Rotherham to Get Funding for Sustainable Housing

Posted under Blog by Ruth

Rotherham has recently been announced to be one of the first places in the country to receive funding through the new government program: ‘Retrofit for the Future’ – a scheme aimed at making residential properties more eco friendly.

The Technology Strategy Board and Prime Minister Gordon Brown announced the launch of the scheme which will help homes across 87 sites around the country. The scheme is worth a total of £17 million.

It has also been announced that £150,000 funding has been awarded to the Yorkshire city for refurbishing six social housing properties. The properties will be refurbished according to the government’s Code for Sustainable Homes.

Measures could include double glazing in windows, which can help to reduce heat loss by half and make homes naturally warmer. Insulation will also be a key factor, as well as renewable energy technology which will help residents to save further on energy bills.

Matthew Spittles, who announced the news and is operations director at 2010 Rotherham, was quoted saying that the project will provide ‘health and lifestyle benefits’ as well as cost savings on fuel bills to ‘eventually eradicate fuel poverty’.

Greenwich Council has also been awarded £170,000 thanks to the same scheme. The money will be spent on the same number of properties, though it also includes an effort to show that even older homes can be made energy efficient thanks to work being done on an 80 year old property.