New Energy Advice Centre to cut Londoner’s fuel bills opened by London South Bank University
A new student-led advice and information service to help households save money on their energy bills, reduce energy consumption and improve energy efficiency is being opened by London South Bank University (LSBU) on 5th January 2023.
The new LSBU Energy Advice Centre will offer Londoners advice and information on home energy costs (e.g. getting help with heating bills) and advice on grants for home energy improvements and reducing energy costs. It will also offer advice about energy decisions around the home (e.g. ‘should I change my lightbulbs to a more efficient model or what time is best to run my heating?’).
The new LSBU Energy Advice Centre will offer Lambeth and Southwark residents:
- Online advice & information on energy costs via a website & email: energyadvice@lsbu.ac.uk
- Face-to-face energy advice and information from: LSBU Energy Advice Centre, Clarence Centre for Enterprise & Innovation, 126 London Rd, SE1 0AE
- Energy advice and information at events for the public in different parts of South London.
Graeme Maidment, LSBU Professor of Heating and Cooling, said, “We are determined to use the huge expertise at LSBU on cutting energy costs to help people save money on their energy bills by opening our brand-new Energy Advice Centre. Rising energy bills and the cost-of-living crisis are hitting people in the pocket and we hope to reach thousands of people through the advice and information on our website, email and face-to-face services. LSBU’s new Energy Advice Centre is the place to come and get advice and information on cutting your home energy costs and getting help with your heating bills.”
Dr Henrique Lagoeiro, Research Fellow at the Centre for Heating and Cooling Research, London South Bank University, said, "As a university we have an important role to play in supporting our community to thrive. The LSBU Energy Advice Centre is a student-led initiative with hands-on experience that is a great example of how the research and education we deliver can have a real impact on the lives of people in our local area and beyond."
Students and staff will run the new LSBU Energy Advice Centre, including LSBU PhD students have constructed the infrastructure to run the LSBU Energy Advice Centre, including: creating an energy question & answer database for our advisors, producing support information and a website for Londoners to help people cut their energy costs. Staff from LSBU’s School of Engineering will support the work of our new LSBU Energy Advice Centre. They include our London Centre for Energy Engineering research centre: Deborah Andrews - Professor of Design for Sustainability and Circularity, Graeme Maidment - Professor of Heating and Cooling and Ben Lishman - Associate Dean for Education and Student Experience. Engineering School undergraduate students work as front-line advisers for residents at the LSBU Energy Advice Centre.
The model for LSBU Energy Advice Centre is based on our award-winning Legal Advice Centres where our students act as front-line advisers supported by graduate students and academic staff.
In April 2022 LSBU launched a UK-first energy project to research how 5G can cut consumer energy costs and carbon emissions. The ‘Green, Connected and Prosperous Britain’ research Network Plus project is funded by a £1.1million grant from UKRI and will make recommendations to the energy companies and government over the next two years.
The LSBU Energy Advice Centre project is being launched with the support of the registered charity, UPP Foundation, who are making a very kind donation to support the running of the LSBU Energy Advice Centre.