A SCHEME to help village halls across Rother reduce their carbon footprints and energy costs is nearing completion.
The Village Halls Energy Project (VHEP) was launched in 2023 to identify and address areas of energy inefficiency and high carbon emissions in local village and community halls across the district.
The project has been a key initiative for the authority and is linked directly to the council’s objective to reduce carbon emissions Rother wide and move towards a low carbon future.
A total of 39 halls across the district have benefited from a share of a £500,000 funding pot to finance energy assessments, decarbonisation and energy efficiency improvements.
The money was awarded to the project from the council’s Community Infrastructure Levy Climate Emergency Bonus Fund.
Cllr Kathryn Field, portfolio holder for environmental and climate strategy at Rother District Council, said: “The Village Halls Energy Project has been an important initiative for the council, linking directly into our work to reduce carbon emissions across Rother.
“I am delighted that so many of our community and village halls embraced this scheme and submitted bids for a wide range of energy improvements.
“The improvements made to these valuable community spaces will ensure they are efficient, warm, and environmentally friendly places for all our residents to enjoy now and in the future.”
Phase one of the project, which was completed by June 2023, saw all the participating halls receive a bespoke Decarbonisation Plan from consultants LASER Energy.
In phase two, 29 halls received a funding award from two rounds of grant funding. Round one applications were agreed between October and December 2023, with round two of the grant applications closing in June 2024.
The grants contributed to a range of improvements including LED lighting, wall insulation, glazing and doors, roof improvements and insulation, and solar PV panels.
Collectively these measures are expected to save £34,000 per year on the halls’ energy bills and have an expected lifetime carbon saving of 1,220 tonnes of Carbon Dioxide equivalent (TCO2e) annually.
Crowhurst Village Hall was difficult to heat to a comfortable temperature in winter and in summer, the hall would get unbearably hot.
The hall received VHEP grant money for insulating the roof, updating the lighting as well as a contribution towards solar panels and battery storage.
Richard Day, from the Crowhurst Village Hall committee, said: “The new insulated roof has made a massive difference. The hall now heats up in the morning and maintains its temperature for a significant proportion of the day and most importantly, there is no drop off in the evenings when the hall is still being used.
“The feedback has been brilliant with all of the regular hirers of the hall, especially the local primary school, commenting on what a nice feel the hall has now that the temperature is just right.”
Solar panels on the Sedlescombe Village Hall have yielded around 47 per cent of the hall’s energy usage since being installed in mid-August to the end of December last year.
Keith Saunders, Chair of Trustees for Sedlescombe Village Hall, said: “Our feedback is overwhelmingly positive. The bidding process was relatively straightforward and as we went through the process of finding an appropriate contractor, we learned a great deal about solar systems.”
The project has also funded additional items in a number of halls including an air source heat pump, solar battery storage, radiators, smart heating controls, infrared heaters and thermal blinds, which will bring further carbon and cost savings.
Based on the recommendations in their decarbonisation plans, several halls are continuing with further decarbonisation efforts including using alternative grant funding or reserves to install solar panels and LED lighting, as well as reported plans to raise funds to implement recommendations in the future.
Published: 5th February 2025
