It’s not long until the crunch climate talks in Copenhagen.  And with this week’s gathering at the UN, followed by the G20 meeting in Pitsburg, climate change dominates both the media and political agenda; for the time being at least.  Unfortunately a lot of this still focuses on talking and what is being offered up is often too vague and lacking in targets for us to make any meaningful assessment as to whether it will really be enough.

Many of the commentators and politicians talk about this being a make or break time.  Whether they back up their rhetoric with action is a mute point.  But with 27 per cent of the UK’s carbon emissions coming from our homes we, as homeowners, are in an ideal position to show them the way.  That is why the Grand Designs Great British Refurb Campaign has redesigned and relaunched our website.

We want it to enable you to be better able to contribute to the campaign and to tell your story about what you have been doing to reduce your homes energy consumption and carbon footprint.  Your story will inspire others to follow.  Your story will show what can be done.  But it will also show that with more government support and financial incentives stories like yours can become common place in houses across the UK.  When we remember that around 70 per cent of the homes which will be standing in 2050 are already built then what we do to refurbish them really does matter.

If you want to do more but are not yet sure what, or indeed how, then our campaign can tell you more; visit our Save Energy in the Home pages and we’ll help to get you started.  Or if you are in Birmingham between the 9 and 11 October then why not make a visit to the Grand Designs Live Show http://www.granddesignslive.com home and be inspired.

Stuart Singleton-White
Campaign Director