Warm Up North energy efficiency scheme helps reduce fuel poverty
The UK Warm Up North Scheme, launched in September 2013, is one of the greatest energy efficiency programs aimed to reduce fuel poverty in the north-east. The Scheme has been developed and implemented in the partnership with nine local authorities, including Newcastle, Sunderland, Durham, Gateshead, Darlington and Hartlepool.
The basic goal of the programme is to improve energy efficiency through a range of different measures, including insulation (such as cavity wall, solid wall and loft insulation), efficient boilers and some renewable solutions. Department of Energy and Climate Change has published that around 2.3 million homes in the UK are living on the line of fuel poverty, whereas their energy expenses are above average, causing their income and standard to drop below the poverty line. It is expected that the Scheme and implemented measures shall significantly decrease energy bills and make homes much easier to heat.
Warm Up North Scheme has so far implemented the named energy efficiency measures in more than 2.000 homes in the north, which is an investment worth over £3.000.000. Apart from the improved energy efficiency, the results have also shown that it has reduced the carbon dioxide emissions by over 60,000 metric tonnes. Beneficiaries of the Scheme have already expressed their satisfaction with the implemented measures, noting that they can already notice the improvements and decrease of their energy bills. For example, Paul and Ailsa Monaghan from the County Durham where first major external wall insulation project has been implemented, stated that “For us, the difference this has made to our home has been very noticeable. We’ve lived here for seven years and we’ve always found our energy bills, particularly for gas, were higher than they should be. As well as feeling much warmer, we are also very pleased with how our property looks following the completion of the work – the street now looks like a row of new houses.”
Another important thing deriving from the Warm Up North project is that it has also created 40 new direct job opportunities, with much more to come, alongside the fact that local SMEs have been contracted for installation of the measures. Ian Weatherston, head of Warm Up North, stated: “Working in partnership with our local authorities, residents can be confident that they will receive outstanding customer service from the Warm Up North team and that all works will be completed to the highest possible standard. 95% of our customers have expressed their high level of satisfaction at the service they have received, which is great to see.”
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