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Home insulation scheme gets underway
09/11/2009
A new home insulation scheme gets underway today.
Thousands of people living in poorly insulated houses will now get more help to make their homes greener and lower their fuel bills.
Households will be offered free energy audits, advice on becoming more energy efficient and free or discounted loft and cavity wall insulations. Those with existing loft insulation, will also be offered free top-up loft insulation.
A mix of urban and rural areas within ten local authorities across the country will be visited by doorstep energy assessors, providing energy saving advice and encouraging residents to sign up for insulation measures.
Backed by £15 million of Scottish Government funding, in its first year, the scheme will help create and sustain up to 900 jobs including employment opportunities for energy advisors and insulation installers.
Joining energy assessors in Glasgow today, Housing and Communities Minister Alex Neil said:
"Making Scotland's homes better insulated will be key to achieving our ambitious climate change targets.
"By offering householders help with making their homes more energy efficient, people will have the opportunity to do their bit for the environment.
"Importantly it will help make homes warmer, reduce fuel bills, safeguard existing jobs and create new employment opportunities."
Mike Thornton, Director of Energy Saving Trust Scotland said:
"The Home Insulation Scheme can make a real difference to households.
"This will make it easier than ever for householders to insulate their home. From providing a home energy audit and energy efficiency advice, to installing the insulation, we will guide people through the whole process.
"The scheme also presents good value to householders, who can expect low-cost insulation measures which will save them money but also reduce CO2 emissions."
The scheme is managed by the Energy Savings Trust Scotland.
The Scottish Government's rolling home insulation scheme will, in the first year, be made up of £15 million of Scottish Government funding, with match funding being sought from partners.
Many homes already have basic loft insulation, but not at sufficient depth to meet current standards and maximise the potential fuel bill savings. The Scottish Government is funding loft insulation top-ups free of charge to all owner occupied and privately rented homes in these areas that are sutibale. Free loft top-ups are being offered on a trail basis for the first year of the scheme and this will be subject to evaluation.
Free energy efficiency measures will be offered to low-income households whose homes are suitable with higher-income households offered measures at a discount.
The package of measures on offer will help households reduce annual fuels bills by at least £70 each a year, as well as significantly cutting household carbon emissions.
The areas to be covered this year include island councils, city suburbs, rural towns and surrounding villages, remote rural towns and a whole city scheme.
Doorstep assessors will visit:
- 19,834 homes in Stirling - the whole city
- 13,071 homes in Angus - Brechin and Montrose
- 13,672 homes in Glasgow - King's Park, Croftfoot, Simshill and Cardonald
- 13, 133 homes in Edinburgh - Craigentinny and Duddingston
- 8,955 homes in Fife - Leven, Kennoway and Largo
- 9,212 homes in Dundee - Broughty Ferry
- 1,453 homes in South Lanarkshire - West Rutherglen
- 8,975 homes in Highland - Thurso and Fort William
- 10,591 homes in Western Isles - Lewis and Harris
- 387 homes in Orkney - within parts of Kirkwall and Stromness
About cavity wall insulation:
- A third of all the heat lost in an uninsulated home is through the walls
- Cavity walls are most likely to be prevalent in homes built from 1920 onwards where the external walls are made of two layers with a small gap or 'cavity', at least 50mm wide, between them. Insulating cavity walls is filling this gap
- Homes built in the last 10 years are likely to already have cavity wall insulation.
- Cavity wall insulation can also help to reduce condensation inside a property if it is a problem on external walls
About loft insulation:
- Typically, a quarter of the heat in an uninsulated home is lost through the roof
- The recommended depth for mineral wool loft insulation is 270mm
- Loft insulation is effective for at least 40 years