Bucks scheme helping to reduce CO2 emissions
Better Housing Better Health also aims to lower the number of people in fuel poverty
A Buckinghamshire scheme has helped to reduce CO2 emissions in the county by around 369,207kg.
The council's Better Housing Better Health scheme aims to lower the number of people in fuel poverty by making homes more energy efficient.
As well as helping to improve people's health and wellbeing, the scheme also helps to reduce the county's carbon footprint.
Better Housing Better Health operates through a network of health and social care agencies.
Referrals are made to the scheme when households which are vulnerable to health and wellbeing problems through fuel poverty are identified.
The scheme is coordinated by energy-efficiency charity the National Energy Foundation on behalf of Buckinghamshire Council.
Funding is pulled in from relevant grant programmes, for example Eco Flex, which are used to carry out the energy efficiency improvements to homes.
The latest Better Housing Better Health annual report states what the scheme has achieved over the last year:
-210 referrals of vulnerable households by health and social care agencies
-More than 500 interventions to improve the energy efficiency of homes
-More than £138,000 of grant funding spent on installing energy efficiency measures
-An estimated saving of £76,980 in people’s fuel costs over time
-An estimated reduction of 369,207 kg of CO2 emissions.
Angela Macpherson, Buckinghamshire Council Cabinet Member for Health & Wellbeing, said:
"Fuel poverty is a known contributing factor to poor health.
"The Better Housing Better Health programme gives health and social care agencies a way to intervene and help alleviate the situation when fuel poverty is a factor in someone’s health or wellbeing problems."
Meanwhile Mark Winn, Deputy Cabinet Member for Housing, Homelessness & Regulatory Services, added:
"Poor energy efficiency is often a problem with older housing stock or where a householder has not been able maintain their dwelling properly.
"The Better Housing Better Health programme is a way in which we can target vulnerable households where better energy efficiency can make a big difference to their budget and help in the fight against climate change."
Peter Strachan, Cabinet Member for Climate Change & Environment, said:
"Not only does the Better Housing Better Health programme benefit individual households, but it also makes a valuable contribution to Buckinghamshire Council’s efforts to reduce the county’s carbon footprint."