Energy Saving Proposals For Homes

The Scottish Government intends to introduce a Scotland-wide energy improvement for housing in order to 'cut climate change emissions'.

This is nothing new although the summary accompanying the video says the SG will provide more than £2 billion to help make the nation's homes more energy efficient, although there's little detail on how this money will be distributed.

More than 500,000 homes still require cavity wall insulation and more than 600,000 homes with solid walls. The blurb also states that 'the investment will be delivered over the next ten years in a national programme that will transform aging houses.

I am no believer of climate change 'science' but I do believe in sensible actions which save energy; thus saving money.

Part of the problem of so many homes still not being well insulated may well come from the current energy websites which offer advice.  The old tenements have solid walls and along with other solid wall homes, cavity wall insulation is not an option. To insulate a solid wall home is very expensive, as I know to my cost when I insulated one small room a couple of years ago.  I could never afford to do other rooms and anyway there are no grants available for me to do so.

Insulating solid wall properties is not only costly but messy. The upheaval involved is extensive and redecoration a necessity.

At the time I was considering insulating my small room I enquired about a grant for cavity wall insulation which would be suitable for another part of my home. The adviser told me the grant doesn't apply to a 'part' of a home but the full home and I would have meet the full cost.  Surely that attitude is not encouraging people to do their best to reduce their bills and heat loss?

In the latest consultation I hope the SG will consider the many who live in 'combination' homes and introduce grants for both forms of insulation to be available to these. It will be interesting to see if such dwellings are part of the plan or if the intention is to concentrate on older council housing stock.

Note:  Did you notice Alex Neil's deliberate mistake?  I hope it was one.

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