Hull’s Library of Stuff will soon have new equipment to help residents save energy, thanks to funding from Hull City Council.
The Greenwood Avenue facility has received £1,205 from the Leader’s Fund to purchase three thermal imaging cameras.
The Library of Stuff is part of a global movement that aims to reduce waste by encouraging communities to borrow items rather than buy them.
It is also helping with the cost-of-living crisis and supports almost 1,500 residents in Hull.
Thermal imaging cameras allow people to check where heat is escaping from their homes.
Occupiers can then act on this information to help them conserve energy and reduce heating costs during this time of unprecedented charges.
Cllr Mike Ross, Leader of Hull City Council, said: “I am delighted to be able to support the Library of Stuff and its purchase of the thermal imaging cameras.
“The work the Library of Stuff does is invaluable to so many people within Hull and to be able to help them expand that is fantastic. The thermal imaging cameras are a brilliant tool, which will help many people save on energy costs during these unparalleled times.”
Library of Stuff’s founder and director, Alan Dalgairns, added: “We are thankful to the council for helping us add three thermal imaging cameras to our inventory as a not-for-profit organisation.
“It is a great first step to check where your heat is escaping before you can decide how to tackle it with professional help, as well as signposting users to any help they can get to increase the thermal properties of their homes.
“With 1,500 people in the city signed up to Library of Stuff, we can see these being a real asset to the people of Hull.”
Library of Stuff Community Interest Company is a not-for-profit community project that lends over 700 donated items to its 1,482 users, including gardening and DIY tools, cooking and cleaning products and items used for hobbies.
Customers reserve items online, collect them, keep and use them for a week and then return them.
This encourages people to reduce waste and single-use purchases, while saving money, space and the environment.
Since the Library opened in March 2020, it has reduced consumption and calculated that its carbon savings, using research from the University of Cardiff on embedded carbon, is so far 73 tonnes of CO2.