Hastings Trust Eco Projects

Linton Road arches training centre workshop

Photovoltaic panels on the Hastings Trust roof

Energise Hastings

Launched in March 2009, Energise Hastings, is a renewable energy club for anyone interested in reducing the carbon footprint of Hastings by cutting reliance on fossil fuels, sharing information and the experience of using energy saving measures such as renewable energy. Through this partnership the Trust now has a Photo Voltaic array providing some of the electricity we use in a clean, green way. This was funded by the Carbon Trust and British Gas.

Ecoretrofit and Skills2Build (S2B)

The Hastings Trust purchased a neglected, Victorian mid terrace property in Cambridge Gardens (picture left) to refurbish, and converted the property into four flats using the process to offer onsite practical training to local people. The Trust worked with Parity EcoSolutions to demonstrate how a typical Hastings dwelling could be developed to a very high environmental standard. Natural lighting through sun pipes and highly efficient heating and appliances were installed to show how carbon emissions could be greatly reduced in much of the existing housing stock. The running costs of the property will be a fraction of the usual bills - we estimate energy savings will be 75% - helping the fight against fuel poverty.

Three of the flats are now rented and one has been sold.

Through partnership working with Hastings Borough Council, we were awarded a grant from the Future Cities, Interreg funded project, that enabled us to continue the original plan to include trainees in the construction work.

Click here to download the Hastings Future Cities Retrofit Training Manual (9mb pdf).

Open days allowed local contractors, housing associations, HBC, private landlords and home-owners to inspect the work and find out more about the energy saving features.Theproject is now at an end.

The Trust is now directly managing its excellent construction workshop and training room facility at 1, Linton Arch (see top three pictures from left). Working in partnership with local schools and other organisations that have training requirements for their users, we supply customised construction training. Short courses in renewable energy related topics and other areas of interest will be run, and the workshop will be used in conjunction with the Ecoretrofit project. The workshop is available for hire as is the training room facility that has 11 workstations and projection for presentations or direct internet link up.