Five housing projects are set to receive a share of £675,000 to improve energy efficiency.

The winners of the Scottish government's first Energy Efficiency Design Awards will help cut bills for people living in fuel poverty and reduce emissions.

Announcing the successful projects in Kirkcaldy, Macduff, Upper Largo, Skye & Lochalsh and Westray, Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Sustainable Growth John Swinney, said: "We all need to take steps to cut the energy we use. With the urgent need to reduce emissions and high fuel prices, there has never been a greater need to improve the energy efficiency of our homes.

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"Around a quarter of Scotland's properties, particularly older buildings, are classed as 'hard to treat' and the Energy Efficiency Design Awards encourage innovation in designing energy saving solutions for existing homes. The winning projects have all demonstrated a unique approach to make the biggest impact on bills and emissions, taking into account the type and location of the building.

"In Energy Saving Week, it is important to realise we can all do our bit now to stop wasting energy and reduce our emissions - and save some money too."

Hard to treat homes can be, for example, homes with solid walls, no loft space, homes without a gas or oil connection and homes where, for technical or practical reasons, staple energy efficiency measures cannot be fitted. Because of high heating bills, families who would otherwise cope relatively well in a more energy efficient home could find themselves in fuel poverty.

(GK/KMcA)