Energy Strategy
In October 2024 an energy usage audit was performed on the Village Hall to identify the most effective options available for future efficiency improvements. The audit was conducted in accordance with guidance provided by the Centre of Sustainable (CSE) which is an independent national charity, establish in 1979, that supports people and organisations across the UK to tackle the climate emergency and end the suffering caused by cold homes.
The outcome of that audit resulted in several opportunities to improve the efficient of our use of; electricity, fuel oil for heating and water. Each option was ranked on a cost and value basis whilst also considering the extent of emission reductions they would achieve. An additional recommendation was put forward that the Hall consider these improvements as part of a wider Climate Emergency Strategy that would have a clear aim with objectives to help focus on sustainability and broader change imperatives.
On the 3rd Feb 2025 Holton Village Hall’s management committee formulated and agreed it’s energy provision strategy titled Fit4'50, with the following aim:
“To continuously improve the efficiency of our energy provision and use, whilst focused on achieving net zero carbon emissions ahead of 2050”
This strategy is now well established with goals and targets set for the year ahead. Active measurement of our use of electricity, fuel oil (Kerosine) and water not only provides us with an opportunity to evaluate our options for further improvements but also how any changes we make impact on our CO2 emissions.
In May 2026 the Committee took advantage of an offer from South Oxfordshire District Council to have an additional carbon and energy assessment of the village hall carried out by the Environmental Information Exchange (EiE), a not-for-profit organisation based at Oxford Brookes University. The resultant 'Carbon Reduction Recommendation Report' echoed the majority of findings from the 2024 survey whilst also advising exploration of the buildings structure to see if cavity wall insulation would be an option. In addition to that the report provided valuable advise regarding potential future low carbon heating and hot water provision opportunities.
For further reading The Hall’s Energy Audit, Energy Provision Strategy and the Carbon Reduction Recommendation Report are shown below together with our plan for 2026. In addition to the above we have included a presentation we made to several Oxfordshire Village Halls on our strategy hosted by Community First Oxfordshire.