Homes will stay warm this winter

Published by Lucy Bradwell for The Regenda Group in Housing and also in Environment

More than 1200 extra homes will stay warm and snug this winter thanks to a cavity wall and loft insulation programme undertaken by North West housing provider Regenda to make sure all of its homes retain as much warmth as possible during the cold months ahead. 

“For the past two years we’ve experienced extreme winter weather for several weeks across the North West.  This, together with the recent rises in the cost of energy, means that many of our residents are concerned about keeping warm this winter,” explained Sarah Thomas, Environment Officer at Regenda.

She continued, “It’s particularly important that older people and families with young children stay warm during cold spells.  Improving the insulation in our properties will help residents keep down the cost of heating their home and at the same time will lower the amount of carbon dioxide produced by reducing energy consumption. The aim of the programme is to ensure that all of our properties with cavity walls or lofts are fully insulated and it’s great that we are able to achieve this at no extra cost to our residents.”

The external wall in many homes is made of two layers with a gap or cavity between them. Cavity wall insulation fills the gap, helping to keep in the warmth.  It can also reduce condensation.  According to the Energy Saving Trust (EST), a quarter of all heat is lost through the roof, so improving loft insulation is a simple and effective way of reducing heating bills.  The EST estimates that cavity wall insulation can save up to £135 per year whilst loft insulation can make annual savings of up to £175.

The insulation programme was part-funded by energy company E.ON as part of the company’s Carbon Emissions Reduction Target (CERT). Surveying of the properties began in June and the installation programme started in October, with all properties scheduled for completion by the end of March.  Depending on the size of the home it may take just three to four hours to insulate cavity walls.  Loft insulation can take up to two hours to install.  All of the work has been undertaken by contractors from Mark Group.

Regenda works with communities to build a sustainable future.