Utility Week

UTILITY WEEK | 10TH - 16TH NOVEMBER 2017 | 25 Customers Almost a third (29 per cent) of UK adults are concerned they will have to go without gas or electricity for a period this winter to cut the cost of their utility bills. Research conducted for Npower by YouGov shows almost half (46 per cent) of all households will cut down on heating – rising to 53 per cent for those with children. ENERGY One-third of UK adults facing 'heat or eat' dilemma this winter More than one in ten (13 per cent) of people not in work intend to have fewer hot meals. Npower's findings suggest the problem is more severe for vulnerable people, including families with young children and the elderly. Of those who said they were concerned they would have to reduce their energy use, 52 per cent of retirees and 36 per cent of households with children said they would have fewer hot showers and baths. Over a third (35 per cent) of respondents will think twice about making a hot drink every day during winter and 33 per cent will cut the num- ber of times they wash clothes. Fiy-seven per cent of those surveyed said they were unaware of any financial help or advice available. This week Housing plans trigger water efficiency probe Expert group to investigate sustainable resource management to support affordable housing pledge An inquiry into the planning and provision of water resources for the coming decade has been launched as the government pledges £2 billion to increase the supply of affordable homes. The Westminster Sustainable Business Forum (WSBF) inquiry will evaluate how water and housing policy is being imple- mented in England. It will be co-chaired by Labour MP Angela Smith, the former shadow water minister, and by Conservative peer Baroness Anne McIntosh, former chair of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs select com- mittee. The inquiry will set out an "ambitious strategic plan" to deliver water-efficient homes that are resilient to flooding. An "expert panel of advisers" will guide the inquiry, including representatives from Anglian Water, Yorkshire Water, Thames Water, Affinity Water, the Wildfowl & Wetland Trust and the British Board of Agrément. Smith and McIntosh, said: "While we need to build more homes, we also must manage water sustainably and efficiently on a catchment-scale. Water is a precious resource and we must use it wisely." Jean Spencer, strategic growth and resilience director for Anglian Water, said: "Innovative growth solutions, like water-reuse and Suds, will be essential, and if we can strike the right balance, we will be well on the road to achieving our ambition of water-neutral growth." Sajid Javid, secretary of state for communities and local government, said between 275,000 and 300,000 homes a year are needed in England alone because the UK's population is projected to reach more than 75 mil- lion by 2050. The current policy commitment from gov- ernment is to build 1.5 million new homes by 2022. KP WATER £30m scheme aims to boost efficiency Severn Trent has launched a £30 million fund for "incentivised developers" to build more water- efficient homes. The infrastructure charges discount scheme will help devel- opers build homes that use 110 litres or less of water per person per day (pppd). The company says it is the "first in the market" to launch such a scheme, adding that housing developers could save up to 100 per cent on their water and sewerage infrastruc- ture charges – a one-off charge for first time connections. Steve Betteridge, head of developer services at Severn Trent, said the company would encourage its developers to use fixtures and fittings that cut water use. "Anyone building a new home in the UK currently builds to a regulation standard of 125 litres of water pppd. If our developers can show us that they have built to 110 litres or less of water pppd they could get a 100 per cent discount on the water infrastructure charge." ENERGY 'Let consumers lead the energy market' Regulations must be reformed to pave the way for an energy mar- ket that is led by consumers and driven by data, Laura Sandys has urged. The former MP has called for a complete overhaul of the exist- ing framework, which she says has been built to accommodate industry incumbents. Speaking at the parliamen- tary launch of the Reshaping Regulation report, which she co-authored, Sandys told the audience that the sector has spent years trying to "shout at the consumer" and force them to engage with energy. Sandys said the complex web of institutions, regulations, busi- ness practices and industry codes must be revamped to enable new entrants to deliver the kinds of tailored, hassle-free services that many consumers want. ENERGY Smart meters 'have a lasting impact' Most people with a smart meter (86 per cent) continue to make energy-saving changes years aer the device is installed, according to recent research. Smart Energy GB's report reveals that 39 per cent of people surveyed fitted energy-efficient lightbulbs aer smart meters were installed in their homes. The figure increased to more than two in three people for those who had had their smart meters for more than two years. The study, carried out with Populus, found that more than three-quarters of people said they were "doing as much as they could" to save energy imme- diately aer getting the device. This increased to 83 per cent for people who had had their meters for two years or more. Smith (left) and McIntosh will lead the inquiry The survey results came as Npower launched the Npower Foundation, an independent charity to help those struggling to pay utility bills by expanding the Fuel Bank network. Since 2015, the Fuel Bank has provided support for people in fuel crisis by giving two weeks' worth of emergency gas and electricity to food bank users, in partnership with the Trussell Trust.

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