• 2.2 million litres of water
• 45,000kg of CO₂
• £16,000 in electricity and hot water costs for residents

It just goes to show that a little work can go a long way!