Uist survey into Hard to Treat houses 2/8/11
A Uist based community organisation is aiming to help island residents prepare for the introduction of the UK government’s Green Deal scheme, due to be introduced in autumn 2012.
The Green Deal scheme aims to encourage as many people as possible to install measures to makes their homes more energy efficient.
It will achieve this by providing finance for such measures by way of a loan which will be paid for via the energy savings made as a result of any improvements.
To prepare for the scheme, Sustainable Uist is currently working on a project looking at ways in which people living in older, traditionally built houses (classed as Hard To Treat) can make their homes more energy efficient and as a result cheaper to heat.
A typical Hard to Treat house is one built before the early 1960s, with solid stone or concrete walls and/or rooms in the loft which make them difficult to insulate.
Sustainable Uist have recently employed two Warm Homes Officers and part of their role is to locate these houses, and with the consent of the occupiers, carry out a detailed energy survey to find ways of making them easier and cheaper to heat.
Along with Project Manager David Newman, the Warm Homes Officers will be holding their first Warm Homes Event from 10am to 4pm this Saturday in Southend Community Hall, South Uist.
The event is aimed at residents in the Daliburgh to South Boisdale (West) area which is the first area to be surveyed, and Sustainable Uist is encouraging anyone in this area who thinks their house is a Hard to Treat house, to come along for a cup of tea and a chat and to find out more about the scheme.
To find out more about Sustainable Uist’s work, visit its website at: http://www.sustainableuist.org or call its Warm Homes Team on 01870 603863.