Better Homes

A landmark programme to help residents across the Leeds City Region install energy efficiency improvements in their homes has been agreed.

'Better Homes Yorkshire� will bring over �20m of investment into the region and improve over 12,000 privately owned or rented homes.

The initiative brings together the Leeds City Region Enterprise Partnership (LEP), the West Yorkshire Combined Authority, nine Leeds City Region councils and private sector partners Keepmoat and Willmott Dixon Energy Services.

All the partners will pool their expertise and resources to provide a transformational home energy offer to residents. This will include the installation of new boilers, central heating systems, loft insulation, wall insulation, renewable energy systems and a range of smaller improvements.

Energy Efficiency

Overseen by the Combined Authority, Keepmoat and Willmott Dixon Energy Services will be delivering the energy efficiency measures as the Better Homes Yorkshire consortium. In the first phase of the programme, they will be contacting households eligible for the programme�s wide range of measures over the next few weeks. The offer will be opened up to all home owners and privately renting tenants from spring 2015.

The energy efficiency of over 12,000 homes should be improved in the first three years of Better Homes Yorkshire, which also aims to improve and create jobs and apprenticeships for local people. As a result, the programme will bring at least �20m of investment into the Leeds City Region and increase GVA growth.

Find out more about Better Homes Yorkshire (opens in new window).

Determination

Leader of Bradford Council and Chair of the West Yorkshire Combined Authority Investment Committee, Dave Green said: �This new programme is another great example of the public and private sector working together to deliver further growth for the Leeds City Region and by making it easier for residents to implement these measures in their homes, reflects the LEP, West Yorkshire Combined Authority�s and local authorities shared determination to make a real positive difference for local people.

�Reducing fuel poverty and improving health and wellbeing is vital to ensure we build a resource smart City Region for our residents to both live and work and I am delighted that homes in Bradford, along with other areas in the City Region, will benefit from this scheme.�

Potential

Paul Hamer, Chair of the LEP�s Green Economy Panel said: �Investing in local homes and businesses is the key to unlocking the full potential of our City Region and this programme enables the public and private sector to work together to achieve this goal.

�Alongside energy saving measures, which importantly will help people reduce their energy bills and reduce domestic carbon emissions, the programme opens up new opportunities for small businesses to become part of the supply chain, creating new jobs and apprenticeships and further growth for the region.

�The programme has been established with a degree of flexibility, to ensure we can respond effectively to future changes in legislation or new technologies that may become available over the course of the programme, which may include renewable energy technologies.�

Ground-breaking

Board Member, Martin Smithurst for the Better Homes Yorkshire consortium said: �We are very pleased to have the opportunity to contribute to the reduction of carbon emissions and fuel poverty in this ground-breaking initiative across Leeds City Region and make the homes of Yorkshire healthier, warmer and more energy efficient places to live.

"Between Keepmoat and Willmott Dixon, we have extensive knowledge and expertise in working to reduce customer�s energy bills and this combined with our Decent Homes experience will benefit householders across the Leeds City Region. This programme will also bring job, apprenticeship and training opportunities for local people.�

The Better Homes partnership have also been working with Construction & Housing Yorkshire (CHY) to ensure that the contracted works create local employment, generate skills and provide local businesses with supply chain opportunities.

Through CHY and the Green Deal Communities Fund, local businesses have the opportunity to gain PAS2030 accreditation and join Better Homes Yorkshire's supply chain.

More information is available through the Green Deal Installers Hub website (opens in new window) or call CHY on 0113 881 4810.