Housing Corporation News Release

Monday, 7 July 2008      Ref: 49/08

Eight million free energy-efficient light bulbs to be sent to two million housing association households

The biggest free energy-efficiency initiative ever launched for the social housing sector was kicked off today with Housing Corporation Chief Executive Steve Douglas encouraging housing association chiefs to take up a new scheme aimed at reducing the carbon footprint of over two million households.

Steve Douglas sent 500 letters to housing association chiefs, explaining how housing association households could benefit from a scheme, spearheaded by EDF Energy, eaga and the Housing Corporation, which will see eight million Osram energy-efficient light bulbs delivered directly to their households.

Letters will be sent to all remaining associations in the coming weeks, while light bulbs will be delivered directly to households over a 12-month period, from 1 September 2008.

Energy efficient light bulbs have an estimated lifespan of 10,000 hours – ten times longer than traditional bulbs – and are expected to save 1.14 million tonnes of carbon dioxide over a ten-year period, enough to fill over 230,000 Olympic-sized swimming pools.

The bulbs also use about 80% less energy – an immediate saving on a household’s electricity bill at a time when energy prices are rising. 

The project is being funded as part of the energy industry's Carbon Emissions Reduction Target (CERT). By focusing on housing association households, it ensures that funding reaches CERT's priority groups of lower income and older households. 

Announced on 10 June, the scheme has already seen interest from many housing associations, including Community Gateway Association which signed up before applications were even invited.

Housing associations can call 01706 239053 or email housingcorp@eaga.com for further information about the energy-efficient light bulb offer.

Housing Corporation Chief Executive Steve Douglas said, “Tackling fuel poverty and climate change should be key priorities for all social landlords. I'm delighted that some two million households will benefit from free energy-efficient light bulbs as a result of this initiative.”

EDF Energy Head of Energy Efficiency Richard Sykes said, “Everyone has a part to play in tackling climate change. That is why we are delighted to be donating eight million energy saving light bulbs to the Housing Corporation. This support complements the Fit for the Future manual and our own Climate Commitments, first announced in June 2007, in which we stated that we wish to reduce the proportion of CO2 arising from our customers’ energy consumption by 15% by 2020. We are extremely supportive of schemes which help to encourage people to consider and reduce the environmental impact they may have.”

eaga Commercial Manager Yashin Sarnaik said, “As one of the largest providers of domestic energy-efficiency solutions in Europe, eaga is delighted to be supporting this initiative. Household energy accounts for more than a quarter of all UK carbon emissions, so by making our homes more energy efficient we really can make a significant contribution to tackling climate change. Fitting energy-efficient light bulbs is obviously just a part of this, but it is an increasingly important part. If you also consider the rising cost of energy, just lighting a house can account for up to 20% of electricity bills. Replacing standard light bulbs with the more efficient bulbs can reduce energy use by more than 25% in heavily used rooms.”

Community Gateway Association Chief Executive Diane Bellinger said, “It is very pleasing to be the first housing association in the country to sign up to this scheme. We aim to be a leader and we hope the rest of the sector will follow us in signing up. With 6,000 homes in Preston, delivering energy-efficient light bulbs to them all is a practical way we can reduce the carbon emissions from them. The fact that it will also help our tenants reduce their energy bills is a significant bonus. Our people, customers, partners, suppliers and communities are all affected by what we do and how we do it. We believe we have a duty to manage our business processes so that we have a positive long-term effect on our communities, local neighbourhood and the environment generally. We already participate in a carbon-offsetting scheme in partnership with our boiler suppliers through our investment programme. Combined with the light bulb initiative, we will be contributing to not only reducing levels of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, but also bringing a wide range of other benefits to local communities, who are at the heart of everything we do.”

Ends.

For further press information: Terry Sefton, Housing Corporation Press Office: 020 7393 2118.

Richard Robinson, EDF Energy Press office: 020 7752 2266.

Rik Kendall, eaga Media Relations Manager: 0191 245 8342.

Paul Roberts, Community Gateway Association Head of Business Improvement: 01772 268015.

Editor notes:

1. Housing associations can call 01706 239053 or email housingcorp@eaga.com for further information about the energy efficient light bulb offer.

2. The Housing Corporation is the Government's national affordable homes agency, responsible for investing in new affordable homes and regulating nearly 2,000 housing associations that provide some two million homes across England.

3. The Corporation's £8 billion investment programme for 2008-11 is its biggest ever, set to fund at least 155,000 homes. Over 100,000 of these are for affordable rent and more than 50,000 for affordable sale through the Government's HomeBuy initiatives, helping people get a foot on the property ladder.

4. The Housing Corporation is working with Communities and Local Government and English Partnerships to establish the proposed Homes and Communities Agency and proposed Tenants Services Authority.

5. EDF Energy is one of the UK’s largest energy companies. It provides power to a quarter of the UK’s population via our electricity distribution networks in London, the South East and the East of England. It supplies gas and electricity to over five million customers and generates about 5GW of energy from its coal and gas power stations, as well as combined heat and power plants and wind farms. The company is also a key player in national infrastructure projects including management of private electricity networks serving four London airports and the Channel Tunnel Rail Link, the country’s first major new railway in 100 years. EDF Energy employs nearly 13,000 people at locations across the UK. Through its Climate and Social Commitments, EDF Energy has the biggest environmental and social packages of any UK company. EDF Energy is core part of EDF group, one of Europe’s largest power companies. EDF is the official energy utilities partner and a sustainability partner of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

6. eaga: As the leading Green Support Services sector company eaga specialises in providing residential energy efficiency solutions to environmental, energy efficiency and social inclusion challenges. eaga works with governments – primarily on grant-funded programmes aimed at tackling fuel poverty - local authorities, social housing providers and utility companies. Its residential energy efficiency solutions are designed to lower carbon emissions and advance social and environmental justice by combating fuel poverty, improving living conditions and reducing energy consumption. On average, eaga’s energy efficiency activities will reduce annual C02 emissions from a typical family home by around 1.3 tonnes.

 7. The Community Gateway Association (CGA) was created by the transfer of Preston City Council’s housing stock in November 2005. The CGA was the first housing organisation to be based on the Community Gateway Model, which puts resident and community empowerment at the centre of its work. The CGA is committed to spending more than £80m on improving its stock within the first five years.