Kingston University among four universities to launch innovative Energy Advice Centre Network offering free bespoke energy support to public

An innovative network of student-led Energy Advice Centres is being launched at four UK universities across the country, including Kingston University, following a successful pilot project at London South Bank University (LSBU).

A grant of £70,000 from the UPP Foundation will expand the network of Energy Advice Centres with Kingston University, Wrexham University and the University of Reading joining the initiative with LSBU, who ran a pilot using initial seed funding from the UPP Foundation.

Kingston University’s Energy Advice Centre will enable students to give practical, technical advice, as well as bespoke advice about energy bills and usage to fellow students and local residents.

A face-to-face drop-in centre will be set up in the local area, while local residents can also contact the team online and through email. The students working in the Centre aim to offer individualised advice and support to clients, removing layers of complexity so that change can feel more comfortable.

With energy prices rising significantly over the last few years and the practical steps people can take to lower their own bills often confusing or complicated, this expanding network of Energy Advice Centres is one way for universities to bring tangible benefits both to the students who work in them and their wider communities.

The team running the pilot Energy Advice Centre at LSBU has calculated savings of around £75,000 over the first two years of its operation, with savings for each member of the public who contacts the centre estimated at around £250.

Dr Sahand Hosouli, Senior Lecturer and Course Leader of the MSc in Renewable Energy Engineering in the School of Engineering will provide academic leadership for the Energy Advice Centre at Kingston along with support from Head of the School of Engineering Professor Simon Philbin who said the initiative meets the University’s sustainability goals. 

“We’re delighted to be working with the UPP Foundation and academic partners to establish a new Energy Advice Centre. Providing advice to local residents and companies on energy efficiency is well aligned to our broader focus on sustainability and this initiative will also help to enhance the educational journey of the students that are involved.”

Executive Chair of the UPP Foundation Richard Brabner said the launch of these centres were a big step towards addressing challenger in the energy sector. “We are delighted to support the expansion of the innovative Energy Advice Centre model to three new UK universities. Its success at LSBU is testament to the hard work and dedication of the team and students, who are showing the impact that students can have on their place, bringing their skills and drive to address today’s challenges.

“The new toolkit for Energy Advice Centres will make it straightforward for universities to set up their own. We were keen to publish this toolkit, together with the team at LSBU, to encourage great practice and innovation across the sector.

The UPP Foundation and LSBU have also teamed up to publish The Energy Advice Centre Toolkit, a practical guide to help universities across the country set up their own Energy Advice Centres.

Discussing the latest developments, Associate Professor at London South Bank University Dr Ben Lishman, said: “We know that our students want to use their skills to make a difference and to make a brighter future. The Energy Advice Centre lets them take practical steps which help our local community and contribute to global sustainability. It's brought us closer links with our local council, and new projects which take advantage of technical expertise from across LSBU.

“We think there are students across the UK who would love to join this project, so we've created a toolkit which can be adapted to fit every university, college and school in the country. We're delighted to work with Kingston, Reading and Wrexham, and excited to see what happens next.”