Sustainability starts at home

7.18.46pm UTC (GMT +0000) Sun 4th Mar 2007

Liz Leffman, prospective Liberal Democrat MP for Meon Valley, will be speaking on Sunday March 4th in support of the motion on Sustainable Housing at the Liberal Democrat Party Conference in Harrogate.

Liz Leffman is one of the founders of "Sustainable Charlbury", an initiative set up in her home town to cut carbon emissions.

The average house in the UK produces 7.5 tonnes of carbon each year, and much of that is due to leakage of heat through inefficiencies, such as poor wall and roof insulation. But a great deal of heat can be lost through ordinary home improvements such as the installation of double glazing, or the addition of a conservatory, which may be efficient in themselves, but may not have been efficiently installed.

"I have seen many thermal images of houses where the double glazing is fine, but heat is leaking out from around the frames, costing the home owner money and contributing to carbon emissions." says Liz Leffman

Liz Leffman believes that thermal imaging cameras should be available at parish level, so that householders can "read" the efficiency of their homes. That way householders can make informed decisions about how and where to insulate, which in turn will help them manage towards becoming carbon neutral.

Liz Leffman and "Sustainable Charlbury" are working with a local company that carries out thermal imaging to make the service available to householders in her town. She will be speaking at the Party's conference in favour of encouraging local councils to provide this service to their local communities.

Notes to Editors

· Liz Leffman has lived in Charlbury, Oxfordshire, for six years. She was selected to stand as the prospective Liberal Democrat MP in the new Meon Valley constituency in December 2006. She will shortly be moving to Knowle, near Wickham.

· The new constituency of Meon Valley includes the following areas:

From East Hampshire, Clanfield and Finchdean, Horndean and Rowlands Castle

From Havant, Cowplain, Hart Plain and Waterloo

From Winchester, Bishops Waltham, Boarhunt and Southwick, Cheriton and Bishops Sutton, Denmead, Droxford, Soberton and Hambledon, Owslebury and Curdridge, Shedfield, Swanmore and Newtown, Upper Meon Valley, Whiteley and Wickham