More than 1,200 cold and inefficient private homes across the city of Nottingham have benefited from a range of energy-saving measures worth almost £11 million since 2021.
The energy efficiency improvements, which have included fabric measure upgrades such as loft insulation, wall and roof insulation, solar panels, and low-carbon heating such as air source heat pumps, have helped keep people’s homes warmer and supported a reduction in energy bills.
The latest schemes, which included Home Upgrade Grant 2 and the Devolution Funding, improved 145 homes that are difficult and expensive to keep warm. The funding, which came from the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ), was delivered by the Greener HousiNG Team at Nottingham City Council with support from the Midlands Net Zero Hub. The Council worked with contractor YES Energy Solutions to install the energy-saving measures.
Residents targeted through Greener HousiNG are those who are likely to be struggling with their household bills. The retrofit schemes are helping the City Council to reduce instances of fuel poverty while working towards becoming a carbon-neutral city by 2028.
Successful HUG2 applicants included Mr and Mrs Fryer from the Clifton area, who received loft and external wall insulation. They were pleased with the results: “It has been a fantastic process, and we could not fault it. We have seen our bills come down – we are not sure by how much yet, but the house is much warmer now, and [our house] looks better too. So many people have come to ask us about it.”
A recipient of solar PV panels, Mr Quickfall, who lives in the St Ann’s area of Nottingham, was pleased with his installation. He said: “I would recommend getting solar panels to anyone, and if they are eligible for funding I would say definitely apply for it. The process was really quick and took only a few days, and the contractor was great and cleaned up afterwards. I was advised to change my energy tariff over so I could sell any extra to the grid, which I did, and with all this recent sun we are getting free energy and selling it too. We are so pleased with it.”
In addition to the homes benefiting from energy-saving measures, the contractor, YES Energy Solutions, made a donation to four local charities and voluntary organisations of £1,000 each. The recipients included Framework Housing Association, Eco Works Community Garden in St Ann’s Allotments, Canal and Rivers Trust, and Nottingham Fixers, who run repair cafés across the city and Greater Nottingham.
Cllr Sam Lux, Executive Member for Carbon Reduction, Leisure and Culture at Nottingham City Council, said: “I’m so proud to know that we have supported over 1,200 homeowners across the city since 2021 with this funding. Improving homes with insulation and renewable energy measures helps to lift people out of fuel poverty and, at the same time, contributes towards our bold ambition to become the UK’s first carbon-neutral city.
“The goal of this work is to significantly reduce energy usage and bills and to make homes more comfortable.
“It is fantastic to see local charities and voluntary groups benefiting from the work of our contractors, who have donated £4,000 to the local community.”
Duncan McCombie, CEO at YES Energy Solutions, said: “We were delighted to have been the delivery partner for the HUG and Devolution schemes over the last two years with Nottingham City Council.
“We have a great working relationship with the council’s team, which has enabled us to effectively and efficiently deliver this vital work to as many people as possible, resulting in making homes cosy and more energy efficient, and householders looking forward to lower bills.
“Alongside this, as a community interest company, we always aim to reinvest our profit into local community projects. Therefore, working in partnership on these schemes has allowed us to maximise the government funding, enabling us to support a wide range of people while also supporting local charities and community groups.”
Further funding has recently been announced as part of the Warm Homes: Local Grant programme, which was recently announced by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero. It is due to start this summer, and Nottingham City Council will be working with Nottingham Energy Partnership as part of the application process. More information will be shared once details and start dates are confirmed.
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