DIY Draught Proofing - Northmoor Centre, Longsight
2025-02-08 13:00 - 15:00 (Europe/London) | Northmoor Community Centre, 3 Greater, Longsight, England, M12 4PH, United Kingdom
Learn how to make DIY improvements to tackle draughts in your home.

Even small gaps and cracks in your home can make a big difference in how warm it stays. Learn how to make your home cosier by finding and fixing draughts. We’ll show you how to balance sealing up drafts with keeping your house well-ventilated to stay healthy.
You’ll learn:

How to find draughty areas of your home.
How to fit common draught proofing products!
Understand the importance of ventilation and how this relates to draught proofing.

Who should come?
Everyone’s welcome! Whether you own your home, rent, or just want to feel cosier this winter. No experience needed.
There will be free tea and coffee is provided as part of this workshop. And feel free to come down early and join us for a free lunch at 12 noon -1pm before the workshop.
If you have any questions about this workshop, or any other Energise activities, please email us on energise-manchester@carbon.coop, or Call/Whatsapp us on 07593711298

EcoHome Lab: Advising 'accidental' heat pump users
Online event
This session will be a bit different to our usual deep dives into data and advanced performance – we’re looking to establish general best practice guidance for less technical audiences. Our primary interest here is in ‘accidental’ rather than ‘enthusiast’ heat pump users, such as those living in private or social rented homes or those who’ve purchased a property with an existing heat pump and may be struggling.
* Primary focus is on cost and comfort rather than COP/SPF performance
* Scheduling tips for heating and hot water
* Understanding the performance impact of functions (such as quiet mode or power mode)
* Identifying existing ‘accessible resources’
* Demystifying user interfaces for heat pump control
* Is it possible to ‘fit and forget’ or are seasonal adjustments necessary?
We’re hoping to have contributions from a few members here, so whether you’ve practical experience from a personal or professional capacity – get in touch and we’ll add you to the list.
————————————-
Now in our regular monthly slot – every second Thursday of the month. A hangout for people taking control of their home energy usage and generation. We focus on open-source hardware and software to gain a better understanding of energy in our homes, how to make the best use of the energy we generate and reduce energy wasted.
Catch up on [some of our previous sessions and presentations](https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLiz1gBPXWVAJ4hzg3zj72hVrXVJgWvzOG).
Unless there’s a specific title to the session, it means we have no scheduled speaker and it will be an open session. We welcome contributions.
This is a [Carbon Co-op](https://carbon.coop/) initiative working close together with the broader open source community.
**Regular discussion topics include:**
• Home energy monitoring.
• House energy performance assessment
• Sensors – electricity, gas, temperature, humidity, air quality…
• User interfaces, dashboards
• Smart houses and automation
• Aggregation of data sources
• Taking the power back! – Making better use of the surplus power we generate
Who is it for?
• Anyone with skills in physical electronics, web development or programming who wants to use that knowledge to reduce energy and carbon!
• There will be open space for small groups to focus on adding new sensors or hacking the user interface, there will always be a ‘newbies’ group for people interested in finding out more.

Tackling Damp and Mould Parts 1 and 2 - 422 Centre, Longsight
2025-02-15 10:00 - 15:00 (Europe/London) | 422 Manchester (formerly Longsight Youth Centre), 422 Stockport Road, Longsight, England, M12 4EX, United Kingdom
Learn how to tackle the root causes of damp and mould in the home.

This is a two part training workshop with a lunch in-between the morning and afternoon sessions. We strongly recommend attending both parts of the training where possible. When you book onto the event, you will be booking onto both parts of the training, which are held , on Saturday 15th at 422 Centre, Longsight, 10:00 – 15:00.

Damp And Mould Part 1: 10:00 – 12:00
Lunch: 12:00 – 13:00
Damp and Mould Part 2: 13:00 – 15:00

Discover how to tackle mould in this workshop. Don’t let dampness damage your walls and furnishings or compromise your health. Join us to learn how to tackle damp effectively and create a safer living environment for you and your family.
You’ll learn:

The causes and effects of damp and mould
Practical tips to prevent and eliminate mould growth
Techniques to keep air in your home healthy
Do-It-Yourself solutions for a healthier home environment

