Green Deal cash funds eco makeover for 10 Brighton and Hove homes
Ten properties in Brighton and Hove have been turned into eco homes after the owners won funding in a Green Deal competition.
They each had makeovers worth up to £10,000 through the Green Deal Pioneer Places scheme.
Work on the ten homes included external wall insulation, which wraps the outside of the building in a layer of heat-saving insulation, new boilers, low-energy lighting and loft insulation.
A documentary showing the installation of the energy efficiency measures at three of the homes can be viewed at www.brighton-hove.gov.uk/greendeal.
The film was first screened at the project’s closing event which was sponsored by Brighton University and held at the Sallis Benney Theatre in Grand Parade, Brighton, last month.
One of those chosen for the home-energy improvements was Terry Conway, 60, who lives in a Victorian terraced house in Queen’s Park with his wife Judy, 59.
He said: “The amount of people that have stopped and stared as we had the insulation put on the outside of the house has been phenomenal.
“We’re looking forward to reaping the benefits of it in winter, particularly the rear of the house which takes the full impact of the severe weather.”
The ten homeowners were picked from 100 people who signed up for a Green Deal energy assessment.
The assessments identified how they could waste less energy and save money on their gas and electricity bills.
The free assessments and the eco makeovers were offered by Brighton and Hove City Council using £220,000 of funding from the Green Deal Pioneer Places scheme.
The council worked on the scheme with three partner organisations – Brighton and Hove 10:10, the Low Carbon Trust and the Green Building Partnership.
Alex Hunt, director of the Green Building Partnership, said: “It’s been tough to get the projects completed within the timeframe but I’m pleased we have managed to improve ten more homes in the city.
“Come the winter, the householders will benefit from warmer rooms and lower energy bills and we are proud to have been part of that process.”
Mischa Hewitt, director of the Low Carbon Trust and project manager of the Green Deal Pioneering Places and Eco Open Houses, said: “The scheme has helped to make it much simpler for householders to put insulation on the outside of their homes.
“People can visit the houses at Eco Open Houses to see the work that’s been done. This is a major achievement and testament to the hard work of the project team.”
Flemmich Webb, chairman of Brighton and Hove 10:10, said: “This project shows that once again Brighton and Hove is one of the leading cities in the country when it comes to delivering innovative energy efficiency projects.
“But we’re not stopping here. Brighton and Hove has some of the least energy-efficient housing stock in the country so we will continue to look for funding to carry on with our work.”
