Member Article

Keepmoat wins work to lower energy bills as part of £7 million scheme

More than 1,000 social housing residents in the south of England are looking forward to warmer homes and lower energy bills after Keepmoat won contracts to deliver major energy efficiency works.

In Bedfordshire Keepmoat will work with Luton Borough Council to add External Wall Insulation, loft insulation and now soffits and facias to 750 social housing properties as part of a £7 million scheme.

The project is the council’s largest single investment in energy efficiency works on its housing stock.

The works – part funded to the tune of £650k from the Energy Companies Obligation – are estimated to lower resident’s energy bills by between £150 to £350 per year.

The scheme will improve the lives of residents in Spandow Court and Essex Court tower blocks as well as households in the Lewsey Farm, Marsh Farm and Hockwell Ring areas of Luton.

Meanwhile in Buckinghamshire Keepmoat will work to fit EWI and new uPVC double glazed windows and doors to 150 properties in High Wycombe.

The works will see a 100mm external wall insulation membrane added to each of the homes and topped with three coats of render including an attractive choice of colour finishes.

The scheme will bring the Red Kite Community Housing managed homes – built between the 1940s and 1960s – up to modern standards of thermal insulation.

The £2 million renovation scheme to social housing properties was approved after a successful pilot scheme on eight homes in Princes Risborough earlier this year.

Barry McCarthy, regeneration director for Keepmoat in the south, said: “These two contract wins are an excellent example of the energy efficiency works that Keepmoat can deliver which make a real difference to residents’ lives in Luton and the High Wycombe area.

“As well as carrying out the works we are also able to help Registered Social Landlords attract the funding to get these projects off the ground.

“Over the past ten years Keepmoat has made 350,000 homes warmer through insulation and energy efficiency measures, saving households across Britain more than £160 million on energy bills.

“Current estimates suggests these residents will benefit through reduced energy bills of between £150-£350 per year depending on the property type although we won’t know the full extent of this until the improvements have been in place for 12 months. One year after the measures have been in place we will revisit these homes to see what difference it has made.

“The pilot scheme for Red Kite in Princes Risborough produced excellent anecdotal evidence from residents. One lady was worried her boiler wasn’t working because it wasn’t coming on - in fact it didn’t need to come on because the property was so much warmer! She also said it had massively reduced her gas consumption already.”

Councillor Tom Shaw, portfolio holder for Housing at Luton Borough Council said: “Rising energy bills is becoming a real issue for many families in Luton, especially in these harsh economic times, which is why we agreed to carry out our largest ever single investment in energy efficiency works for our housing stock.

“We are absolutely committed to improving the quality of life of all our tenants and this work will not only make their homes warmer and more comfortable, but also give them more money in their pocket.”

Red Kite Community Housing is currently in the middle of a five-year programme to improve its stock of social housing. As one of Red Kite’s improvement partners, Keepmoat has already carried out re-roofing work to properties as well as kitchen and bathroom improvement programmes.

Trevor Morrow, chief executive of Red Kite Community Housing said: “This work will breathe new life into these properties - making them fit for the 21st Century.

“We were delighted with the outcome of the pilot scheme in Princes Risborough and we are excited about rolling out these works to more homes in Buckinghamshire.

“Investing in these homes will significantly improve the appearance of the homes while also delivering standards of energy efficiency and insulation which compare favourably with brand new properties.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Chris Walker .