Taking stock of the first Espai Vilawatt Gent sessions

The main goal of these monthly meetings held at the Casal de la Montserratina, which started on the 6^th of November of last year, is for the participants to have the chance to meet with experts in the field to talk about energy issues that affect our everyday lives.

Having reached the midpoint of the programme, with the first 4 sessions on general energy culture issues under our belts, we have now embarked upon a new course with 5 more sessions where we will discuss more specific aspects of the energy company Vilawatt and its services. This started with a general presentation of the project held on the 19^th of March of this year.

How can I know what I’m being charged for in my electricity bill? How much energy does my washing machine use? Is it better to heat my house with space heaters or using the heating system? My house leaks heat in the winter and I don’t know what we can do… In the first four sessions of the Espai Vilawatt de la Gent, we have learned how to improve our energy consumption habits, how to insulate our houses better using simple, economic solutions and how to regulate the temperature of our homes efficiently. We have talked about levies, taxes, variable costs, fees and the amount of power contracted. Invoices and energy savings are no longer mysteries and instead have become our best allies.

In addition to the formative part of the sessions, which are led by energy expert Manel Rivero with the goal of empowering citizens on issues related to energy, another of the programme’s goals was for the participants to enjoy themselves.

The organisation of the sessions always includes ice-breaker activities among the participants as warm-ups before the content is explained, as well as activities at the end to find out whether the participants had clearly grasped the contents of the session. The lieutenant mayors of the city council also attended some sessions to welcome the future energy experts.