Subject: Energise Manchester, Beginners Guide to Retrofit and our AGM ⚒️

New team members, and Energise Manchester updates!

April is a month of change at Carbon Co-op. Many of our existing projects are continuing to progress and this month we are featuring several updates from our Energise Manchester project.

We are also saying goodbye to several staff members who have made a massive impact during their time at Carbon Co-op. We wish them all the best in their future endeavours and hope to see them around in the community energy space soon. Sam Holt, our longstanding software developer is leaving at the beginning of May, along with Elaine Baker Energy Systems Project Manager. Sophia Godfrey, Project Officer in the Retrofit Team is also leaving, although only going as far as People Powered Retrofit, so we will continue to see her around the office! We are also welcoming new people to our team, with Eleanor Radcliffe and Joe Cain joining the Carbon Co-op staff team.

There is also another opportunity to take part in our Solar Study with University College London, where participants will be rewarded with £50 to thank them for their time. If you have solar panels, make sure to register now!

Become a Carbon Co-op member

Become a local energy saving champion

A photo of solar panels on the roof of a house

Benefit from fully funded retrofit coaching now!

The Energise Manchester programme is offering a limited number of South Manchester residents (in the Whalley Range, Moss Side, Rusholme, Longsight and Levenshulme wards) advice from a Retrofit Coach and free professional consultancy support, to help them get their heads around energy efficiency and plan retrofit improvements for their homes.

There’s no deadline, but responses will be assessed on a first come first served basis.

Find out more and apply

Solar Study Opportunity

We are looking for more participants in our Solar Study. If you have solar panels and a smart meter and have not yet registered to take part in our solar research study in collaboration with University College London, then you still have time.

Take a look at our short survey to learn more about the project, and register your interest in earning £50 for taking part in a collective workshop.

Take part in our solar study

Reflections on a Retrofit Assessment Design Workshop

This guest blog from People Powered Retrofit's Sandy Rushton looks at some of the outcomes and findings of a recent Energise Manchester meeting where team members from Manchester Care & Repair, People Powered Retrofit, and Carbon Coop built consensus on some key design questions that needed to be answered before retrofit assessments could be delivered to residents of South Manchester as part of the Energise Manchester programme.

Discover Sandy's reflections

Energise Manchester: Our Approach to Inclusive Language

People writing on post it notes and postcards in front of a Carbon Co-op banner

As the end of the first winter of activities comes to a close, the Energise Manchester team has taken some time to reflect on our experiences. We’ve found that our thinking around inclusive language has evolved, shaped by the project team’s insights.

In this blog, we share an overview of our journey and the changes made to how we describe the people we work with on Energise Manchester.

What we are reading...

Plug-in Public Power: The Case for Community Energy Democracy

This latest report from Common Wealth presents how joint public ownership will accelerate a just transition and seal local support for stalled community renewables development.

Read the report

A photo of heat pumps or air conditioning units painted brightly on the outside of a building

In the community

Compression tape on new windows - should I insist?

One Carbon Co-op community member asks if they should insist on the installation of compression tape on their new windows. Do you have insight on this topic, or another issue relating to domestic carbon emission reductions that you can share?

Join the conversation