Energy Efficiency
This page will provide information on how the Council is investing to make homes more energy efficient
What are we doing?
West Lothian Council are committed to improving the energy efficiency of the housing in West Lothian in order to provide tenants and owners with reduced energy bills whilst reducing the carbon footprint of their homes. We are proactively working on projects that will help those living in fuel poverty reduce their fuel costs which improving energy efficiency helps to do - this forms part of the councils strategy and commitment to addressing poverty in West Lothian.
A number of the councils houses are classed as "Non-Traditional" which unlike traditional brick built homes have poorer insulation properties and are less efficient to heat. As a result we are actively looking at ways to improve the energy efficiency of these properties - one of which is External Wall Insulation (EWI).
The current Heat and Energy Efficient Scotland Area Based Scheme year 11 for 2023-24 (HEES ABS) is on target to help around 80 privately owned properties to install External Wall insulation, as well as loft insulation top ups and extractors to kitchens and bathrooms where required within Staunton and Talisman Rise, Dedridge West area. All works must be completed by the end of May 2024 with the council acting as a grant administrator for this Scottish Government funded programme to help fuel poor household and or properties with the lowest levels of energy efficiency; to install measures and achieve a level of comfort at a cost they can afford.
To date total of 1,432 privately owned properties have received External Wall Insulation (EWI) through ABS funding, whilst an additional 751 Council properties have received EWI as part of Capital Investment programmes.
Alongside this year's programme of EWI to owners in Staunton and Talisman Rise the same contractor carried out re-roofing, cavity extract and re-fill, loft insulation top ups and ventilation to kitchens & bathrooms to 64 West Lothian Council owned properties.
The council also undertook work in Whitburn and Blackburn to upgrade some of the remaining council owned Swedish Timber properties with the installation of EWI, triple glazing, loft insulation top ups and new roofs. This work will see 18 houses upgraded in 4 streets.
These are essential works to provide the homes with a vastly upgraded thermal efficiency during a cost of living crisis driven amongst other factors by the cost of energy. With all of these measures combined the house is warmer, quieter and guaranteed to provide quality housing for many years to come.
For the next financial year 2024/25 the council has been awarded a similar value of grant funding as previous years circa £1,025,000 after a successful bid to deliver a new ABS programme of energy efficiency measures to areas of hard to treat properties with high levels of fuel poverty.
What can you do?
Private home owners and council tenants are encouraged to improve the energy efficiency of their properties where they can, as this will help lead to a reduction in their energy bills and carbon footprint. There is a number of different ways that you can help improve energy efficiency - for more help and advice on how to take control of energy bills and save energy contact the Advice Shop.
