More tenants to benefit from home energy efficiency improvements

Swindon Borough Council is delivering a ‘whole house retrofit’ programme, over the next three financial years, to improve the energy efficiency of 104 homes in Stratton and Highworth, as opposed to addressing issues one by one.

This involves a ‘fabric-first’ approach, where insulation, airtightness, ventilation, and heating systems are all considered together to ensure improvements are complementary and avoid potential problems like damp. The homes will be chosen based on their poor energy performance rating.

The Council has been awarded £882k from the Government’s Warm Homes Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund (SHDF) and will also contribute approximately £5.7m from its ring-fenced housing budget (Housing Revenue Account). This holds rental income from tenants which can only be spent on the improvement and maintenance of council-owned properties.

Improvements will include adding external wall insulation, replacing roofs, adding new windows and doors where applicable, installing solar panels and making any necessary structural repairs.

This work aims to improve the energy efficiency of the council houses and reduce carbon emissions. It will also raise the Energy Performance Certificate of the buildings from Band E to, at least, Band C.

Property consultant company McBains have been appointed to carry out property retrofit assessments, structural surveys, designs and planning for the improvements.

The programme is in addition to the £30m five-year programme of energy efficiency improvements to hundreds of council homes that is already underway.

Councillor Janine Howarth, Swindon Borough Council’s Cabinet Member for Housing, said: “I’m delighted that the Council has secured government funding to help extend the reach of our home energy efficiency improvements programme to over 100 properties in Stratton and Highworth.

“I’ve recently spoken to council tenants in other parts of the Borough who have benefited from similar improvements including new roofs, windows, doors and solar panels. They really appreciate how this has made it cheaper and easier to keep their homes warm.”

Councillor Emma Bushell, Deputy Leader of Swindon Borough Council and Ambassador for the Greener Swindon mission, said: “Up to 75 per cent of a building’s energy is lost through the walls, roof, floors, windows and doors. That’s why we’re doing all we can to invest in measures that improve the energy performance of council-owned homes.

“It’s a win-win for both the environment and the tenants living in these properties.”