Tag: Green Home Festival 2023

Organisers CICV celebrate another successful Green Home Festival

Clearer messaging is needed to help the public and ‘myth-bust’ the journey to net zero

Scotland’s second Green Home Festival has been hailed another resounding success – but its organisers have also insisted that government and industry must work closer together to deliver clearer guidance and “myth-bust” the misinformation around low-carbon living.

More than 500delegates signed up for the five-day renewables jamboree organised by the Construction Industry Collective Voice (CICV), enjoying a week of practical assistance and advice to help homeowners on Scotland’s journey to becoming a net zero nation.

The festival, held from 14-18 August as part of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, saw packed houses for 11 shows on a range of renewables topics, including preparing for a heat pump, taking a fabric first approach and converting churches into low-carbon social housing.

Co-organiser Gordon Nelson, Scotland Director of the Federation of Master Builders, said: “The Green Home Festival again served as a clear demonstration of the public’s growing demand and enthusiasm for sustainable technologies and it was extremely satisfying to see full houses for most of our events.

“It was particularly encouraging to see so many homeowners and community groups attending, engaging and asking questions, and good to see senior industry representatives sharing ideas to help spread the message that low-carbon living is possible if we want it.

“Such enthusiasm shows that there IS appetite for information on green living across the board from all quarters and it’s important we now keep up this dialogue and continue the momentum – we simply can’t afford to stand still.”

However, co-organiser Fiona Hodgson, CEO of plumbing and heating association SNIPEF, warned: “Discussions at the festival showed that there is still a significant degree of confusion and misinformation around the costs and benefits of low-carbon technologies, much of which hinders people from making informed decisions about sustainable living. 

“It’s therefore vital for the government and the construction and energy sectors to work collaboratively to create a more consistent and cohesive messaging strategy to counter and myth-bust this misinformation.

“By showcasing the benefits of sustainable living and explaining the significance of the low-carbon transition, we can help engage and inform the public, fostering a more sustainable future for all. It is time to leverage the momentum from the Green Home Festival to create lasting, impactful change – something we at the CICV intend to carry forward.”

The festival was launched on Monday 14 August by Minister for Housing Paul McLennan, who told guests: “Events such as the Green Home Festival can play a huge part in increasing understanding of the changes we need to see in our building stock and of zero emissions heating systems in Scotland.”

Scotland’s Home of the Year judge Anna Campbell-Jones also took centre stage on the opening day to discuss how to make kitchens more eco-friendly, with contributions from Scottish Water, SNIPEF and Scotland’s largest construction trade association, SELECT.

Other sessions which drew crowds to the Scottish HQ of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) in central Edinburgh included shows on garden rooms and offices, options for hybrid heating, community heat networks and powering the home of the future.

As well as CICV members, guest speakers included representatives from Built Environment – Smarter Transformation, Home Energy Scotland, Page\Park architects, the University of Edinburgh, Worcester Bosch and Edinburgh Napier University.

John McKinney, co-organiser of the Green Home Festival and Secretary of the National Federation of Roofing Contractors, said: “In addition to offering the public practical advice, the festival reinforced the importance of seeking out the right industry professionals and accredited contractors who are members of relevant trade associations.

“We were keen to get across the message that competent, trusted tradesmen will deliver quality advice and projects – be it for a greener kitchen, a new heating system or a garden office – which was received well by delegates throughout the week.”

Organisers have now made many of the festival presentations available to download online, with the webinar free to watch again online as the CICV continues to gather feedback and draft plans for the 2024 event.

Alan Wilson, Managing Director of SELECT and Chair of the CICV, said: “The second Green Home Festival built on the firm foundations laid down last year to deliver a wider variety of shows to even bigger and more enthusiastic audiences.

“We are grateful to Mr McLennan and Anna Campbell-Jones for attending, showing their commitment and helping raise the profile of renewable technology and low-carbon living. We now hope to harness this enthusiasm and make the 2024 event even more of a success.”

The festival is the latest in a string of practical and constructive initiatives launched by the CICV since its creation at the start of the pandemic in March 2020.

Made up of 28 trade associations, professional services bodies and companies, it has maintained a steady supply of information and practical advice to the sector as well as carrying out surveys, producing animations and posters, hosting webinars and maintaining close dialogue with government.

First shows confirmed for Green Home Festival

The first four shows have been confirmed for this year’s Green Home Festival, with just 100 days to go until the start of the keenly anticipated event which is again being organised by the Construction Industry Collective Voice (CICV).

Tickets are now available for the second festival, which will run from 14-18 August as part of the official Edinburgh Festival Fringe and once again deliver practical assistance and advice to help Scotland become a Net Zero nation.

Organisers have announced the first four shows in the free hybrid event and say that other events and special guests will be announced shortly, with a special focus on consumer issues.

