More than 8,000 Aberdeen residents are to be given the chance to have their homes insulated for free this winter.

Residents in the Cove, Torry and Nigg areas will be written to shortly, with details of the Aberdeen Universal Home Insulation Scheme (UHIS) which is being funded by the City Council with £500,000 grant funding from the Scottish Government and private funding.

Taking up the offer could save householders in the area a combined £218,611 on their annual fuel bills and cut annual carbon dioxide emissions by 1,369 tonnes.

Thermal images will be taken of all homes in the area and the pictures will be used by energy assessors and surveyors, who will visit each property in the area, to show residents how much heat is escaping from their homes and how they could benefit from insulation.

The Aberdeen UHIS scheme will target approximately 8,700 homes, about 4,700 of which are flats. This means that the council will be seeking to install measures and improve the energy efficiency of approximately 4,800 domestic buildings in total, assuming an average of six flats to a block.

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All householders will be offered free insulation measures, regardless of whether they own or rent the properties. The measures being offered will include: loft Insulation to a minimum of 270mm; cavity wall insulation; underfloor insulation to suspended floors; and draughtproofing of communal doors in tenement properties, where insulation is installed as part of the scheme.

Some enabling works, to allow measures to be installed, will also be offered free. These include: installing or extending loft hatches; loft clearances; asbestos encapsulation; provision of access equipment such as scaffolding or a cherry picker; and other access issues – for example the temporary part removal and replacement of fences or walls, shrubbery management etc.

Even if a home isn't suitable for or does not require insulation measures there are still benefits for all from the scheme. Householders will be offered free energy-saving advice to help them heat their homes affordably and benefit checks to maximise their income.

Housing and Environment Convener Councillor Aileen Malone welcomed the introduction of the scheme, which is due to launch later this month.

She said: "By ensuring homes are properly insulated we can help people to save a considerable amount of money on their fuel bills by cutting energy use, while also reducing the impact that heating their homes has on the environment.

"This is a win-win situation for everyone involved and I am delighted that Aberdeen City Council's bid for Scottish Government funding was successful, enabling us to help up to 8,700 city households to keep warm for less.

"The financial and in-kind contributions being made by other organisations is considerable and will go a long way towards ensuring that the Aberdeen UHIS is a resounding success."

Several local groups and organisations have been enlisted as partners in the Aberdeen UHIS to help maximise uptake in it and ensure that each householder who signs up is provided with a holistic approach to reducing their energy use and maximising their income.

(GK)