Scottish Government Minister Paul McLennan is set to launch the second Green Home Festival in a week-long series of shows designed to provide practical assistance and advice to help Scotland move toward becoming a net-zero nation.
The Housing Minister will be the keynote speaker at the first session of the five-day renewables show, which is again being organised by the Construction Industry Collective Voice (CICV) and will take place as part of the official Edinburgh Festival Fringe.
The event will kick off on Monday, 14th August, and will feature 11 in-person and virtual presentations on sustainable living topics such as heat pumps, water waste, home offices, and energy efficiency.
Joining TV presenter Anna Campbell-Jones for the first day of the festival, McLennan, who serves as MSP for East Lothian, expressed his enthusiasm for the initiative: “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, so this event will help householders understand how they can make their homes more sustainable.”
This year’s festival, already generating excitement, will build on the success of last year’s event, with live sessions taking place at the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) at 10 Charlotte Square in central Edinburgh. Contributors include Home Energy Scotland, Scottish Water, SNIPEF, and SELECT, providing hands-on guidance and demonstrations to aid in reducing carbon footprints and enhancing energy efficiency.
The range of topics will cover creating sustainable kitchens, green garden rooms and offices, eco-friendly retrofit projects, the potential of microwave heating, converting churches, and envisioning the powered home of the future. The event will also include a dedicated heat pump day, offering two shows on reducing bills, accessing grants, and installing the technology.
One of the organisers, Gordon Nelson, Scotland director of the Federation of Master Builders, added: “We look forward to welcoming the minister to the heart of Edinburgh as he helps us 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.”