Who should come?
Everyone’s welcome! Whether you own your home, rent, or just want to feel cosier. No experience needed.
There will be free tea, coffee and lunch provided as part of this workshop.
If you have any questions about this workshop, or any other Energise activities, please email us on energise-manchester@carbon.coop, or Call/Whatsapp us on 07593711298

EcoHome Lab: PowerShaper development update
Online event
***
[PowerShaper Monitor](https://powershaper.io/) is our tool to allow visualisation of smart meter data, including time of use costing and carbon intensity. Back in the November 2024 session we showed some wireframe mockups of proposed improvements and got some really useful user feedback.
As a result of that feedback we’ve implemented a beta version of the improvements which is ready for wider testing, at this session we’ll explain how to access the new interface and outline the next steps in our redesign.
========
Catch up on [some of our previous sessions and presentations](https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLiz1gBPXWVAJ4hzg3zj72hVrXVJgWvzOG).
Unless there’s a specific title to the session, it means we have no scheduled speaker and it will be an open session. We welcome contributions.
This is a CarbonCo-op (https://carbon.coop/) initiative working close together with OpenEnergyMonitor (https://openenergymonitor.org).
http://photos4.meetupstatic.com/photos/event/3/d/c/e/600_397215822.jpeg
http://photos4.meetupstatic.com/photos/event/3/e/0/a/600_397215882.jpeg
Topics will include:
• Home energy monitoring.
• House energy performance assessment
• Sensors – electricity, gas, temperature, humidity, air quality…
• User interfaces, dashboards
• Smart houses and automation
• Aggregation of data sources
• Taking the power back! – Making better use of the surplus power we generate
Who is it for?
• Anyone with skills in physical electronics, web development or programming who wants to use that knowledge to reduce energy and carbon!
• There will be open space for small groups to focus on adding new sensors or hacking the user interface, there will always be a ‘newbies’ group for people interested in finding out more.

Tackling Damp and Mould Part 1- Withington Baths
2025-03-21 09:30 - 10:45 (Europe/London) | Withington Baths & Leisure Centre, 30 Burton Road, Withington, England, M20 3EB, United Kingdom
Learn how to tackle the root causes of damp and mould in the home.

Discover how to tackle mould in this workshop. Don’t let dampness damage your walls and furnishings or compromise your health. Join us to learn how to tackle damp effectively and create a safer living environment for you and your family.
Over the workshops you’ll learn:

The causes and effects of damp and mould
Practical tips to prevent and eliminate mould growth
Techniques to keep air in your home healthy
Do-It-Yourself solutions for a healthier home environment

This is a two part training workshop with the second session on 28th of March 9:30am – 10:45am at withington baths & Leisure Centre. To secure your place for the second session you can book onto the event here.
We strongly recommend attending both parts of the training where possible.
Who should come?
Everyone’s welcome! Whether you own your home, rent, or just want to feel cosier. No experience needed.

This project has been made possible through funding from ‘Locality’.

Tackling Damp and Mould Part 1- Withington Baths
2025-03-21 09:30 - 10:45 (Europe/London) | Withington Baths & Leisure Centre, 30 Burton Road, Withington, England, M20 3EB, United Kingdom
Learn how to tackle the root causes of damp and mould in the home.

Discover how to tackle mould in this workshop. Don’t let dampness damage your walls and furnishings or compromise your health. Join us to learn how to tackle damp effectively and create a safer living environment for you and your family.
Over the workshops you’ll learn:

The causes and effects of damp and mould
Practical tips to prevent and eliminate mould growth
Techniques to keep air in your home healthy
Do-It-Yourself solutions for a healthier home environment

This is a two part training workshop with the second session on 28th of March 9:30am – 10:45am at withington baths & Liesure Centre. To secure your place for the second session you can book onto the event here.
We strongly recommend attending both parts of the training where possible.
Who should come?
Everyone’s welcome! Whether you own your home, rent, or just want to feel cosier. No experience needed.

This project has been made possible through funding from ‘Locality’.

Tackling Damp and Mould Part 2 - Withington Baths
2025-03-28 09:30 - 10:45 (Europe/London) | Withington Baths & Leisure Centre, 30 Burton Road, Withington, England, M20 3EB, United Kingdom
Learn how to tackle the root causes of damp and mould in the home.

