Data Gathering

It’s important to get guidance from your local authority to make sure your plan will be viable and fits with their plans for the area. This module will guide you through the different policy documents your local authority may have, and show how these are relevant to your plan.

In many communities across Scotland, work will have already been done to look at energy, heat and transport projects. These previous studies can be really useful, so this module takes you through how to find this information and apply it to your plan.

Tier 1 data is information that is readily available and can help you work out a baseline of energy use, for example census data can help you build up your community’s demographics. This module has tips for finding and using this initial data.

You’ll find templates for collecting and summarising this data on the next  page.

Tier 2 data helps you go a bit deeper and work out energy use for different buildings in your area. To get this information you’ll need to get in touch with building owners like your local authority and registered social landlords, and this module takes you through this process.

You’ll find templates for collecting and summarising this data on the next page.

To help complete your picture you’ll need detailed data about energy use in your local area, covering electricity, heat and transport. Tier 3 data needs to be requested from specific organisations and individuals, so use this module to help you make these requests.

You’ll find templates for collecting and summarising this data on the next page.

Now you’ve gathered your data, this module helps you analyse it and identify any gaps.

Finally, you need to use your data to form an energy baseline which will give you a snapshot of your community’s power, heat and transport energy needs. Use this module to find out how to do this, and how to use the baseline to think about future energy needs.

You’ll find more information and templates on the next page.