Thousands of people in Solihull now have warmer and more energy efficient homes, thanks to a £25m project delivered by British Gas and Solihull Community Housing.
We’re committed to helping communities use energy more efficiently and in a £25m scheme delivered by British Gas in collaboration with Solihull Community Housing, we’re proud to have improved the standard of thousands of homes across Solihull. By making these homes more energy efficient, residents will not only benefit from warmer, more comfortable homes but it should help lower their energy bills and carbon emissions.
The two-year scheme forms part of our fulfillment of the Energy Company Obligation[1] and is one of the largest energy conservation projects in Britain, having involved more than 1,100 homes across 30 high-rise buildings. Many residents are already benefiting from reduced energy bills and we estimate the scheme will deliver lifetime carbon savings of around 184,000 tonnes.
What improvements were made?
Thirty of the high-rise buildings are now warmer and more energy efficient, thanks to solid wall insulation which reduces the amount of heat escaping through walls. Around a thousand windows were also replaced with double glazing to reduce heat loss and to make homes quieter. Furthermore, most of the high-rise buildings are heated by state-of-the-art biomass district heating systems which are a more efficient way to heat large buildings and they omit less carbon than traditional heating sources.
Lisa Coffey, who has lived in one of the high rise buildings for 10 years, said: “I’ve noticed a massive change in my flat since the work was carried out. The rooms used to be very cold in the winter. Since the insulation work was carried out, my home feels cosy - even on cold days.”
The project also supports wider regeneration in the borough, making it a nicer place to live. The buildings now have a modern appearance, communal areas have been repainted while the outside space has been transformed with landscaping, new flowers and plants.
Steve Boyd, chief executive of Solihull Community Housing, commented: “This energy project is a fantastic success story. Not only has it delivered more efficient eco-friendly heating, but the high-rise buildings now have a much cleaner appearance. The project has transformed the overall look and feel of the whole neighbourhood.”
Explore what we’re doing to reduce customer carbon here.
[1] ECO is a UK Government programme which requires energy suppliers to improve the insulation of properties and install energy efficient measures that will reduce heating costs and carbon emissions for those most in need.