Discover how to tackle mould in this workshop. Don’t let dampness damage your walls and furnishings or compromise your health. Join us to learn how to tackle damp effectively and create a safer living environment for you and your family.
Over the workshop you’ll learn:

The causes and effects of damp and mould
Practical tips to prevent and eliminate mould growth
Techniques to keep air in your home healthy
Do-It-Yourself solutions for a healthier home environment

This is a two part training workshop with the second session on 28th of March 9:30am – 10:45am at Withington Baths & Leisure Centre. To secure your place for the first session you can book onto the event here.
We strongly recommend attending both parts of the training where possible.
Who should come?
Everyone’s welcome! Whether you own your home, rent, or just want to feel cosier. No experience needed.

CANCELLED EcoHome Lab: EMHASS (Energy Management for Home Assistant)
2025-04-10 18:00 - 19:30 (Africa/Abidjan) | Online event
CANCELLED – SADLY DUE TO THE GENERAL STRIKE IN GREECE DAVID WILL BE ON A PLANE AT THE SCHEDULED TIME, WE ARE EXPLORING FUTURE DATES.
***
We are delighted to welcome Dr. David Hernández the lead author and maintainer of the open source EMHASS project, to give an introduction to the tool.
EMHASS (Energy Management for Home Assistant) is an optimisation tool designed for residential households. The package uses a Linear Programming approach to optimise energy usage while considering factors such as electricity prices, power generation from solar panels, and energy storage from batteries. EMHASS provides a high degree of configurability, making it easy to integrate with Home Assistant and other smart home systems. Whether you have solar panels, energy storage, or just a controllable load, EMHASS can provide an optimized daily schedule for your devices, allowing you to save money and minimize your environmental impact.
The complete documentation for this package is available here.
—————————————————
Now in our regular monthly slot – every second Thursday of the month. A hangout for people taking control of their home energy usage and generation. We use open-source hardware and software to gain a better understanding of energy in our homes, how to make the best use of the energy we generate and reduce energy wasted.
Catch up on [some of our previous sessions and presentations](https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLiz1gBPXWVAJ4hzg3zj72hVrXVJgWvzOG).
Unless there’s a specific title to the session, it means we have no scheduled speaker and it will be an open session. We welcome contributions.
This is a [Carbon Co-op](https://carbon.coop/) initiative working with [OpenEnergyMonitor](https://openenergymonitor.org), [Home Assistant](https://www.home-assistant.io/) and the wider open source community.
**Regular topics include:**
• Home energy monitoring.
• House energy performance assessment
• Sensors – electricity, gas, temperature, humidity, air quality…
• User interfaces, dashboards
• Smart houses and automation
• Aggregation of data sources
• Taking the power back! – Making better use of the surplus power we generate
**Who is it for?**
• Anyone with skills in physical electronics, web development or programming who wants to use that knowledge to reduce energy and carbon!
• Householders interested in using technology to speed up the electrification and decarbonisation of their homes.

Carbon Co-op Annual General Meeting (AGM) 2025
2025-04-23 18:00 - 21:00 (Europe/London) | International Anthony Burgess Foundation, 3 Cambridge Street, Manchester, M1 5BY, United Kingdom
An opportunity for Carbon Co-op and its members to reflect, celebrate and plan for the year ahead.
You can attend the event in person or dial in online. Members and non-members can attend – only members can vote at the formal AGM.
PLEASE REGISTER HERE.
Pre-AGM activities
We will be asking the question: How can the work of Carbon Co-op demonstrate and inform the action needed to accelerate an effective as well as just, energy transition?
We will do this by reflecting on two recent projects:
We will present on our ground-breaking LevABS street retrofit project and reflect on how our approach has changed since our last foray into construction, the Community Green Deal project from 2015. We hope to welcome householders from the scheme and Aileen McDonnell CEO of award winning social enterprise training/contractor B4Box.
We will review our Energise Manchester work which has been delivering in person energy advice over the past 2 years with some excellent case studies videos to showcase the work. Our Energy Saving Champions (who are also members) are keen to get involved, so some of them may attend and share their experiences.
Tea / Coffee break
We will conclude with a participative discussion activity, breaking out into smaller groups to discuss how the members think about the question “How can Carbon Coop help accelerate a fair and equitable energy transition action in Greater Manchester and beyond?
Formal AGM Agenda

