Hounslow Council agreed a £13 million programme
Seven thousand council homes across Hounslow will benefit from a major energy efficiency programme agreed at last month’s Cabinet meeting, with the details just finalised.
The programme is a partnership between the council and British Gas through the Energy Company Obligation (ECO), and will see up to £13 million invested in energy efficiency measures to homes across the borough.
As well as helping reduce carbon emissions, the programme will help residents save up to £400 a year on their fuel bills.
Cllr Steve Curran, cabinet member for planning, regeneration and housing at the council, said:
“One in ten local households spends more than ten per cent of their income on heat and power for their homes.
“This programme will help many residents struggling with high utility bills; these improvements – at no cost to the resident – will make a real difference to their bills.
“There won’t be just financial and environmental benefits, these improvements will also help tackle the devastating affect that prolonged cold weather can have on vulnerable people, especially the elderly.”
Starting in September, the programme will include external wall insulation to the Brentford Towers to make flats in the six tower blocks warmer and cheaper to heat, and a further 6,000 council homes will benefit from energy efficiency improvements.
Alongside the physical works, the programme will include work to raise awareness of the benefits of improving energy efficiency and the measures available to households.
Since 2005, the council has installed more than 15,000 energy saving measures across the borough, including new boilers, and loft and cavity wall insulation.
ECO is a government scheme that requires energy companies to pay for installation of energy efficient measures in low-income households and in properties that are harder to treat.
July 24, 2013