THE ENERGY efficiency of more than 100 council homes in Rugby is set to improve.
Rugby Borough Council (RBC) has been awarded a £1million government grant to fund external wall insulation to homes in Long Lawford and Rokeby – neighbourhoods where fuel poverty rates are above the national average.
The 112 Wimpey properties were built in the 1950s and have low energy performance due to solid wall construction using ‘no-fines’ concrete – a concrete containing no sand or similar small particles.
Fuel poverty in Long Lawford currently stands at 19 per cent, while in Rokeby it stands at 20 per cent – compared to the national average of 13.2 per cent.
Fitting external wall insulation reduces energy consumption and maximises a home’s suitability for low carbon heating in the future.
The grant from the Department of Energy Security and Net Zero’s Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund has been match-funded by RBC to ensure the work can be carried out free of charge for tenants.
Coun Tim Willis, Rugby Borough Council’s spokesman for communities, homes, digital and communications, said the grant supported the council’s rolling programme of improvements to its housing stock.
He said: “This grant, match-funded by the council, means we can make homes cheaper to heat and more energy efficient, saving our tenants money on energy bills while supporting the climate change goals set out in our Corporate Strategy, which include an ambition to reduce the carbon footprint of our housing stock by 2027.”
The project will be delivered by the council in partnership with energy firm E.ON.
Work on installing the external wall insulation is set to start later this year.
