£2.5m energy efficiency upgrade for County Durham and Northumberland homes

Homes across County Durham and Northumberland are set to benefit from “substantial” energy efficiency improvements as Karbon Homes begins work on a £2.5m retrofit programme.

The programme, delivered in partnership with Durham County Council and Northumberland County Council, will see ninety homes in the villages of Ouston and Otterburn fitted with a number of energy efficiency measures that could save residents up to 40 per cent on their energy bills.

The energy improvement works include fitting external wall, cavity, loft and underfloor insulation, new roofs and PV panels.

Anthony Bell, assistant director of asset and regeneration, commented: “With the cost of energy rising fast, our work to improve the efficiency of our homes for our customers has never been more important.”

“This significant investment, made possible thanks to support from our local authority partners, will reduce the energy demand from these 90 homes and in turn reduce carbon emissions.

Karbon has appointed North East based regeneration specialist RE:GEN Group to deliver the work in County Durham, and Eon Energy for the work in Northumberland.

Dave Newitt, director of E.ON’s Energy Installation Services division, added: “We’re delighted to be working with Karbon Homes to improve the energy efficiency of homes across the Otterburn region.

“By working with organisations such as the Karbon, we’re able to utilise existing funding programmes through our Energy Company Obligation, to ensure residents can become more sustainable and benefit from lower energy bills and we can work together to support the UK’s net zero ambition.”

Brian Bedford, head of sustainability at RE:GEN Group, remarked: “We’re proud to be working on this project, taking a fabric first approach to delivering energy efficient measures and insulation upgrades homes in Ouston.

“The results will not only provide residents with a warmer, more comfortable home at just the right time, but it will also help with alleviating the current pressures felt with the rising energy costs contributing to Fuel poverty in the North East.”

The programme has come to fruition thanks to a “vital” boost in funding through the first wave of the Government’s Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund. The fund was set up to help registered providers of social housing across the UK improve the energy performance of their homes.

By Matthew Neville – Correspondent, Bdaily