Coventry Residents Encouraged to Improve Energy Efficiency with Cutting-Edge Technology

Strategic Insights -

Residents in Coventry are being offered a range of incentives to upgrade their homes with energy-efficient improvements, including the use of drones and virtual reality headsets. Climate change officer Matt Dillow has been working with several retrofit programmes, targeting low-income households with health conditions living in inefficient homes. The programmes aim to address the significant health benefits associated with improved indoor air quality, as well as the barriers posed by disruption and lack of awareness about the benefits. With 18.9% of households in Coventry living in fuel poverty, the city council is taking proactive steps to address this issue.

Key Takeaways:

  • Over 100,000 homes in Coventry are predicted to have an EPC rating of D or worse, indicating below-average energy efficiency.
  • 18.9% of households in Coventry are living in fuel poverty, highlighting the need for energy efficiency improvements.
  • Drones will be used to capture thermal images of 4,000 houses as part of the Hillfields Neighbourhood Improvement project.
  • Virtual reality headsets are being used to give residents an idea of what a retrofitted property would look like.
  • A third of the £67m retrofit scheme came from government grants, with the remainder funded by Citizen Housing.
  • The scheme has so far completed work on nearly 2,000 properties, with a focus on loft and wall insulation, new windows, and doors.

Statistics:

  • 143,000 homes are across the city of Coventry.
  • 100,000 homes are predicted to have an EPC rating of D or worse.
  • 18.9% of households in Coventry are living in fuel poverty.
  • £67m has been allocated for the retrofit scheme.
  • 67% of the retrofit scheme was funded by Citizen Housing.
  • 1,957 properties have had energy efficiency measures installed as part of the scheme.
  • 800 properties in Radford, Westwood, and Upper and Lower Stoke wards have had energy efficiency measures installed.

Sources:

  • Coventry City Council
  • Matt Dillow, Climate Change Officer
  • University of Warwick
  • Citizen Housing