Sustainability & Environmental Consulting

Community energy groups in the UK have faced significant challenges in managing vast amounts of data while striving to secure funding and implement energy-efficiency schemes. Bioregional identified these niche issues and developed tailored solutions to empower these groups.

One of the key initiatives was the creation of the Community Energy Manager, a free online tool developed in collaboration with SpiralEdge and funded by Nesta. This tool enables community groups to efficiently manage and analyze data related to household energy-efficiency measures. By allowing groups to store, aggregate, and map data, Community Energy Manager helps identify trends and common issues within neighborhoods. This streamlined approach has facilitated the development of localized energy schemes and enhanced engagement with larger initiatives led by local authorities or energy companies.

Additionally, Bioregional launched Project LEMUR (Local Energy Mapping for Urban Retrofit) in partnership with Oxford Brookes University, Cherwell District Council, and Future Cities Catapult, with funding from Innovate UK. This project addresses the complexities of retrofitting urban homes by integrating data from the DECoRuM model and Community Energy Manager. LEMUR provides targeted insights into which homes would benefit most from specific retrofit measures, thereby aiding in the design of effective local retrofit programs. Currently, LEMUR is being utilized in Oxfordshire as part of the ERDF-funded project Oxfutures, showcasing its practical application in enhancing urban energy efficiency.