As part of their ongoing commitment to improving energy efficiency district-wide, Mid Suffolk District Council has commissioned research survey specialists ETT to conduct a telephone survey to collect important information from householders about energy efficiency.

This will not only help promote the value of potential energy saving and cost-cutting measures like loft and cavity wall insulation, pipe and tank lagging, draught proofing and installing renewable energy systems, but will also help provide the information the council needs for monitoring the improvement in the energy efficiency of the housing stock across the district.

The telephone survey, conducted at random from information held in telephone directories, will contact up to 2,000 district householders over a two-week period, starting Monday 9 August 2010. Householders will be asked questions about current fuel use and costs and about any energy saving measures they have already installed.

Bob Smith, the Council’s Private Sector Housing Lead Officer, said: “Improving energy efficiency is one of the easiest and most effective ways every householder can save money. It can also help people stay warm in their homes, as well reducing the amount of harmful gases entering the atmosphere”.

“We’d like to assure our residents that personal details will not be recorded and that the details we collect will only be used for the purposes of monitoring improvement in energy efficiency of our housing and improving our current service. All data collected will be screened against the Telephone Preference Service to meet the requirements of the Data Protection Act.”

‘The topic of energy efficiency may not immediately interest everybody, but the end results, saving money, keeping warm, and reducing the emission of greenhouse gases certainly do,” comments Bob. “We’d like everyone who is contacted to take part, and it could be advantageous for those who think they may benefit from cutting household bills.”

If you are contacted over the next two weeks by ETT, please answer each question honestly as it really could help you save money and ensure that we are all doing our bit to fight the effects of global warming.

-ENDS-

Media contact:

Vicky Smy, Senior Communications Officer, telephone: 01449 724850, email: vicky.smy@midsuffolk.gov.uk 

Notes to editor:

• This annual survey is being conducted to meet statutory responsibilities under the Home Energy Conservation Act, 1995.
• The information will be used by the Council to measure progress, inform its strategies for energy efficiency and anti-fuel-poverty campaigns and providing grants to householders for insulation and installing renewable energy systems.
• The Council will also use the survey as an opportunity for householders to become actively engaged in energy efficiency issues.