Energize Worcester – Phase II

Energize Worcester is working with local students, the National Union of Students, landlords, and Worcester, Bosch Group Ltd to tackle energy efficiency in rented student houses

You can read about the successes of Phase I of the Project at http://energize-worcester.co.uk/ Note this part of the project has now completed

An exciting and valuable offer of free central heating boilers and control systems to selected landlords of multi-occupancy student houses in Worcester.

New technology needs test beds

Research assistance for a genuine reward. Worcester Bosch  is offering to supply and fit  new boilers and state-of-the art ‘intelligent’ energy management systems for five student rental properties in Worcester, free of charge. This will allow University researchers to work with the tenants and the landlords on evaluating the strategies that are most effective in maintaining a comfortable and warm environment for tenants, whilst minimizing their energy consumption.

Students and landlords will be interviewed periodically, at mutually convenient times, to assess how the new technology is being used to manage energy use. Data logging equipment to capture detailed information on energy use will also be installed.

Three years of monitoring, then it’s yours!
The research project will run for three years, after which the heating equipment will become the property of the landlord.

‘Worcester, Bosch Group is delighted to be supporting the University of Worcester in its Energize Worcester Phase II project. Together, and in conjunction with local landlords, we will be exploring how energy can be better managed in privately rented student houses.’Carl Arntzen, CEO Worcester Bosch

What should I do if I am interested in participating?

To be considered for participation in the project, you must be a landlord of a property in Worcester currently rented by students, and be willing to have a new boiler, and energy control and monitoring equipment installed before February 2017. Then you will need to contact us by using the form below and provide some basic information about your property. This will allow us to select five suitable houses for the pilot.

What information will you need to give us?
In order to decide if your property is suitable for inclusion, you will need to provide some basic information, including its address; its approximate age; the number of bedrooms and other rooms; the number of students currently living there; the type of tenancy agreement that you have (for example ‘utilities included’, excluded, or with a ‘monthly cost ceiling’); and whether you currently use any ‘smart’ energy management systems. The property must have broadband, and you must be an email user.

A sustainability-related initiative

The University of Worcester is one of the leading UK universities in the way it approaches sustainable practice. Student accommodation is a major consumer of energy, the costs of which usually fall both on students themselves, and their landlords. Working in partnership, and exploring the capabilities of new technology, will enable everyone to benefit from the research.

Thank you to all student Landlords who have expressed an interested to take part in this research.  We have now closed expressions of interest.  A long list will be prepared and we will ask for a photograph of your existing boiler set up to help the research team make a decision.  We are aiming to get a good range of property types.