Thursday 16 September 2010

Scotland unveils £15m insulation initiative

A £15m government project will see thousands of homes across Scotland offered loft and cavity wall insulation.

Nineteen local authorities will benefit, with around 200,000 households due to be contacted over the next few months.

Low-income households will be offered free insulation, with higher-income households receiving a discounted deal. The package of measures will help households save, on average, £50 a year on fuel bills and significantly cut carbon emissions in the home.

Backed by £15m Scottish government funding, the scheme will create and sustain employment opportunities for energy advisors, insulation manufacturers and installers.

Visiting the Superglass factory in Stirling where recycled glass bottles from kerbside collection points are being manufactured into insulation materials for use in

Scottish Housing and Communities Minister Alex Neil said: "If we have a winter like last winter this will be more important than ever."

Mr Neil unveiled the scheme while on a visit to a company in Stirling called Superglass which turns recycled glass bottles from homes into insulation materials.

Chairman of Consumer Focus Scotland Douglas Sinclair said: "Our research has shown that area-based energy efficiency schemes can be an effective way of engaging with consumers and communities to offer energy efficiency advice and practical measures, helping them to make their homes warmer and reduce their energy bills."