Thousands of households across Scotland will be offered loft and cavity wall insulation to help lower fuel bills and prepare for winter.
19 local authorities across Scotland will benefit with around 200,000 households due to be contacted over the next few months.
Low-income households will be offered free insulation, with higher-income households receiving a discounted deal. The package of measures will help households save, on average, £50 a year on fuel bills and significantly cut carbon emissions in the home.
Backed by £15 million of Scottish Government funding, the scheme will create and sustain employment opportunities for energy advisors, insulation manufacturers and installers.
Visiting the Superglass factory in Stirling where recycled glass bottles from kerbside collection points are being manufactured into insulation materials for use in Scottish households, Housing and Communities Minister Alex Neil said:-“Offering householders a means to keep the heat in is a great way to help families, the elderly and others to save money.
“If we have a winter like last winter this will be more important than ever.
“And it’s fantastic to see Scottish manufacturers using innovative methods to produce eco-friendly insulation materials.
“This is an excellent example of the Scottish Government working with Scotland’s green industry to stimulate our economy, save households cash and drive down carbon emissions.”
Alex McLeod, Chief Executive Officer of Superglass, said:-“I am delighted that the Scottish Government is supporting home insulation as the most cost-effective method of achieving energy efficiency targets in Scotland.
“As the sole manufacturer of insulation in Scotland we hope to see substantial benefit from the scheme. Superglass is well positioned to utilise available capacity to support the demand the scheme creates, which, together with other wider initiatives, should further secure additional employment in our business.”
Douglas Sinclair, Chair of Consumer Focus Scotland, said:-“This expansion of the Home Insulation Scheme is a welcome development for consumers who want to make their homes more energy efficient and save money.
“Our research has shown that area-based energy efficiency schemes can be an effective way of engaging with consumers and communities to offer energy efficiency advice and practical measures, helping them to make their homes warmer and reduce their energy bills.”
Elizabeth Gore, Deputy Director of fuel poverty charity Energy Action Scotland said:-“Insulating our homes is an important first step in making sure that everyone can afford their fuel bills and so the continuation of the Home Insulation Scheme will provide a welcome opportunity for many households.
“The scheme will also have the advantage of partner organisations working together in an area to make sure that as many people as possible know about what help is available to them.”
Elizabeth Leighton of WWF Scotland said:-“Homes account for nearly one-third of Scotland’s carbon emissions so it is essential that every property in Scotland becomes a low-carbon home.
“We therefore welcome this announcement and the Government’s investment in neighbourhood, street-by-street energy saving schemes. To meet our climate targets and help eradicate fuel poverty it is urgent for such programmes to reach the length and breadth of Scotland. ”
The Scottish Government’s Home Insulation Scheme is in its second year of operation.
About cavity wall insulation:
* A third of all the heat lost in an uninsulated home is through the walls
* Cavity walls are most likely to be prevalent in homes built from 1920 onwards where the external walls are made of two layers with a small gap or ‘cavity’, at least 50mm wide, between them. Insulating cavity walls is filling this gap
* Homes built in the last 10 years are likely to already have cavity wall insulation.
* Cavity wall insulation can also help to reduce condensation inside a property if it is a problem on external walls About loft insulation:
* Typically, a quarter of the heat in an uninsulated home is lost through the roof
* The recommended depth for mineral wool loft insulation is 270mm
* Loft insulation is effective for at least 40 years
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