£5m scheme improves the energy efficiency of West Yorkshire homes

A £5.8million project to reduce the energy usage and carbon emissions of over 440 homes in Leeds and Harrogate has led to warmer living and lower bills for residents across the region, thanks to energy and regeneration specialist Equans and Leeds Federated Housing Association.

Retrofit work carried out to the homes – a mix of bungalows and terraced houses across the Leeds and Harrogate areas – has included insulating attics and lofts to help retain heat and keep the properties warmer for longer. Some homes have also benefitted from new windows and external doors.

New smart heating control technology has been fitted to give residents better control over the temperature in their homes when rooms are not being used.

It’s expected that the improvement work carried out will save over 20,000 tonnes of carbon emissions over the course of its lifetime – the equivalent to taking 4,300 cars off the road!

Residents are also set to benefit from lower energy bills thanks to the project, with some expected to save as much as up to £600 a year.

Sarah Coothoopermal, a Holbeck resident who benefitted from the upgrades, said:

“We have noticed a massive difference. We’re not needing to have the heating on for as long and the house retains heat for a lot longer.

“My son has stopped sleeping with so many blankets now. He’s found his room really nice and toasty.”

The properties, previously described as ‘fuel poor’, are now achieving Energy Performance Certificate ratings of a C and above.

When asked if she would recommend this work to others who are offered similar retrofit work, Sarah said:

“I would definitely recommend it. Coming into a house where you don’t constantly have to stick the heating on is a massive benefit, especially at the moment with the cost of living.

“The workmen were friendly, polite and made sure that they were in and out before my son got home. It was worth it just for those three weeks of slight chaos, especially when it’s your child’s room.”

Steve Batty, Sustainability Director at Equans said:

“Historically, inner-city solid brick terraced properties built in the early 1900’s are some of the least energy efficient houses that we have in the UK, being expensive to heat as they struggle to retain their warmth. This scheme is a great example of how these types of properties can be retrofitted to meet modern day energy efficiency standards, whilst at the same time making them warmer, healthier and cheaper to heat for the residents.

“For over a decade, we have partnered with Leeds Federated Housing Association to combat fuel poverty in the most affected properties across Leeds, supporting their ambitions of providing sustainable, high-quality homes for their residents, and we look forward to continuing this work in the coming years.”

Graham Rosenberg, Head of Asset Management at Leeds Federated Housing Association said:

“We know the cost of living continues to impact our customers and fuel bills are a struggle for many. We’re committed to investing in energy efficiency upgrades to help keep the heat in, reduce fuel bills for our customers and improve the long-term sustainability of homes.”

The project was part-funded by a grant from the Government’s Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund (now known as the Warm Homes: Social Housing Fund).