Introduction

The Energy Agency of Southwest Finland organises energy expert trainings for the resident committees of the blocks of flats owned by the City Council

Objectives and target audience

The main objective of this initiative is to reduce energy use in social housing.
The target audience are the residents of blocks of flats owned by the City.
Financial Resources and Partners involved
The real estate company, owned by the City, pays for the training. Other partners involved are the Energy Agency of Southwest Finland and the residents and resident committees of the concerned blocks of flats.

Process

The training course takes place during 4-5 evenings lasting three hours each. It also includes 1-3 field trips to related sites. Experts receive an information package which includes different kinds of brochures and equipments such as energy consumption meters and water flow meters.  Experts may organise meetings/trainings for other residents or talk about energy issues during informal chats. Their contact information is also available to all residents in case anyone wants to ask for advice. Follow-up meetings should be organised annually.

Results

All together about 100 experts have been trained since 2001. Only part of them are really active and advice their neighbours. That’s partly because the lack of support of the owner/ house manager.
Key result is the raising awareness of energy issues and the experts willingness to do this work voluntarily. Some experts have done bulletins and so on to their neighbours for example of waste management and decreasing the amount of waste.
Experts need also more detailed advice for example of heating, air conditioning and lightning.

Critical Success Factors / Challenges

Man has to find socially suitable persons who can manage with different kind of neighbours. The expert should be positive adviser rather than inspector.  Key issue is to get all actors motivated.
About the challenges see 11. above.
The energy expert is originally created by Motiva Oy, which is the “National Energy Agency in Finland“. Our training is modified after the needs and possibilities in our working area.
The success is easy to transfer to another organisation if there is enough motivated actors.