SEPTEMBER 2011: HHSRS TOOLKIT PUBLISHED
After many months of research, Impetus, in partnership with NEA (ex Impetus staff member Kelly Lee) and Blooming Green (ex Impetus staff member Julie Robinson), has published a toolkit for local authorities on using the Housing Health and Safety Rating System to cut fuel poverty in the private rented sector. With funding from Eaga Charitable Trust, the Energy Efficiency Partnership for Homes and DECC, the toolkit provides a policy overview, a series of best practice case studies and a comprehensive review of ‘Excess Cold’ cases coming up before the Residential Property Tribunal. The toolkit can be downloaded here: http://www.nea.org.uk/publication-list/

SEPTEMBER 2011: ASHDEN AWARDS – CALL FOR ENTRIES
Since 2010, Emma has been one of the Ashden Awards for Sustainable Energy’s UK judges. The 2011 winners were Radian Housing, the Centre for Alternative Energy, Severn Wye Energy Agency, Midlands Woodfuel and Transition Totnes - http://www.ashdenawards.org/UK_2011. Entries are currently being sought for the 2012 awards from organisations that are increasing the use of sustainable energy, reducing carbon emissions and/or changing behaviour to significantly cut energy use. Details are available here: http://www.ashdenawards.org/apply.

SEPTEMBER 2011: TRAINING FOR PLANNERS IN THE EAST MIDLANDS
In May and June, Emma worked with CAG consultants to deliver a series of training sessions to planners in the East Midlands on opportunities to cut carbon emissions and adapt to climate change through the planning system. The training provided information how to develop a robust evidence base and use this to develop policies to encourage low carbon and climate resilient development. The slides used in these training sessions can be accessed here: http://www.climate-em.org.uk/resources/item/slides-used-in-planners-toolkit-workshop3/

SEPTEMBER 2011: ROLE OF LOCAL COUNCILS IN HELPING THEIR COMMUNITIES ACCESS GREEN DEAL FINANCE
Emma is currently working with Joanne Wade on a project to investigate the potential role of local (town, parish or community) councils in helping their communities access Green Deal. The project, which has been funded by Eaga Charitable Trust, involved working with the National Association of Local Councils and the Association of Scottish Community Councils. To register interest in the outputs of the project, please email Emma on emma.jones@impetusconsult.co.uk

SEPTEMBER 2011: LOCAL IMPROVEMENT ADVISOR PROGRAMME
From 2009 until March this year (when the programme’s funding ceased) Emma worked as one of ten climate change advisors under the ‘Local Improvement Advisor’ to support local and regional partnership on a range of environmental initiatives. One of her final assignments involved helping to set up the Rother Carbon Reduction Group, facilitating the group’s inaugural meeting and helping to develop its action plan. Other assignments have included supporting the development of a local food programme in Elmbridge Borough Council, facilitating the development of partnership approaches to climate change mitigation in Cambridgeshire, writing a series of case studies on the climate change adaptation work of authorities in the East Midlands, and helping the Wakefield Local Strategic Partnership develop its carbon reduction plan.

SEPTEMBER 2011: WHERE ARE THEY NOW?
In September 2009, following the Energy Saving Trust’s decision to take management of both the Practical help and Energy Efficiency Advice Centre programmes in house, Impetus scaled back to just one full time member of staff, Emma Jones, plus a number of associates. Here’s an update on what happened to our staff:
Dave Barton works on a range of sustainability projects local to his home in West Sussex, particularly community energy, green building improvements, eco-design projects and community orchards.
Alex Fenech went on to work as an administrator at a local London primary school.
Rachael Hickman (nee Knowland) works for the Greater London Authority. She is responsible for delivering RE:NEW (Home energy efficiency for tomorrow) a pan-London home retrofit programme.
Zoe Holliday transferred to the ESTs Scotland’s local authority team. Hannah Jeffery went to work for PCS, which provides bid management services to construction companies. Hannah’s work focuses on the sustainability content of bids.
Kelly Lee went on to work as Operations Manager at NEA and has subsequently moved on to British Gas. Kelly recently worked with Emma on the production of a toolkit for local authorities on how to use the Housing Health and Safety Rating System to achieve higher standards of energy efficiency in the private rented sector.
Amanda Pearson left us to have her second child.
Bindi Patel left us to work for the London Borough of Lambeth and has subsequently moved on to become a policy advisor at the UK Business Council for Sustainable Energy.
Louise Quarrel left us to become Head of Environmental Services at Heston Lowe and has subsequently moved on to become a Director at Carbon Smart.
Will Rivers transferred to EST London’s local authority team.
Julie Robinson set up her own company, Blooming Green, and works on a range of projects in the sustainability sector. She continues to work in partnership with Emma and Joanne on a number of projects, including the development of the ‘Our Warm Community’ toolkit for small housing associations, available at www.ourwarmcommunity.org.uk.
Keith von Tersch transferred to EST London’s local authority team.
Joanne Wade works as an independent energy consultant and is also an associate lecturer for the Open University. She continues to work with Emma on a number of projects, including the Local Carbon Framework evaluation and a project looking at the potential role of local councils in helping their communities access Green Deal.
Louise Woollen joined West Sussex County Council’s environment team and now works as a sustainability officer at Tunbridge Wells Borough Council.