The Community Sustainable Energy Programme (CSEP) aims to help community-based organisations in England reduce their energy bills and environmental impact

Funded through the Big Lottery Fund's Changing Spaces Programme, CSEP will provide grants towards the cost of technologies such as solar thermal systems, heat pumps and small-scale wind turbines.

Energy efficiency measures such as loft and cavity wall insulation can also be funded in combination with the microgeneration technologies.

Schools, village halls and visitor centres are just some of the sites that will benefit from the programme.

BRE chief executive, Pete Bonfield, said: "This scheme will enable community based organisations that often have the enthusiasm, but not the means, to take action on climate change. The types of grass roots organisations that will be eligible to apply for grants have a vital role in both promoting and demonstrating the types of measures we all need to be installing on our buildings in order to lower carbon emissions and use energy more sustainably."

Organisations may also submit applications for grants to fund feasibility studies to identify the most appropriate mix of measures for particular buildings.

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