Turning the heat up on energy saving

Hundreds of residents keen on saving money during the cost of living crisis and who support environmentally friendly measures visited an advice festival.

Around 500 visitors learned about practical solutions to improving home energy efficiency, reducing energy costs and increasing comfort.

They attended Tamar Energy Fest at Butchers' Hall, Tavistock, on Saturday 10th October 2026, organised by the Tamar Energy Community (TEC) team of advisors and local businesses and organisations. TEC (a not for profit social enterprise project) provides independent energy advice and support and develops community-owned renewable energy projects.

TEC advisors noted a growing interest in how homes can be adapted to remain comfortable through both colder winters and warmer summers due to climate change. This involved reducing overheating during hot weather and improving winter comfort through insulation and draught-proofing. Further guidance is available through Tamar Energy Community's free Keeping Cool and Retrofit Made Easy resources.

Kate Royston, TEC director, said: “Community owned energy was an important topic of conversation at the festival, highlighting how local energy projects can help strengthen local community resilience and energy security.

“This may start by supporting an important community space to adapt, through energy saving measures and renewable energy technologies, to significantly reduce its ongoing energy costs and its financial sustainability.

“It can provide a warm space in winter and a cool space in the summer; and provide a refuge in times of emergencies e.g. power cuts; as well as its key purpose as a community facility.

“This can be extended to look at how a more sustainable and resilient energy system can reach across a community, and local people can feel the benefit in their pockets and/or through improvement of local facilities. Examples were shared at the Fest from Energy Local Totnes and TEC’s work with the community in Sheepstor.”

Kate thanked the exhibitors, volunteers and visitors for making the festival an ‘enjoyable and successful’, and Tavistock Mayor Anne Johnson for meeting exhibitors.

Rick, from Transition Town Okehampton, displayed an interactive eco-home-inspired game he built to explore home retrofit improvements, climate resilience and sustainable living in an engaging and accessible way.

Mole Energy and Eco nrg Ltd shared advice on renewable energy and low-carbon technologies including solar PV, battery storage and heat pumps. Utility Warehouse, provided information on energy tariffs and switching options to help people better understand their household energy and utility costs.

Transition Tavistock its Travel Action Group, promoting sustainable travel through the Walkable Tavistock map, advocacy for improved public transport connections (including Okehampton Interchange), and information on lower-carbon travel options such as electric vehicles.

Devon Wildlife Trust interested visitors in local wildlife conservation, including the recovery of pine martens in Devon.

Helen Jackson, the ‘Dartmoor Photographer’ shared her fascinating ‘Dartmoor's Disappearing Red Telephone Boxes’ project and was the event’s official photographer.

TEC is staging another energy festival next year. More details at this web link: https://tamarenergycommunity.com/tamar-energy-fest-2026 Also, advice on ‘keeping cool’ at this link: https://tamarenergycommunity.com/energy-advice/keeping-cool/ and retrofitting ‘made easy’ at this website: https://tamarenergycommunity.com/retrofit-made-easy/