Rugby Borough Council's story
Work starts this year on the Council's plans to fit external wall insulation to 112 council homes in Long Lawford and Rokeby - neighbourhoods with fuel poverty rates above the national average. The work will be free of charge for the tenants, funded through a grant of over £1 million from the Government's Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund and match funding through the council's climate change and home improvement reserves.
The project, which must be completed within two years, is being delivered by the council in partnership with energy firm E.ON. The aim is to maximise their tenants' comfort and reduce energy use, while also making these homes suitable for switching to low-carbon heating in future.
The 112 Wimpey properties have been selected for their current low energy performance, along with their location in some of the more deprived neighbourhoods in the borough. Fuel poverty in Long Lawford is currently 19 per cent, and in Rokeby it is 20 per cent. This compares to a borough-wide average of 14.4 per cent and a national average of 13.2 per cent."
The houses in the scheme, built in the 1950s, have poor energy performance due to solid-wall construction using 'no-fines' concrete - a type of concrete containing no sand or similar small particles.
Cllr Tim Willis, Rugby Borough Council portfolio holder for communities, homes, digital and communications, said the Government grant supported the council's rolling programme of improvements to its housing stock: "Making homes cheaper to heat and more energy efficient saves our tenants money on their energy bills, while supporting the climate change goals set out in our Corporate Strategy, which include an ambition to reduce the carbon footprint of our housing stock by 2027."
Useful learnings from Rugby Borough Council
In order to meet its reduced carbon targets as quickly as possible, the Council has carried out an assessment of all of its properties, and prioritised those which will bring the most benefit to tenants experiencing fuel poverty, while also delivering the greatest carbon reduction.
Rugby Borough Council's metrics
CO2 emissions attributable to the council housing stock.
Proportion of council tenants living in affordable and environmentally sustainable homes.
