Insulation, heat pumps and solar are among the measures being installed. Image credit: OVO

Ovo Energy Solutions, Cornwall Council and Council of the Isles of Scilly are retrofitting 400 homes through Government Sustainable Warmth and Social housing Decarbonisation Fund where fuel poverty affects more than one-in-ten (12.6%) of all households, according to Government figures (April 2022)

In keeping with government climate change targets to retrofit all homes to Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) band C by 2035, rural, off-gas, fuel poor homes selected as part of the Cornwall Winter Wellbeing partnership will be upgraded to EPC band or C or D.  This is part of Cornwall Council’s Carbon Neutral commitment.  

Whole-house retrofit measures will include the installation of external wall, cavity and loft insulation, underfloor insulation, draught proofing, air source heat pumps, high retention storage heaters, solar panels and double glazing.

What’s more, Ovo is also working in with Cornwall Council and Cornwall Housing to deliver the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund Demonstrator project in Falmouth across 45 Cornish homes built as part of regeneration efforts after 1945.

Funded by the UK Government and due for completion in July, the scheme will focus on reducing a home’s heat loss through installing low-carbon and sustainable materials to achieve energy savings for the lifetime of buildings and reduce heating loads. The expected annual cost saving is forecast to be around £600 per household.

Discussing the partnership, Ovo CEO Raman Bhatia explained that collaborating with local authorities and housing associations had unlocked a “huge opportunity” to create greener and more energy-efficient homes.

“Now, more than ever, the projects are critical to supporting households during the cost of living crisis while also bringing down the carbon footprint of the home,” he said. “We’re proud to be working with Cornwall Council to retrofit homes across the county by installing technology, such as heat pumps or solar panels, and improve the lives of people in the community.”

Councillor Olly Monk, Cornwall Council’s portfolio holder for housing, added:

“This programme will help residents on low incomes have warmer homes, be healthier, reduce their energy bills and access to lower cost energy that is powered by renewable sources.

“It will also cut homes’ carbon emissions, helping in tackling climate change and contributing towards our goal for Cornwall becoming carbon neutral by 2030.”