New windows, doors, air source heat pumps and solar panels are all helping to make Ayrshire Housing’s rural homes more energy efficient.
Eleven properties in the village of Straiton have recently undergone extensive improvements to help tenants keep energy costs down while keeping their homes warm.
‘All in all, over the course of our next five year business plan we will be investing more than £11 million in improving the energy efficiency of our homes through better insulation and modernising heating systems to help keep our tenants’ energy costs down,’ said Ayrshire Housing‘s Director of Assets and Compliance, Scott Cunningham.
‘The association is focused on the assessment and trialling of new technology such as battery storage as a means of ensuring our tenants are at the forefront of the green revolution that is transforming the way we heat our homes efficiently in the future.’
Investment includes circa £1.8 million on new heating systems fitted, and £3.3 million on new door and window installations, achieving at least one of the mentioned component replacements to approximately 50% of the social landlord’s total housing stock. The new heating, energy conservations and insulation measures will increase the properties’ overall thermal efficiency while meeting the expectations of the Government’s Energy Efficiency aspirations.
‘So far I’ve been very impressed with the energy efficiency of the house and I’m keen to see what impact the new technology will have on my bills over the winter months,’ said Straiton tenant, Paul Winter who has been his house for 18 months.
Ayrshire Housing was established in 2003 through the merger of Carrick Housing Association and South Ayrshire Homes. Since then it has grown rapidly to become one of the area’s leading providers of high quality, affordable rented housing managing 1700 homes in both urban and rural environments.
‘All of the works within the village were completed over the summer in preparation for the colder months ahead. We are confident all our tenants will feel the benefit within their homes and their pockets thanks to the improvement we’ve made to our homes, and across our stock,’ added Scott.