Warm Wales FRESH approach to tackling fuel poverty wins national award

PORT TALBOT, Wales - Oct. 11, 2017 - PRLog -- Warm Wales ~ Cymru Gynnes has pioneered the FRESH Vulnerability Mapping System. This demystifies complex 'big data' and provides a powerful visual tool for local council's to co-ordinate the work of their Affordable Warmth Partnerships.

" Foundation data for Robust Energy Strategies for Housing, FRESH, provides local street data highlighting the fuel poor cold-hazard housing clusters with low income and concentrations of ill-health. This allows far more effective targeting of local resources" said Professor Jones of Cardiff University which developed the mass EPC cluster software used to develop the FRESH maps.

Mark Oliver, Director of Business Services at Wales & West Utilities, who supported the development of FRESH and the Community Energy Champions programme, which provides house-to-house surveys in the vulnerability hot spot areas, said,

"We work hard to support those in the communities we serve who are most in need, and we're proud that our partnership has helped Warm Wales win this  prestigious national award. Developing practical and highly cost effective tools can help identify vulnerable fuel-poor households and get them the support they need from local council and public health services."

Projects Director, Jonathan Cosson, who is heading up the house-to-house Community Energy Champions Programme, commented, " We are grateful to sponsorship from Wales & West Utilities in rolling out the FRESH maps to another 5 local council areas and we are using these maps currently in North Wales with Flintshire Council  and in South Wales with Cardiff Council. FRESH vulnerability maps are also being deployed in South West England, with the BEIS ECO-Flex Pathfinder in Cornwall" said Mr Cosson.

" We are delighted to have won this national award for our work, including the FRESH Vulnerability Mapping " said Warm Wales CEO, Craig Anderson.

" This powerful mapping technique is available for all Councils and their Affordable Warmth Partners, and is already being used to help deploy existing resources more effectively and to bid for sources of grant assistance . We are happy to share experience in using this best practice tool to help local authorities, including use of FRESH and deployment of our Community Energy Champion Programme which includes funding for working with local affordable warmth partners"

Find out more about Warm Wales at www.warmwales.org.uk