Enfield Council starting ‘retrofit’ of homes in Edmonton to reduce energy bills

*An example of a home retrofitted with solar panels and better insulation*

Edmonton residents are set to benefit from a scheme that will make their homes more energy efficient after Enfield Council was awarded government cash.

The council has begun ‘retrofit’ improvement works to boost energy efficiency at ten domestic properties in Edmonton Green and Haselbury wards, making them easier to heat and keep warm and replacing fossil fuels with renewable energy sources.

The works are part of a three-year partnership alongside seven other councils in London and are set to deliver more than 250 housing retrofits in total.

The Dutch ‘Energiesprong’ model will be used to make each property included in the scheme zero-carbon. This includes adding double-glazed windows and high-performance doors, rooftop solar panels to generate electricity, efficient heating and ventilation systems and external insulation.

The council was awarded almost £600,000 of government funding to enable the retrofit works. Deputy leader Ergin Erbil said: “Enfield Council has a strong track record in leading carbon reduction and innovative energy projects.

“We are also acutely aware of the financial pressure many people are under at the moment, so this project could not come at a better time. Once completed, these homes will be better protected against energy price increases because they will generate their own energy as well as needing less energy.

“As the scheme progresses, Enfield Council and the other partners will share their experiences and expertise of the retrofit process. The programme will also provide social housing providers access to the technical expertise needed for the success of this and future projects, enabling a more widespread rollout throughout London.”

George Savva, the council’s cabinet member for social housing, said: “This deep retrofit will help lower people’s energy bills and provide warm and secure housing, which in turn will help improve living conditions. The partnership will help us test what technologies and designs work best, so we can look at the retrofit of further council homes in the future.”

Last week a report by academics from the University of Warwick found that the looming “energy shock” of rising bills would cost Enfield residents £110million per year, but also found that up to £86m could be saved annually through measures such as installing new boilers and better insulation in thousands of the worst-affected homes.

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