With the spotlight on climate change and how we can play our part, more than 350 people sought ideas and information on how to lead a greener lifestyle.

Dorset Climate Action Network hosted the first Dorset-wide Open Greener Homes event with 50 homes - including many in and around Dorchester - open to the public to showcase what changes they had made to their homes to make them more energy efficient and sustainable.

Some of the homes had made changes to an older building, that included making sure the building was well insulated and draught-free, and then adding solar panels and batteries to generate electricity or heat pumps to heat their homes. Other homes were newly built to high specifications to make them near passive - needing almost no external source of power to remain lit and warm.

The event was a great success and more than 350 visitors were met by enthusiastic and well-informed owners who were able to share their experience of what it was like to live with these technologies.

But it wasn't all about technology, as some homeowners were able to showcase a change in lifestyle, growing their own organic fruit and vegetables, repairing rather than throwing away and buying new, buying from recycled materials, ditching the care and generally being conscious of consuming less.

Dorset Climate Action Network will be hosting Dorset Greener Homes next year, but in the meantime, if you're thinking about making green changes to your home, you can contact the team at Dorset Greener Homes - at dorsetcan.org - and they may be able to direct you to a homeowner near you who is willing to share their knowledge.

Those wanting to open their homes next year can also get in touch by emailing [email protected] or [email protected]

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