Bryson Energy – tackling fuel poverty

Bryson Energy’s aim is to ‘energy proof’ homes across Northern Ireland.

Bryson Energy, part of the Bryson Charitable Group, Northern Ireland’s leading social enterprise, is committed to tackling fuel poverty and its long-term aim is to ‘energy proof’ homes across Northern Ireland.

Bryson Energy is the European energy agency for Northern Ireland and is part of a large network of over 380 energy agencies working across Europe committed to reducing energy usage in the home. Operating as a social enterprise, it is one of the largest and most successful energy agencies delivering innovative and high quality energy services at regional and local level.

Bryson Energy Director Nigel Brady explains: “Our social business model is driving public finances into local communities to maximise the impact on the local economy while providing real value for money. Despite the impact of the current economic situation and unstable energy prices we continue to make a real difference to people’s lives in Northern Ireland, especially for those living in fuel poverty. We offer a range of services and programmes designed to provide advice and support to householders helping them to increase the comfort levels in their home and reducing heating costs.”

The services include:

• Energy efficiency and micro-generation advice;

• A home visiting advice service;

• Installation of loft and cavity wall insulation alongside fully controlled oil and gas heating systems, solar panels and pellet stoves;

• Grant administration;

• School presentations;

• Benefit entitlement checks.

The services are delivered by over 55 staff alongside fully accredited sub-contractors, including other social enterprise contractors. This model ensures that employment is supported and created across all of Northern Ireland and money is invested in local communities, providing local jobs through meeting local needs. Many of the household services are funded through grant schemes and cash backs ensuring that households can avail of energy measures at reduced costs.

Bryson Energy’s largest project is the management of Warm Homes for the Department for Social Development and the Northern Ireland Housing Executive across 13 of the 26 local authority areas in Northern Ireland. Warm Homes is a central element in the Executive’s Fuel Poverty Strategy with the purpose of improving domestic energy efficiency thereby reducing energy consumption in disadvantaged households in the owner occupied and private rented sector.

Bryson Energy is also the largest provider of independent energy advice for Northern Ireland households and operates the National Energy Advice Service for Northern Ireland, which is funded by the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) and overseen by the Energy Saving Trust. This service handles 40,000 calls a year to the free phone number 0800 512 012 and in addition to energy advice it promotes grants and cash backs for local householders.

Bryson Energy delivers over 20 separate programmes to meet its core objective of helping householders make their homes more energy efficient, access appropriate grants and benefits, and lowering the cost to achieve increased comfort levels in their homes. At a time of rising fuel prices and increasing fuel poverty, demand for the services of Bryson Energy has never been greater.

To find out more please log onto www.brysonenergy.org or call 028 9045 5008.