The first house to get wrapped up with the council’s new insulation scheme is kick starting savings on fuel bills worth £1.6 million across the city.
Wrap Up Leeds officially starts on Monday 23 January when Stuart Oakes has cavity wall insulation installed at his home in Morley. Stuart tops the list of around 15,000 Leeds residents who could save a collective total of £1,653,750.
Councillor Mark Dobson, executive member for environmental services and Councillor David Blackburn, chair of the council’s cross-party environment and climate change working group, will be on hand to oversee the installation at Stuart’s home.
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Monday 23 January, 10am, Morley: First installation of cavity wall insulation through Wrap Up Leeds.
There will be opportunities for interviews and photos with Stuart, Councillor Dobson and Councillor Blackburn. Councillor Dobson and Councillor Blackburn will be demonstrating the installation process and cavity wall pump.
Please confirm your attendance by contacting Yorkshire Energy Services Marketing Executive Ellie Lyon on 01484 352010 or by emailing ellie.lyon@yorkshireenergyservices.co.uk.
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Wrap Up Leeds – a partnership between Leeds City Council and Yorkshire Energy Services and with funding from EDF Energy – offers free cavity wall and loft insulation to home owners and private renters in Leeds.
Running until September 2012 the project is aiming to make Leeds’ homes warmer by filling around 6,000 cavity walls, laying insulation in over 3,000 empty lofts and ‘topping up’ a further 5,850 lofts that already have some insulation.
Stuart opted to have cavity wall insulation installed and estimates show that he could save around £200 a year once the gap between his external walls are filled with mineral wool.
Stuart (45) who lives with his wife and their two young children, is delighted to be the first to benefit from the scheme.
Stuart said:
“I’ve been meaning to get around to having cavity wall insulation installed for a while, when I heard it was free for everyone in Leeds for a limited time I knew I had to act quickly.”
An eager group of over 500 people have already signed up for their free survey. With only 15,000 places for householders and privately renting tenants available, the scheme may end sooner than the target end date of September if all 15,000 offers are taken up quickly.
Councillor Mark Dobson, executive member for environmental services said:
“I’d encourage anyone in Leeds that owns or privately rents their home to sign up without delay. We can only offer free insulation to around 15,000 homes so please act now to see if your home can benefit and start making savings.”
Councillor David Blackburn, chair of the council’s cross-party environment and climate change working group, said:
“Wrap Up Leeds is a fantastic opportunity for Leeds residents. Even though some of the big energy suppliers have recently announced cuts in prices, home insulation will help people cut their fuel bills further, reduce the city’s carbon footprint and allow people to enjoy a healthier and more comfortable home.”
Leeds homeowners, tenants in privately rented accommodation and private landlords should call Wrap Up Leeds on 0800 052 0071 or visit www.wrapupleeds.co.uk www.wrapupleeds.co.uk
Notes to the editor
• Wrap Up Leeds is available to all homeowners and tenants renting privately(where landlord’s permission has been granted) in the Leeds City Council area only.
• Free cavity wall insulation, loft insulation (where less than 60mm of loft insulation currently exists) and loft ‘top up’s’ (where more than 60mm but less than 160mm of loft insulation currently exists) are available under the scheme.
• A free, technical survey of the property will confirm that the work will definitely be free and much larger properties or those that need extensive scaffolding may be asked to pay a contribution towards the work.
• Savings of £1,653,750 on energy bills is based on installing cavity wall insulation in 6,000 homes, laying insulation in over 3,000 empty lofts and ‘topping up’ a further 5,850 lofts.
For media enquiries please contact:
Amanda Burns, Leeds City Council press office (0113) 247 5704
e-mail: amanda.l.burns@leeds.gov.uk
or
Ellie Lyon, Yorkshire Energy Services marketing team on 01484 352010
Email Ellie.Lyon@yorkshireenergyservices.co.uk
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