Suffolk residents can see where heat is escaping their home with thermal cameras borrowed from the library

Residents across Suffolk are now able to borrow thermal imaging cameras from their local library once again, as Sustainable Suffolk and Suffolk Community Libraries launch the second year of their popular Keep the Heat scheme.

Running from 1 November 2026 to 1 May 2027, the free initiative helps people identify where heat is escaping from their homes, providing valuable information that can help improve comfort, reduce energy bills and cut carbon emissions. Following a successful first year, during which 127 residents borrowed a thermal camera through the library loan scheme, the project is returning to help even more households keep warm and save money and energy this winter.

Over the last few years, Sustainable Suffolk has also loaned thermal cameras to community groups through the wider Keep the Heat project. The thermal images taken by volunteers revealed where heat was escaping from homes and businesses, making buildings colder, increasing energy bills and emitting wasted carbon into the atmosphere. Since 2022, more than 153 community groups have taken part in Keep the Heat, surveying almost 2,000 homes across Suffolk.

Equipped with information on how home and building owners can stop these leaks, Keep the Heat volunteers have helped people take action to stay warmer, lower their bills and reduce their carbon footprint. The success of both the community-led project and the first year of the library loan scheme has demonstrated the appetite among Suffolk residents for practical ways to improve energy efficiency at home.

To borrow a camera this winter, simply:

1. Sign up for a library card, if you don’t already have one. Suffolk library cards are free, simply sign up on the website or ask at your local library.
2. Book a camera online, just as you would reserve a book and it’ll make its way to your local library for you to collect.
3. Take your pictures. The cameras are straightforward to use, and all come with a handy step-by-step guide.
4. Return the camera to the library so someone else can borrow it.

Councillor Gerald Kelly, Chair of the Suffolk Councils’ Environment Portfolio Holders’ Group, said:

“I am delighted that we are launching the second year of our Keep the Heat thermal camera loan scheme with Suffolk Community Libraries. The first year saw 127 residents borrow a camera to better understand how heat moves through their homes and identify simple ways to reduce energy waste. Building on that success, we are once again giving people across Suffolk the opportunity to access this technology free of charge. These cameras provide an invaluable insight into where heat is being lost, helping residents stay warmer, lower their energy bills and reduce their carbon emissions.”

Krystal Vittles, Head of Library Service for Suffolk Community Libraries, said:

“We’re so pleased to be partnering with Sustainable Suffolk to offer thermal imaging cameras to our customers again this year. The scheme was very popular across our libraries last year and we expect it to be the same this winter. The cameras are yet another exciting item we have in our loaning collections, completely free to borrow with a library card.”

The Keep the Heat project is funded by the Suffolk Climate Change Partnership (a member of Sustainable Suffolk) and contributes to delivery of the Suffolk Climate Emergency Plan.