Members present and apologies
Minutes of last meeting
Report on the year & Future Plans
Presentation of accounts 2023/2024
Complete amendment of rules It is proposed that the Rules of the Society be amended by deleting them in their entirety and substituting therefore the Rules attached (and marked ‘X’)
Appointment of Auditor resolution (to be voted on)“Proposal to dis-apply the requirement to appoint an auditor in line with the Co-operative and Community Benefit Societies Act 2014.”
Board Election

Papers

Old rules
Proposed new rules
Resolution
Accounts

Board nominations
Join the Carbon Co-op board, learn new skills and help contribute to an innovative and ground breaking grassroots organisation. Complete this expression of Interest form by 21st April 2025: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSc5KwF0s5j2aZLAb8NSM8ZS_B4LZ9mm-jkHaT1hsi8cjvc60w/viewform?usp=sharing

EcoHome Lab: Intro to our new tariff comparison tool (beta)
Online event
***
For the last couple of months we’ve been working hard to add tariff comparison to our [PowerShaper tool](https://powershaper.io/), to allow users to compare which tariff might suit them best based on their historical usage. At present the tool is at beta stage, but we’re keen to get your ideas and feedback from user testing before we go any further.
=============================
Now in our regular monthly slot – every second Thursday of the month. A hangout for people taking control of their home energy usage and generation. We use open-source hardware and software to gain a better understanding of energy in our homes, how to make the best use of the energy we generate and reduce energy wasted.
Catch up on [some of our previous sessions and presentations](https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLiz1gBPXWVAJ4hzg3zj72hVrXVJgWvzOG).
This is a [Carbon Co-op](https://carbon.coop/) initiative working with [OpenEnergyMonitor](https://openenergymonitor.org), [Home Assistant](https://www.home-assistant.io/) and the wider open source community.
If there is no specific topic mentioned in the title it will be an open session where we welcome ‘show and tell’ from members. If you’ve something you’d like to present, discuss or demo, please do get in touch and we’ll schedule you in.
**Regular topics include:**
• Home energy monitoring.
• House energy performance assessment
• Sensors – electricity, gas, temperature, humidity, air quality…
• User interfaces, dashboards
• Smart homes and automation
• Taking the power back! – Making better use of the surplus power we generate
**Who is it for?**
• Anyone with skills in physical electronics, web development or programming who wants to use that knowledge to reduce energy and carbon!
• Householders looking to control their energy use and reduce their carbon.

EcoHome Lab: Monthly meet-up and skill share
Online event
***
Now in our regular monthly slot – every second Thursday of the month. A hangout for people taking control of their home energy usage and generation. We use open-source hardware and software to gain a better understanding of energy in our homes, how to make the best use of the energy we generate and reduce energy wasted.
Catch up on [some of our previous sessions and presentations](https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLiz1gBPXWVAJ4hzg3zj72hVrXVJgWvzOG).
This is a [Carbon Co-op](https://carbon.coop/) initiative working with [OpenEnergyMonitor](https://openenergymonitor.org), [Home Assistant](https://www.home-assistant.io/) and the wider open source community.
If there is no specific topic mentioned in the title it will be an open session where we welcome ‘show and tell’ from members. If you’ve something you’d like to present, discuss or demo, please do get in touch and we’ll schedule you in.
**Regular topics include:**
• Home energy monitoring.
• House energy performance assessment
• Sensors – electricity, gas, temperature, humidity, air quality…
• User interfaces, dashboards
• Smart homes and automation
• Taking the power back! – Making better use of the surplus power we generate
**Who is it for?**
• Anyone with skills in physical electronics, web development or programming who wants to use that knowledge to reduce energy and carbon!
• Householders looking to control their energy use and reduce their carbon.

EcoHome Lab: Monthly meetup and skill share
Online event
***
Now in our regular monthly slot – every second Thursday of the month. A hangout for people taking control of their home energy usage and generation. We use open-source hardware and software to gain a better understanding of energy in our homes, how to make the best use of the energy we generate and reduce energy wasted.
Catch up on [some of our previous sessions and presentations](https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLiz1gBPXWVAJ4hzg3zj72hVrXVJgWvzOG).
Unless there’s a specific title to the session, it means we have no scheduled speaker and it will be an open session. We welcome contributions.
This is a CarbonCo-op (https://carbon.coop/) initiative working close together with OpenEnergyMonitor (https://openenergymonitor.org).
http://photos4.meetupstatic.com/photos/event/3/d/c/e/600_397215822.jpeg
http://photos4.meetupstatic.com/photos/event/3/e/0/a/600_397215882.jpeg
Topics will include:
• Home energy monitoring.
• House energy performance assessment
• Sensors – electricity, gas, temperature, humidity, air quality…
• User interfaces, dashboards
• Smart houses and automation
• Aggregation of data sources
• Taking the power back! – Making better use of the surplus power we generate
Who is it for?
• Anyone with skills in physical electronics, web development or programming who wants to use that knowledge to reduce energy and carbon!
• There will be open space for small groups to focus on adding new sensors or hacking the user interface, there will always be a ‘newbies’ group for people interested in finding out more.

