Local homes to benefit from energy efficiency investment of £55m

HOMES in Strabane and Sion Mills are to benefit from a groundbreaking £9m scheme announced by the NI Housing Executive (NIHEA) involving the low-carbon retrofitting of 300 homes.

The housing body will invest £55m in energy efficiency measures for their homes over the next year, it was revealed at their annual Sustainability Symposium.

The scheme will see upgrades to 300 homes by March 2025 in the Strabane, Dunmurry, Newtownards, Sion Mills, Dungannon and Antrim areas.

Chief executive of the Housing 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.

“This exciting programme is just one strand of our £55m investment plan.

"These plans will help 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 EU Interreg funding 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.”

Housing professionals who attended the Sustainability Symposium at Riddel Hall, Queen’s University Belfast, received an update on the latest developments in this programme.

Ms Long also discussed the Northern Ireland Home Energy Conservation Authority annual progress report.

Other speakers at the event included Ciaran Byrne, director of the National Retrofit Directorate in Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland, Angus Kerr, director of Climate Change, Department for Communities, Dr Inna Vorushylo, Ulster University and Eddie Murnin, associate director of GEDA Construction.

For more information on Energy efficiency and sustainability at the Housing Executive visit:

https://tinyurl.com/yc7xk9th