As part of the Low Carbon Community Challenge (LCCC) initiative, 22 area-based communities across England, Wales and Northern Ireland, both rural and urban, were awarded funding of £500,000 each to explore pioneering approaches to becoming a low carbon community (LCC) and help inspire and lead the rest of the country towards the same goal.

 

Typically, the low-carbon interventions adopted by these 22 LCCs can be categorised as: behaviour change of inhabitants through better monitoring and display of energy use; technological improvements to buildings (domestic and public/community) in terms of fabric, systems and controls; low and zero carbon technologies in buildings; and community-based renewable energy systems (Heat pumps, Solar Photovoltaic, Wind turbine, Micro-hydro). This formed the basis for the selection of our case study communities.

 

The empirical part of this project is constructed around six selected geographical case-studies representing the whole range of typical low-carbon interventions, and also based on their socio-economic status. In addition, the mix of selected communities represents those with a strong track record in achieving carbon reductions and those which are emerging and promising to develop strong low-carbon credentials.