Lancashire contractor to begin work on £2m energy efficiency scheme in Padiham

Building contractor Sustainable Building Services (SBS) is preparing to start work on a £2m energy efficiency scheme in Padiham, Lancashire.

Commissioned by European-funded demonstration project DREEAM, the work will aim to prove that larger scale refurbishments deliver greater, more cost-effective energy savings than schemes involving single properties.

DREEAM is being piloted across three sites in Europe – Lancashire, Landskrona in Sweden and Treviso, Italy. All three are targeting 75% energy reductions in the treated properties, with the ultimate goal being an nZEB (nearly Zero Energy Building) standard.

The Lancashire units are managed by property firm Places for People (PfP) and comprise 36 flats and 72 houses, all without cavity walls.

SBS’ work on site will include fitting external wall insulation and new energy-efficient storage heaters along with hot water cylinders, mixer showers and rooftop solar panels.

DREEAM researchers will monitor the energy performance of the properties before, during and after the works, which will start next month and are expected to take eight months to complete.

SBS is headquartered in Skelmersdale.