Swalec in £6m ECO Funding to improve Welsh Homes

Welsh Homes to receive £6m ECO boost from SWALEC

SWALEC (part of SSE) is set to help more Welsh homes reduce their energy use with over £6m of funding available for external wall insulation through the government’s Energy Company Obligation (ECO) scheme in 2014/15.

SWALEC has already funded or installed over 79,000 energy efficiency measures across Wales in the last five years1, helping thousands of homes reduce their energy use and save on energy bills.

Since January 2013, SWALEC has funded new boilers, external wall insulation and other energy efficiency measures for over 5,800 homes in Wales, including 2,700 homes in Cardiff, over 900 in Newport and over 1,400 in Swansea.

As part of SWALEC’s drive to help even more Welsh homes become energy efficient, it is inviting local councils and housing associations to hear more about the assistance they can receive in delivering energy efficient installations for their tenants and householders.

David Richards, Area Development Manager at SWALEC said: “We are pleased to have been able to help thousands of homes across Wales receive measures that will help cut household energy use.

“We’ve managed to achieve much of this through forming effective partnerships with councils and housing associations to reach those who need this help the most, including vulnerable households and hard-to-treat homes.

“However it’s important to highlight that this positive work doesn’t stop here. Our funding to deliver external wall insulation projects through SWALEC ‘s allocation of ECO, could help deliver improvements to over 2,500homes across Wales over the next financial year, and we’re keen to work alongside a number of councils and businesses to do just that.”

Alwen Edwards from Ceredigion County Council, added: “A joint funding partnership with SWALEC through the Energy Company Obligation, and funding from Welsh Government enabled us to install external wall insulation to over 39 properties where the occupants were complaining of excess cold, dampness and condensation. The scheme hasn’t only improved the overall look of the properties but has helped create warmer homes bringing households out of fuel poverty.”

SWALEC held an event at SWALEC stadium on June 12th to provide advice to professionals at councils and housing associations with a responsibility for energy efficiency and retrofitting housing stock on how best to deliver energy efficiency improvements to their tenants and homeowners.

Advice included information about the government’s Energy Company Obligation, installations available, application advice and funding options. The Energy Saving Trust Wales, NEA Cymru and other industry experts also joined SWALEC at the event.
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Case study: Merthyr Valley Homes
SWALEC is working with Housing Association, Merthyr Valley Homes, to install external wall insulation to 87 properties in Merthyr Tydfil.

The British Iron and Steel Federation (BISF) semi-detached and terraced houses are around 65 years old and have deteriorated over the years and are poorly insulated.

Around 68 properties in phase 1 of the project have already been completed and work has commenced on the remaining 19 properties in phase 2.