Council homes become more energy efficient

New boilers and replacement windows are being installed across St Albans City and District Council’s housing stock, resulting in more energy-efficient homes.

Since 2011, energy-efficient Grade A boilers have been installed in 72 per cent of council-owned homes. The remainder will receive boiler upgrades by 2020.

So far this financial year (2017/18) the Council has spent £583,206 on installing 176 boilers. It plans to install a further 250 boilers by the end of March 2018, to bring the total number fitted for the year to 426.

The Council is also part-way through a general rolling programme to replace windows and doors, further improving the energy efficiency of its council-owned homes. This programme has been running for years. Following a change by government to housing standard guidelines in 2011, the Council is now installing high environmental standard Grade A windows and doors. So far 41per cent of council-owned homes, including leasehold, have had these Grade A windows installed. The remaining properties will be upgraded by 2021.

Last night Cabinet was given an update on the work to upgrade council-owned homes.

Cllr Brian Ellis, Portfolio Holder for Housing and Inclusion for St Albans City and District Council, said: “The Council has an ongoing programme to make the homes we own and are rented out to tenants more energy efficient. We are installing new boilers that use less energy and are replacing windows and doors. This will mean in the long term less energy will be needed to heat the homes, significantly benefitting tenants financially.” 

The Cabinet meeting on Thursday 23 November was webcast. The agenda and papers for the meeting are available on the Council’s website.

Councillor contact:
Cllr Brian Ellis, Portfolio Holder for Housing and Inclusion, St Albans City and District Council.
Phone: 01582 767621
Email: cllr.b.ellis@stalbans.gov.uk

Contact for the media:
Amanda Wilkinson, Senior Communications Officer, St Albans City and District Council
Tel: 01727 819317
Email: amanda.wilkinson@stalbans.gov.uk 
www.stalbans.gov.uk
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