Robert Lloyd - a Sir Gar Blog of random news . . . and some Clecs!

Residents in Carmarthenshire are being invited to take the smarter driver challenge which could help them save money on their fuel as well as benefit the environment. The council’s sustainability section has booked the Energy Saving Trust’s eco driving simulator for members of the public to try on Thursday, November 3 in St Peter’s Hall in Nott Square, Carmarthen, between 12.30pm and 2pm. There will also be a display of electric vehicles and information on a range of sustainability issues including green energy, waste and transport. Carmarthenshire’s Sustainability Champion Cllr Pam Palmer said: “Much work is underway in the county to reduce our carbon footprint and reduce climate change and it is important we all think about what we can do to help. “I hope residents will come along to the event and take the smarter driving challenge which could also help them to save money.” People are being urged to make better use of public transport, cycling or walking which can make a big differen...

Surveys are underway at several of Carmarthenshire council’s Sheltered Housing Schemes to look at ways of improving energy efficiency. Carmarthenshire County Council’s housing officers have teamed up with the Energy Savings Trust to look at Llys Glanymor, Clos Llanfiangel, and Llwyn yr Ynys Sheltered Schemes. The aim is to identify ways of making the buildings more efficient to run, reducing their carbon footprint and also helping to reduce fuel bills for residents and the council. Officers have already identified smaller scale improvements, such as upgrading internal and external lighting to LED or movement activated lighting in communal areas, which will switch off when the area is not in use. They will also look to ensure all radiators have valve controls so that those in stairways and corridors can be turned down, and also at loft insulation for communal areas to improve their thermal rating. Larger scale improvements could include looking at boiler systems and installing sola...

Carmarthenshire County Council has been revealed as one of the top five performing authorities across England and Wales in terms of the volume of loft and cavity insulation it has helped install in the county’s homes. New figures from the Energy Saving Trust have placed Carmarthenshire amongst the top five of almost 400 councils, for having seen the highest percentage of their area’s housing stock lagged over the first two years of a new Government target. The housing department’s drive towards helping people to save energy and keep their homes warm comes as part of the Government’s Carbon Emissions Reduction Target (CERT). It has teamed up with a number of insulation companies to offer home owners and private tenants free, or subsidised, loft and cavity wall insulation. Teams of qualified surveyors have visited the county area by area to survey properties, and where appropriate council housing officers have helped identify whether the work could be carried out for free for people in r...