Community Sustainable Energy Programme

A fund to re-energise community buildings

Shrewsbury based climate change charity, Marches Energy Agency (MEA), are now able to offer energy audits to community-based organisations that wish to explore the options to use renewable energy measures in their premises. In the latest initiative to come from the BIG Lottery's 'Changing Spaces' funding, the Community Sustainable Energy Programme, groups can access funds to appoint MEA to carry out feasibility studies. MEA are one of only 45 organisations on the Register of Consultants for the programme which is expected to operate across England until December 2010.

In addition, up to £8 million is also available through the programme to assist in covering the capital costs of implementing any opportunities identified at up to 50% of the cost of installation. Eligible buildings include village halls, parish halls, churches and schools and the programme can fund anything from improved heating controls to solar hot water panels. MEA are one of the UK's leading providers of community-based sustainable energy projects and have a good track record in working with community-based organisations to decide the solutions most likely to be appropriate to them.

Tristan Haynes, Project Manager at MEA (email: tristan@mea.org.uk) said, "We want to assist community organisations in our largely rural patch of the West Midlands as much as possible in getting their hands on this money for good quality projects that will ultimately save them money". He also added that such initiatives also help raise public understanding of what they can do about climate change in their communities.

MEA are looking to work with any community-based organisations interested in pursuing this type of funding throughout Shropshire, Staffordshire, Herefordshire, Worcestershire and beyond.

For more information or to apply for a feasibility study simply visit www.communitysustainable.org.uk.