Homeowners in Swindon and parts of Wiltshire can benefit from a free home energy survey as part of Wiltshire Climate Alliance’s open event.

The alliance will be hosting one of the largest Green Open Homes events yet, working in partnership with Swindon Borough Council, Wiltshire Council and the Centre for Sustainable Energy.

A Green Open Homes event is an opportunity to ask a neighbour about an energy-saving improvement that they’ve made and see if it might work for you. On an event day, people who have made energy-saving improvements open up their homes to share their experiences.

The events will run from March 9 to March 17, and anyone who visits one of the open homes will receive a free professional survey in return.

“We want as many Wiltshire residents as possible to benefit from these great events by finding out how they can improve their own homes to make them warmer, cut carbon and reduce their bills,” said Nick Clack, senior retrofit project manager at the Centre for Sustainable Energy.

“So, we’re offering those who attend a Green Open Homes event and live in Swindon or Wiltshire County one of our in-depth Futureproof surveys, which normally has a full price of at least £650, completely free to help them on their own home retrofit journey.”

Wiltshire Times: Just four of the 50 homes across Wiltshire you could visit to learn about saving energyJust four of the 50 homes across Wiltshire you could visit to learn about saving energy (Image: Green Open Homes)

The Climate Alliance and local councils hope that this event will increase the number of homeowners in Wiltshire living sustainably.

This comes after Wiltshire Council announced plans to be carbon neutral by 2030, including building 1,000 affordable 'zero-carbon homes'.

Homes being opened to the public range from traditional terraced homes with low-cost improvements such as draught-proofing, to those that have gone further with funding to install heat pumps and upgrade insulation.

The event will also include new builds such as the new energy-efficient homes at Oakfield, to houses in Royal Wootton Bassett that have heat pumps, solar panels, insulation and other measures.

Wiltshire Times: A church hall in Wroughton is just one of the many properties that has found ways to become more sustainable.A church hall in Wroughton is just one of the many properties that has found ways to become more sustainable. (Image: Green Open Homes)

You can visit the Green Open Homes website to find your nearest open home.

“We have been overwhelmed with the interest from homeowners with 50 homes opening across the County and are pleased to have 10 homes around Swindon already, more are welcome,” added Ruth Larkin, event coordinator for Wiltshire Climate Alliance.

“Homeowners offer a wealth of knowledge and experience in creating more sustainable homes - sharing what went well as well as what they learnt along the way.