An eco-renovation network for Oz too?
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The newly formed Glasgow-based Eco-Renovation Network in the UK argues any house can become an eco-house and they believe that with around 80% of people in the UK living in towns and cities one of the most important things we can be doing is looking at ways to improve our existing housing stock.
About the website
This is a voluntary initiative and the network wants to encourage individuals to take action to increase the sustainability of their own homes. The main aim is to facilitate local networks, initially in Glasgow, to make it easier for people to find out and share information on eco-renovation and to reduce the costs to people through co-operative buying, workshops and practical work-parties.
The first local group will be launched in November 2006 with a series of talks in collaboration with the Lighthouse, Scotland’s Centre for Architecture & Design.
The site is still being built and some parts do not work yet but you can sign up for their e-bulletin.
Are there any grassroots efforts like this here? Do let us know if there are!
5 Comments
Hi
I am very excited that you have found out about what we are doing in Glasgow all the way over there at the other side of the world! If you really are interested in starting a similar thing then I should be able to make a copy of the Glasgow Microsite that can be renamed the ‘your-town eco-renovation network’ and you can use it to organise your own events, coorperative buys, share information etc etc.
But first we need to get the site working, launch the glasgow network (on wednesday ….eeeek!), see how the Glasgow group works and improve the website and then think about how we can help other interested groups in other towns and cities get started. Robert and I are coming to the conclusion that we may have to seek some funding so that one of us can give up our job and work part -time (at least) developing the enormous potential of the project. At the moment I am cramming it in between my family, my job and my Masters.
However there is no doubt that within the next 6 months to a year we will be able to give other interested groups their own microsites to use. We may also need to look at making the main site more international.
Thanks so much for your interest and keep in touch – sign up for the e-bulletin if you like and I will send out news on that of how we are getting on with setting up more microsites….at the moment the news on the bulletin is likely to be rather Scotland-centric
Kat
Great to hear from you ‘all the way over there in Glasgow’ Kat. The whole project sounds fantastic – I’ll follow up some contacts here and keep PWF readers informed. Good luck with your launch tomorrow!
Hi Gail
Well I’ll be blowed!! I contacted the eco-renovation network too and I’ve just found a link to you through the e-bulletin! How exciting! I was asking about starting up over here too! Lots of possibilities!! I’d love to help out with it!
Liza
Hi Liza Talk about ‘synchronicity’….I’d love you to help out…haven’t even thought of how to start..except to talk and write about a fantastic idea! What are your thoughts? DO let me know!
Anyone interested in ecorenovation will be interested in COIN (Climate Outreach and Information Network), a charity based in Oxford UK working on communicating climate change. We have various ‘wings’ such as delivering training and promoting eco-renovation of residential, rented and business accommodation. We work with many different people from local authorities to union workers, from politicians to refugees.
We also run a Climate Action Group programme. Climate Action Groups (CAGs) are self-directed groups that work usually for about six months on climate change issues of their choice. We are currently writing a ‘do it yourself’ manual explaining how to set up, run and support Climate Action Groups. As we feel this is such a good way to mobilise local communities we will be disseminating this manual for free, by email, to anyone who may be interested in initial advice or further help on how to run CAGs. For further information on CAGs see: http://coinet.org.uk/projects2/climate_action_groups .
If you know of anyone (including yourself) who would be interested to receive the CAG manual then please email me at toby@coinet.org.uk with their:
1) Name and Organisation (and title within organisation where relevant)
2) Email Address
Many thanks,
Toby