The first shows to be confirmed are:

  • Ingredients for a Greener Kitchen, a show which will focus on three vital areas that can make kitchens eco-friendly: water efficiency, electrical efficiency and sustainably sourced kitchen units. Delegates will have the chance to quiz experts from SNIPEF, the plumbing employers’ body, SELECT, the electrical trade association and FMB member James Alan Construction, who will all share their first-hand knowledge and advise on what to consider when planning a kitchen.
  • Festival of fabric first, which will help homeowners understand more about the steps to take before embarking on a retrofit project to improve energy efficiency in their homes. The talk will offer tips and insights from a retrofit co-ordinator, architect and builder on what to look out for and the  materials and products to use. It will also feature a discussion on Passivhaus.
  • Garden rooms and offices, which have become increasingly popular in recent years as homeowners change how they live and work. Experts will offer advice and tips on building a garden room and how to make it as eco-friendly as possible. Delegates will also have chance to ask questions relating to their next project.

Gordon Nelson, who is among the organising team from CICV, said: “The second Green Home Festival is shaping up to be as big a success as the inaugural event last year and the planning is firmly on track for another informative and helpful week.

“Once again, in a mix of in-person and virtual presentations, the Festival will highlight issues such as accessible green funding sources, air source heat pumps, electric vehicles (EVs) and EV charging.

“All the events will be relevant to the construction industry, which will be at the forefront of delivering net zero, but they will also have a strong focus on the interest of the consumers who will be the end users of the new technologies which are so rapidly being developed.”

Targeting homeowners, professionals, local authorities, housing associations and local authorities, the Green Home Festival is the latest in a string of practical and constructive initiatives launched by the CICV since its creation as the Construction Industry Coronavirus (CICV) Forum in March 2020.

Made up of 29 trade associations, professional services bodies and companies, it has maintained a steady supply of information and practical advice to the sector as well as carrying out surveys, producing animations and posters, hosting webinars and maintaining close dialogue with Scottish Government ministers.

  • Tickets for all Green Home Festival events are free and can be reserved here.

Green funding, recyclable kitchens and keeping homes draught-free are among the hot topics planned for CICV’s Green Home Festival 2023

Building greener kitchens, accessing renewable funding and preventing heat loss through windows and doors are among the main events being planned for this year’s Green Home Festival, organisers have revealed.

Air source heat pumps, effective insulation and electric vehicles (EVs) will also be high on the agenda at the second five-day event, which is being organised by the Construction Industry Collective Voice (CICV).

Running from 14-18 August as part of the official Edinburgh Festival Fringe and delivered via a mix of in-person and virtual presentations, the festival will once again deliver practical assistance and advice to help Scotland become a net zero nation.

With a focus very much on consumer issues, CICV organisers have followed up on the success of last year’s inaugural event with another line-up of topical talking points, including:

  • Garden rooms and garden offices
  • Practical consumer guidance on heat pumps
  • Efficient use of gas central heating
  • Hybrid heating and boiler types
  • Converting disused buildings into smart homes
  • Insulation and fabric of buildings in domestic retrofitting
  • The future of low-carbon heating technologies, such as microwave
  • Webinars on retrofit skills and heat programmes
  • Solar panels, including battery storage options.

The festival is again likely to attract Ministerial attendance from the Scottish Government, with other special guests also being pencilled in to appear to extol the virtues of green energy and low-carbon living.

One of the CICV organisers, John McKinney, Secretary of the National Federation of Roofing Contractors, said: “Last year’s inaugural Green Home Festival delivered a wealth of demonstrations and hands-on guidance about efficient use of energy and smart interaction with the built environment.

“As we all try to minimise carbon emissions and do our best to mitigate the effects of the cost-of-living crisis, it is likely that interest this year will be even greater, and the proposed programme is designed to have a greater focus on consumers and practical domestic advice.

“The construction industry has demonstrated unprecedented levels of co-operation in the common interest in recent years and this festival will once again illustrate that it can work together with the public to help build a greener Scotland for everyone.”

Presenters at the show will include experts from the CICV and other organisations including the Architects Climate Action Network, Edinburgh University, BE-ST, and the Energy Savings Trust, with venues, dates and booking details to be revealed later this year.

Co-organiser Gordon Nelson, Scotland Director of the Federation of Master Builders, added: “Representatives from across the construction industry in Scotland have once again been working hard to put together a programme for the festival which is relevant to a wide audience and of real practical value to consumers.

“There is a tangible feeling that the will to act is now there in the broad mass of companies, organisations and individuals who want to reduce their carbon footprint and become more energy efficient.

“As the agenda firms up and the festival begins to take shape over the coming months, we expect that its professional perspective and focus on a more sustainable and healthier environment will attract a wide audience from Scotland and beyond.”

The second Green Home Festival is the latest in a string of practical and constructive initiatives launched by the CICV since its creation as the Construction Industry Coronavirus (CICV) Forum in March 2020.

Made up of 28 trade associations, professional services bodies and companies, it has maintained a steady supply of information and practical advice to the sector as well as carrying out surveys, producing animations and posters, hosting webinars and maintaining close dialogue with Scottish Government ministers.