Dec 16, 2009 | Amsterdam Energy advice for tenants in Amsterdam
In January the municipality of Amsterdam, Nuon and Ymere will start a new Step2Save initiative in the Amsterdam urban districts Noord, Zeeburg and Oost-Watergraafsmeer. In the year 2010 around 5,000 advisory reports will be issued.
Step2Save is an energy saving project in which social housing tenants get free advice about saving energy. This also saves them money and is good for the environment. Nuon, municipal services organisation Dienst Werk en Inkomen and housing corporation Ymere share the costs of the project.
In addition to the energy advice, tenants receive an 'energy box' containing products that foster energy saving, such as low-energy light bulbs and water savers.
The energy advice is to be given by a group of five youngsters who until recently were unemployed. Today the youngsters signed their employment contact with Nuon, under the watchful eye of Amsterdam city councillor for Work and Income Freek Ossel, Nuon’s Managing Director Sales Kjartan Skaugvoll and Ymere managing director Pablo van der Laan.
The five youngsters have successfully completed a six-week preliminary training course, which covered topics such as employee skills and energy advice. Time was also spent honing the ability of the youngsters to feel and accept their own responsibility and independence so that they will no longer have to resort to unemployment benefit in the future.
Said, Marvin, Douwe, Khalid and Clarington start their work experience placement with Nuon on 4 January 2010. They will work under the supervision of a team leader. They will get the opportunity to gain work experience and to take vocational education courses. After a year these Step2Save advisers will move on to another job, with a year’s experience at Nuon and a diploma in their pocket.
About Nuon
Nuon is an energy company with 6,000 employees, serving more than three million consumers, businesses and organisations in the Netherlands, Belgium and Germany. Nuon aims to provide a reliable and affordable energy supply that is also as clean as possible. Nuon produces and delivers gas, electricity, heating and cooling and helps its customers to keep their energy consumption down. The company constitutes the Business Group Benelux of the Vattenfall Group.
Rudy Lion Sjin Tjoe, spokesman for councillor Freek Ossel
Telephone: +31 (0)6 13 11 38 06