Tenants benefit from greener, cheaper and easier to warm homes as energy efficiency programme rolls out

It is one of the actions contained in the Council’s new Decarbonisation Framework, being considered at Council’s Cabinet meeting this week (03 December), which sets out actions to reduce the Council’s greenhouse gas emissions and support Swindon residents and organisations to do likewise.

Making council homes more energy efficient helps combat climate change by reducing greenhouse gas emissions, which are primarily created by burning fossil fuels for energy. It lowers energy demand and makes it easier and cheaper for them to heat their homes.

Around 25 per cent of heat is lost through an uninsulated roof and about 10 per cent of heat is lost through windows and doors. Between April and September this year, 50 council homes received new roofs, 313 council homes received new double-or-triple-glazed windows and door upgrades and 365 had upgraded boilers installed.

Fifty council homes also received new roofs with 15 of those also having new solar panels installed, helping tenants reduce their bills through access to free renewable energy. The improvements will bring each property up to an energy performance certificate rating (EPC) of ‘C’.

Hundreds more council homes will benefit from a mix of these measures over the next five years. The majority of the £30m programme funding comes from the Council’s ring-fenced housing budget (Housing Revenue Account) which holds rental income from tenants. This money can only be spent on the improvement and maintenance of council-owned properties.

Janet Offord, who lives in a council house which has benefited from new windows and doors, external wall improvements, a new roof and solar panels, said: “Since it’s all been done, the benefits have been brilliant. The home is warmer and solar panels have to be some of the best inventions, the electric is much cheaper.

“It makes you feel prouder of your home, everyone I speak to says they can’t wait for their home to be done.

“A lot of people think I’ve bought my house and I have to tell them it was the Council that did it, they can’t believe it was done so well.”

Councillor Emma Bushell, Swindon Borough Council Deputy Leader and Ambassador for Greener Swindon, said: “Making these energy efficiency improvements to hundreds of council homes is a double win for tenants and the environment.

“It will make it easier and cheaper for tenants to heat their homes, as well as improving the environmental impact of these houses.

“It’s one of the ways through our Build a Greener Swindon mission and new Decarbonisation Framework that we’re working with communities to deliver tangible benefits.”

Councillor Janine Howarth, Swindon Borough Council’s Cabinet Member for Housing, said: “Nearly half of the Council’s 10,300 homes were built using non-traditional construction methods during the post-war period, and many are now showing their age.

“This £30m programme is making an important contribution to improving the energy performance of hundreds of council homes, making them more comfortable for tenants and helping to reduce their energy bills.”