People-Centred Retrofit for Social Housing: Tools, Insights & Practice
2025-11-27 12:30 - 13:30 (Europe/London)
Discover how people-centred retrofit is being put into practice—and how your organisation can benefit.

Join us for a practical, insight-rich webinar introducing two new toolkits from the Retrofit for All project—an initiative shaped by tenants, housing providers, and delivery partners to make retrofit more inclusive, effective, and trusted.
You’ll hear about the project’s origins, the collaborative process behind it, and why this approach to retrofit matters now. We’ll explore key research, professional experience, and practical tools to help teams put people at the heart of retrofit delivery.

What to expect:
1) Resident Liaison Officer ToolkitA how-to guide, case studies, and a short video showing how Broadacres placed tenants at the centre of retrofit—through in-house RLOs and contractor collaboration.
2) Resident Recruitment ToolkitA how-to-guide, case study, and video from Lancaster West on how empowering residents in key roles can boost community engagement and project success.
Plus, you’ll hear from housing providers, project leads, and engagement specialists about what’s working, what’s changing, and how these tools can support your work.
Who should attend?

Housing associations, ALMOs, local authorities
Retrofit delivery teams and contractors
Resident engagement officers
Tenants
Retrofit shouldn’t just change buildings—it should improve lives, homes, and communities.

EcoHome Lab: Introducing the Home Energy Model (HEM)
2026-03-12 18:00 - 19:30 (Africa/Abidjan) | Online event
RESCHEDULED from February due to illness.
For over 30 years the methodology used to gauge the energy and carbon performance of UK buildings has been the Standard Assessment Procedure (SAP), but all that is about to change. Over the past few years Government has been working with building professionals to develop the Home Energy Model (HEM) which is due for publication shortly.
We are very pleased to be joined by Marianne Heaslip, the Technical Director of People Powered Retrofit who has been working as part of HEM’s quality assurance and verification team. The session will introduce the key principles of the new methodology, how it differs from SAP and what that means for how we model buildings to inform regulation (like EPCs) and design.
Sign-up here

***
Now in our regular monthly slot – every second Thursday of the month. A hangout for people taking control of their home energy usage and generation. We use open-source hardware and software to gain a better understanding of energy in our homes, how to make the best use of the energy we generate and reduce energy wasted.
Catch up on some of our previous sessions and presentations.
Unless there’s a specific title to the session, it means we have no scheduled speaker and it will be an open session. We welcome contributions.

EcoHome Lab: Introducing the Home Energy Model (HEM)
Online event
For over 30 years the methodology used to gauge the energy and carbon performance of UK buildings has been the Standard Assessment Procedure (SAP), but all that is about to change. Over the past few years Government has been working with building professionals to develop the Home Energy Model (HEM) which is due for publication shortly.
We are very pleased to be joined by **Marianne Heaslip, the Technical Director of [People Powered Retrofit](https://retrofit.coop/)** who has been working as part of HEM’s quality assurance and verification team. The session will introduce the key principles of the new methodology, how it differs from SAP and what that means for how we model buildings to inform regulation (like EPCs) and design.

EcoHome Lab: Regional data for accurate carbon footprinting
2026-06-11 18:00 - 19:30 (Africa/Abidjan) | Online event
***
At Ecohome Lab we’re all about the carbon savings, but how we calculate our carbon can lead to very significant over and under estimates. This can in turn lead us to make retrofit decisions which won’t deliver our desired outcomes.
In this session we’ll go through the three valid methodologies for calculating your homes carbon emissions, their level of accuracy and why the differences between them can be so significant. We’ll also provide you with the datasets to do your own comparison on your own home.
Join us here: https://meet.google.com/nwk-njkj-iim
