The REBUS partners had the chance to meet again in Durham to finalise the activities funded in the framework of the 5th Interreg Europe call.
Partners agreed that the world had changed dramatically since the last time they were all together in person…not only COVID-19 with its impact on public building use but also the energy price crisis caused by the war in Ukraine and the linked changes concerning utility bills, payback time for renewable investments…
Partners could present their exchange activities and policy achievements but also debate on the key topics above that are currently affecting our continent.
The policy context at local (Climate and Ecological Emergencies), regional (North East Energy Hub) and national level was presented.
Specific attention was given to a North East Region case study focusing on geothermal and minewater projects. Partners interacted with local stakeholders and participated in a study visit that took them around the County of Durham.
The visit included 2 schools, Woodland Primary School and Lumley Junior School. Woodland Primary is the first school in County Durham to have an Air Source Heat Pump retrofitted, replacing an oil boiler, and Lumley Juniors fitted with an integrated solar array fitted during a re-reroofing project. Both schemes highlighted not only the impact of energy efficiency and renewable energy in terms of savings but also in terms of increased awareness for pupils with a linked change in behaviour
Partners visited also a Community Scale Housing Retrofit project in Craghead and the Morrision Busty Low Carbon Depot in Annfield Plain, partly funded by ERDF that will be a template for further local authority works depots.
The picture was taken at Morrison Busty, which is the site of the new Low Carbon Depot that Durham County Council is retrofitting with insulation, heat pumps, a large tesla battery and a large solar farm to provide power for all the buildings and the new fleet of electric vehicles that the Council is investing in.