Bournemouth insulates nearly 4,000 private homes for free

A scheme to cut carbon emissions, which has provided free insulation for over 3750 privately rented homes in Bournemouth, is to be continued.

The project which is run by Dorset Energy Advice Centre (DEAC) in partnership with Bournemouth Borough Council, aims to increase the living standards of people in the area as well as helping the environment.

The project will continue for at least the next year and gives landlords an ideal opportunity to have these works completed free, ahead of the introduction of Energy Performance Certificates in the private rented sector, which should be in place by January 2009.

It started in Boscombe where high numbers of private tenants, properties split into flats, and low income households, presented a challenge.

On average the South West has the most energy inefficient housing of all the English regions, and rented properties tend to be the most inefficient tenure.

The project has now been running for over 2 years and has insulated cavity walls and lofts in 3753 letting rooms, flats and houses in the town. DEAC has distributed 9500 low energy light bulbs and 250 hot water tank jackets and given advice sheets on reducing energy use and condensation to the tenants.

Over 350 landlords, letting agents and management companies got inolved in the project.

Mrs. Hipkiss, a local Landlady in Boscombe was able to take advantage of cavity wall insulation and was pleased with the outcome.

"It made a marked improvement, even the rooms which get no direct sunlight are now warmer, and I only need to put my heating on in the evening," she said.

The project had a visit from Ian Pearson MP in July last year and he said: “Across the UK, £1 out of every £3 that is spent on heating homes with insufficient insulation is wasted, and all too often its money wasted by those who can least afford it.

"With a quarter of all our carbon dioxide emissions coming from households, there are also real environmental benefits in improving energy efficiency at home.”

The project has been responsible for reducing annual carbon dioxide emissions by over 4000 tonnes a year, that’s the equivalent of driving 679 diesel powered cars once around the world or one car driving over 16.9 million miles.

The total household savings that will be made within these properties is around £467,000 annually.

The Project Manager, Peter Bywater said: "This initiative has made a real difference to tenants in Bournemouth, it allows them to do their bit for the environment, whilst at the same time reducing their fuel bills, and improving their living conditions.

"We were very pleased to work with so many landlords and letting agents to help make these free improvements possible."

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