Borders community heat team de-brief
On 22nd May, we gathered in West Linton for a debrief with representatives from the Borders Community Heat Teams (CHT) in Smailholm, Tweedsmuir, and West Linton. It was a great opportunity to reflect on the past season’s work and explore how to strengthen efforts moving forward. Smailholm and Tweedsmuir, along with Broughton communities and The General Store in Selkirk were all brought on this year to become CHTs following in the inspiring footsteps of West Linton Community Heat team. A Community Heat Team (CHT) is a group of local volunteers who help households understand and improve the energy efficiency of their homes using thermal imagery cameras.
The new heat teams are all at slightly different stages depending on when they got started with recruiting volunteers, getting underway with training and beginning their surveys. We took this into account at our discussions.
What worked well?
Word of mouth was a powerful tool, and working in pairs helped volunteers feel more comfortable during surveys. The training was simplified and well-paced, sparking interest in different groups across the community. We also heard that the online videos were easy to follow, and using the village halls as starting points for engagement was really effective.
Where can we improve?
Several suggestions emerged: flipping the order of some of the training videos, incorporating a DIY option, and making sure the equipment and resources are ready for the next season. Volunteers highlighted that privacy of survey data and clear, trusted signposting are essential. Some felt that the surveys perhaps give an overwhelming amount of information for people to process.
Key lessons and priorities:
Team clarity: It’s important to be upfront about what’s involved when building a team and to keep things manageable.
Trusted signposting: Developing clear pathways for households to find reliable advice and support is key.
Volunteer support: Retaining and supporting volunteers will be crucial, whether through skill development, or simply more visibility and encouragement.
Next steps: We’re exploring ways to incorporate moisture monitors, and to create links to Home Energy Scotland, Changeworks, and other professionals for follow-on support.
Looking ahead
Surveys will start again in these communities in October 2025 and will run through to March. While cameras are not currently active due to the weather, the teams will be ready to support data gathering when surveys resume. In the meantime, we’re exploring opportunities to share good news stories, build up resources for next steps, and expand trusted signposting on our website.
A special thanks from all of the heat teams, and ourselves, and huge kudos to Tim Crick at Sustainable West Linton for the sheer amount of work he’s put in—he’s been instrumental in rolling out the project and supporting volunteers every step of the way.
If you’re interested in joining a Community Heat Team or have questions, you can find out more at West Linton & District - Community Heat Team - Heat Surveys - Thermal Action Project or get in touch with us at sbcan@sup.org.uk and we can point you in the right direction.