A LOCAL contractor has been chosen to deliver energy-saving measures to households across North Ayrshire as part of a national fuel poverty scheme.

Green Home Systems, based in Irvine, will join forces with North Ayrshire Council (NAC) to help people living in privately-owned or privately-rented housing.

Measures available under NAC's Eco Flex scheme will include insulation, renewable heating, and solar panels.

Green Home Systems will lead the partnership by identifying applicants, allocating funding, and then delivering the projects.

All the measures will be delivered as part of ECO4, the current version of the Energy Company Obligation - the UK Government’s flagship energy efficiency programme that aims to tackle fuel poverty and reduce greenhouse gas emissions from homes throughout the UK by providing free or heavily subsidised energy efficient home improvements.

The guidelines permit each local authority to develop its own eligibility criteria for applicants, meaning that councils can help 'fuel poor' residents by developing bespoke eligibility routes that best serve the local population.

Green Home Systems delivered a £1 million ECO4 trial scheme last year which saw the average energy bill of participating households fall by £2,079 per per year.

Following the upgrades, each home involved in the trial achieved the top Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating of A or B, and a total of 120 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions per year was abated.

Established in 2014, Green Home Systems has completed more than 16,500 energy efficiency projects, lifted more than 7,000 families out of fuel poverty and abated more than 500,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions.

Councillor Tony Gurney, NAC's cabinet member for economy and climate change, said: “We have already launched a series of measures through our Energy Smart initiatives to support people through these challenging times.

"The ECO4 Flex funding targets properties – both owner-occupied and privately-rented – which have poor energy efficiency, and therefore higher energy bills.

"We are confident this scheme will make a significant and positive difference to occupiers who are struggling to pay their bills.”

Steven Easton, chairman at Green Home Systems, said: “This appointment provides a real opportunity for residents to access significant levels of grant funding to improve the energy efficiency of their homes.

"Upgrading insulation and installing renewable energy systems will make a huge difference to families living in fuel poverty.

"The impact of these energy efficiency measures will go further by lowering energy bills and increasing household disposal income, creating warm and healthy homes for families to live in, generating new green jobs in the local economy, and decarbonising our housing stock to create a net zero country.

"We are really excited about North Ayrshire’s ECO Flex programme and the community wealth building opportunities it will create.”