An energy-saving project in Birmingham to help people facing fuel poverty has been hailed a success after the majority of households successfully saved energy and money on their fuel bills, according to the interim evaluation of the project.

We have been working in partnership with Moseley Community Development Trust and Groundwork West Midlands to deliver the Birmingham Environmental Partnership – Working Neighbourhood and European funded Birmingham ‘Green Doctor’ project. 

The Birmingham Green Doctors visit vulnerable residents, such as those aged over 60 and / or claiming benefits, with a disability or ill health. The Green Doctors provide people with an energy-saving health check, give easy to understand suggestions about how they could reduce their energy consumption and save money on their energy bills, offer advice about recycling and conserving water, and fit a range of energy and water-saving measures where appropriate.

Research into the work of the Green Doctor team, which has now visited more than 400 households, shows that the project successfully changed the behaviour of people at risk of fuel poverty by giving them energy-saving advice and support.

The project has helped residents in Handsworth, Summerfield, Ladywood, Soho, Nechells, Newtown, Moseley, Sparkbrook, Balsall Heath, Alum Rock, Washwood Heath, Northfield and Saltley.

A telephone survey of 63 of the households that had been visited showed that most people followed the advice of the Green Doctors about the behavioural changes they could make to reduce their energy use and bills.

About half the people interviewed believed that they had been able to reduce their energy use as a result of the behavioural and practical changes they had made.

The top four behavioural changes made by residents were to stop leaving electrical items on standby, to switch to low-energy light bulbs, to limit the amount of water heated and to adjust heating controls.

Feedback from the Green Doctors showed that the project had benefitted older people significantly as many had never been able to work out how to adjust their heating system controls or realised which appliances used the most electricity merely by being plugged into a socket but not in use. The Green Doctor helped them to understand this.

Claire Hardwick, head of community investment at Family, said: “We are really pleased with the outcome of the interim evaluation following stage one of the Green Doctor project. It shows significant, tangible behavioural and lifestyle impacts that the work of the energy advisors have had.

“We are hoping that a further report following stage two will show us that the households have managed to sustain these positive behavioural changes longer-term and continue to save energy and money. The initial feedback is very promising and shows residents have taken on board the advice and changes the Green Doctors have made so they are having a genuine positive affect on people’s lifestyles.”

Phase two of the evaluation will see more interviews with the interviewees to see whether they have continued to follow their Green Doctor’s advice and benefit from it. There will also be a calculation of the energy cost and carbon savings as a result of the measures taken and installed by the households during the two-year life of the project.

For more information about the Birmingham Green Doctor project please email Claire Hardwick