Green Home Festival gears up for second year at Edinburgh Fringe

THE Green Home Festival is to be launched by Scottish Government housing minister Paul McLennan on August 14.

Mr McLennan is due to be a keynote speaker at the first session of the five-day renewables event, which is being organised by the Construction Industry Collective Voice (CICV) as part of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe.

He will be joined by TV presenter Anna Campbell-Jones on August 14 for the first day of the festival, which will deliver 11 presentations on a range of sustainable topics – including heat pumps, home offices, water waste, and energy efficiency.

The minister, who is MSP for East Lothian, said, “I am delighted that the Green Home Festival has returned for a second year and I am honoured to have been asked to get the ball rolling on a week of essential information and practical demonstrations.

“There is no doubt that net zero and low-carbon living is increasingly important for us all in the coming months and years, so this event will once again help householders understand how they can play their part and make their homes more sustainable.”

One of the organisers, Gordon Nelson, Scotland director of the Federation of Master Builders, said, “We look forward to welcoming the minister to the heart of Edinburgh as we launch the 2023 Green Home Festival. This year’s event is already causing a buzz and our army of experts can’t wait to help consumers along the road to low-carbon living.”

Green Home Festival sessions will once again take place at the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) at 10 Charlotte Square in central Edinburgh, with contributions from the likes of Home Energy Scotland, Scottish Water, SNIPEF, and SELECT.

With demonstrations and hands-on guidance to help people reduce their carbon footprint and become more energy efficient, topics covered will include creating sustainable kitchens, green garden rooms and offices, making retrofit projects eco-friendly, the potential of microwave heating, converting churches, and how the home of the future will be powered.

The event will also include a dedicated heat pump day, with two separate shows on how to reduce bills, access grants and install the technology, as well as options for hybrid heating.

Built Environment – Smarter Transformation will also host an in-person show on the advantages of community heat networks and a webinar that will advise what consumers can do to reduce both their energy consumption and energy bills.