CEEP - Community Energy Efficiency Programme

Community Energy Efficiency Programme (CEEP)

This programme was devised by Shetland Islands Council in response to evidence that community facilities throughout Shetland were struggling with energy costs and becoming less sustainable. Many community facilities were spending up to 30% of their annual expenditure on energy and at the same time losing income as local groups made less use of facilities that were often uncomfortably chilly.

LEADER Convergence awarded funding of £200,000, matched by £200,000 funding from Shetland Islands Council, to CEEP which was administered through a unique Partnership between Community Energy Scotland and Shetland Islands Council. CEEP was split into 2 phases: an energy audit and a capital improvement programme to address the recommendations of the energy audit. As the costs of the energy audits were generally below the LEADER grant threshold LEADER funding was only provided for the improvement works.

CEEP awarded £354,248 to eligible projects comprising 16 Energy Audits and 27 Capital grants. In total 32 community facilities including public halls, community museums and heritage centres, youth centres, boating clubs and sport and recreation facilities have benefited.

Improvement works approved included

  • more energy efficient lighting systems;
  • higher efficiency radiators and heating systems (including heat pumps);
  • solar gain measures;
  • building and pipe insulation;
  • draught proofing;
  • wall and loft insulation;
  • double glazing;
  • storm proofing entrance and exit routes;

CEEP was “a spend to save” initiative with the aim of improving the fabric of buildings to make them more energy efficient and sustainable. Each facility had to make a “local contribution” to the funding, met either by fundraising or by other grants.

CEEP has delivered positive, long lasting environmental benefits including reducing carbon emissions and energy consumption as well as making members of community groups more aware of carbon reduction and energy reduction issues.

Feedback from participating community groups has been extremely positive.

The CEEP Management Team are now actively looking at how a CEEP2 can be developed bearing in mind the huge financial challenges facing local authorities.

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