Council energy efficiency cuts household bills

The council, in partnership with E.ON, has improved Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) ratings in 369 properties and helped tackle fuel poverty in the process.

Air source heat pumps, external and loft insulation and solar panels have been fitted to homes, while new radiators and central heating pipes have also been installed as part of ongoing Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund upgrades.

Many properties previously relied on solid fuel fires or storage heaters, so the work has also helped bring down the carbon footprint.

In all, 92 air source heat pumps and 249 solar panels have been installed, and 22 cavity-wall, 34 loft and 66 external insulation improvements carried out.

SKDC’s Cabinet Member for Housing, Coun Virginia Moran, Director of Housing and Projects Alison Hall-Wright, and Head of Technical Services Mark Rogers and Retrofit Project Officer John Smart visited properties in Rippingale, near Sleaford, along with representatives from E.ON.

Tenant Andrew Slatters, a carpenter, who now has an air source heat pump, new radiators, and loft insulation, said: “It’s been a blessing.

“It was often very cold with the coal fire. The heat would just go straight up the chimney. I was paying £36 per bag of coal and using three a week, but now I’m saving a fortune.”

Another tenant, Debi Palmer said: “My elderly mum couldn’t manage the coal fire and we couldn’t leave her at all, so it has been a god-send.

“There are no hot spots, no cold spots. It is so cost-effective and so much cheaper than bags of coal. We’re spending very little on our energy costs now.”

Coun Moran said: “It is fantastic to see such vast savings in energy costs for our tenants following this work.

“In partnership with E.ON, we’ve delivered cleaner, more efficient heating to so many properties that previously relied on the likes of solid fuel.”

Cameron Keen, E.ON’s Project Manager for the scheme, said: “There is nothing more satisfying working in the energy sector than seeing people’s quality of life improved.

“For all of these properties, their energy bills will come down and homes will be much warmer in the colder months.

“It’s been a real privilege to work on this scheme.”