Devon residents are being invited to visit real homes across the county this autumn to see practical ways to cut energy bills, improve comfort and make their homes more resilient to a changing climate.
Open Eco Homes Devon is organising a series of events where householders will open their doors to share the changes they have made to create warmer, healthier and more energy-efficient homes.
The free programme gives residents the chance to see measures such as insulation, solar panels, batteries, heat pumps, ventilation, natural materials, rainwater harvesting and wildlife-friendly gardens in a real-life setting.
Visitors can speak directly to householders about what worked well, what they learned and the advice they would give to others considering similar improvements.
Residents do not need to be planning a major renovation to take part. A visit could help people identify a simple next step, such as improving loft insulation, reducing draughts, adding shading or finding out whether solar panels could work for their roof.
Robin de Carteret, who coordinates the project, said: “Seeing that people had simply got on and made these changes made it feel real and possible. The real benefit was talking to householders: what it was like to live with the changes, the decisions they made and the tips they had afterwards.”
Robin and his wife Hannah visited earlier Open Eco Homes events before building their own timber-frame Passivhaus home, which uses very little energy. It includes recycled-newspaper and wood-fibre insulation, triple glazing, heat-recovery ventilation and solar panels.
The events also come at a time when recent extreme weather, including wildfires, drought and heatwaves, has highlighted the importance of making homes more resilient to a changing climate.
Better insulation, shading and ventilation can help keep homes warmer in winter and cooler in summer, while also reducing carbon emissions and energy bills.
Robin added: “People want to hear from someone who actually has a heat pump, solar panels or insulation. Being able to see things for yourself and ask honest questions helps cut through the conflicting information.”
With support from Energy Saving Devon, this year’s programme will open up areas across Devon during September and October.
Devon County Council is working in partnership with Energy Saving Devon to promote retrofitting and support residents to improve the energy efficiency of their homes.
Councillor Jacqi Hodgson, Devon County Council Cabinet Member for Climate Change and Biodiversity, said:
“This is a great opportunity for residents to explore practical ways to make their homes more energy efficient, comfortable and resilient. This summer has shown how extreme weather can affect our health, wellbeing and daily lives, so it is increasingly important that homes are better prepared for a changing climate.”
Event dates:
Evening event:
- Wednesday 23 September: Open Eco Homes Devon: Real Homes, Real Solutions – an evening of talks, practical advice and Q&A, 7pm to 9pm at Newton Abbot Library. Hear from householders and experts about real-life retrofit, heat pumps, grants, summer cooling and low-carbon homes. Free – booking required at Open Eco Homes Devon – Energy Saving Devon
Open home weekends:
- 19–20 September: Open Homes in South Hams and North Devon
- 26–27 September: Open Homes in Teign Valley and East Dartmoor
- 3–4 October: Open Homes in Newton Abbot to Dawlish and Sidmouth & Ottery St Mary Parishes
- 10–11 October: Open Homes in Plymouth and Lustleigh to Dawlish
For the interactive map, participating homes and full event details, visit energysavingdevon.org.uk/open-eco-homes-devon.