Housing Executive invests £14million in retrofit upgrades to 300 Northern Ireland homes
Delivering the largest ‘whole house retrofit’ scheme is of its kind in Northern Ireland, the Low Carbon Programme includes improved energy efficiency measures, renewable technology and low carbon heating with improved energy advice
An investment of £14million in energy efficiency measures and renewable technology is being made by the Housing Executive in their homes over the next year.
Delivering the largest ‘whole house retrofit’ scheme is of its kind in Northern Ireland, the Low Carbon Programme includes improved energy efficiency measures, renewable technology and low carbon heating with improved energy advice to over 300 houses.
This is in line with its Sustainable Development Strategy to reduce carbon emissions and ensure householders live in a sustainable home within a climate-resilient community.
Aiming to inform a future decarbonised heating policy, this initiative provides the potential to develop a scalable, low carbon retrofit programme supporting the reduction of carbon emissions in line with legislation, as we move toward net zero.
300 homes will be upgraded by spring 2025 via the scheme, in the Belfast, Dunmurry, Strabane, Newtownards, Sion Mills, Dungannon, Causeway and Antrim areas.
Housing Executive chief executive Grainia Long, said: “Our Low Carbon Retrofit Programme will deliver a ‘whole house’ solution with the desired outcome of reducing carbon emissions, lowering householder bills and providing a heathier environment.
“A range of interventions will help us achieve this, including improving energy efficiency measures through retrofitting, the introduction of low carbon heating options like air source heat pumps and the use of renewable energy for power generation and electric storage.
“Just one strand of our £57m investment plan in energy efficiency this year, this initiative will help us combat the very real pressures created by fuel poverty and the cost-of-living crisis.
“The low carbon retrofit scheme follows the completion of our first large-scale retrofit programme with support from the European Regional Development Fund and match funding from the Housing Executive at over £31m.
“Thanks to this programme, 1,400 of our houses are warmer, more energy efficient and have a reduced carbon footprint.”