Newcastle secures green homes upgrade funding

Over £1m in government funding has been secured by Newcastle City Council to support low-income families to make their homes greener, warmer and cheaper to heat.

The Sustainable Warmth funding will be used to install green upgrades including loft and wall insulation, heat pumps, and solar panels.

Following the Council’s declaration of a climate emergency, it set a target for the city to be net zero by 2030.

Housing is one of the most challenging areas when it comes to reaching net zero, with homes in the UK producing more carbon emissions than all the cars in the country combined.

Over 80% of the homes that people are predicted to live in in the city in 2050 have already been built according to the Council, so retrofitting will be crucial to Newcastle’s net zero strategy.

Cllr Clare Penny-Evans, Cabinet Member for Climate Change and Communities, at Newcastle City Council said ‘As we have already seen through our successful Electrification of Heat and Green Homes Grant projects it is possible to adapt homes to make them better for the environment and offer residents a more sustainable future.

‘The Sustainable Warmth funding will benefit families living in 120 of our least energy efficient homes by reducing fuel bills and allowing them to better heat their homes which will help improve their health and wellbeing.’

Cllr Linda Hobson, Cabinet Member for Housing and Regulatory Services, added: ‘We are already working to improve housing in our city and to reduce CO2 emissions in our housing stock. Homeowners, landlords and tenants all benefit from better, more energy efficient housing and we all need to work together proactively to achieve our Net Zero ambition that is not only good for us but for generations to come.’

In related news, new homes and buildings in England will have to produce significantly less CO2 under new rules announced by the government.

Photo by Ryan Booth