4 October 2013

Energy savers in North Lancashire are invited to apply for a new award which will recognise thrifty efforts to drive down bills and protect the planet.

The LESS Energy Awards 2013, aims to recognise households and organisations which have taken measures to reduce their energy bills over the last two years. The scheme will also create a series of inspiring films about the winners.

Run by LESS, which promotes sustainable living, and Lancaster University, a world leader in research into how households and organisations can save energy, the awards will culminate in a series of short films designed to inspire local people to follow the winners’ example and save more energy themselves.

Entrants may have installed efficiency measures such as insulation, generated their own renewable energy, or changed their behaviour in order to reduce their energy use.

The average household fuel bill has risen by £300 in just three years, and experts are predicting further price rises this winter, so it has never been more important to be energy aware.

Lancaster University’s Rebecca Whittle, who is co-directing the project with Adrian Friday, said: “We’re delighted to be working with LESS to support these awards and help our local community deal with this vital issue. We think it’s important that our resources and expertise can help people on a practical level.”

Kevin Frea, Director of Energy at LESS, said: “We want to showcase the people who have done the most to save money and help the environment at the same time. With energy bills getting more expensive every year, we hope that these awards and the films we produce will give local people practical ideas on how to take action themselves.”

Nominations are open until 5pm on 14 October, and the awards event will be held in late November. For details on how to nominate a household or an organisation in North Lancashire for a LESS Energy Award please go to www.lessenergy.org.uk or call 01524 66100.

  • The LESS Energy awards, are being run in conjunction with Lancaster University’s ‘Current’ project, which was funded by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council’s ‘Transforming Energy Demand Through Digital Innovation’ scheme. Current was led by David Hutchison (InfoLab) with a wider project team of Paul Alcock (InfoLab), Rebecca Ellis (LEC), Ian Marshall (LEC/InfoLab), Andreas Mauthe (InfoLab).