A new report has been published by energy firm SSE making the case for increased use of district heating to improve heating efficiency and affordability.

The Sustainable Heating: Reducing Costs, Improving Comfort and Lowering Carbon Emissions report claims that through it's use "lives have improved, comfort has increased, carbon emissions have fallen and jobs and economic value have been created".

The report highlights one retrofit project in Glasgow that delivered a 62% reduction in CO2 emissions since it was installed in 2012.

It also discovered Cube Housing Association tenants and factored homeowners at the Wyndford estate in Maryhill, Glasgow, not only had warmer homes and lower bills, but less worries about making ends meet.

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Working with the University of Edinburgh the report found:

• 81% of tenants and 90% of owners said they felt warmer with the new heating system;

• 60% fewer tenants and 80% fewer owners reported going to bed early to keep warm;

• Tenants cutting back on food expenditure fell 50%;

• Tenants borrowing money for heating fell 60%; and

• Tenants putting off paying other bills fell 40%.

Construction of the scheme also delivered a £10m boost to UK Gross Domestic Product (GDP), supporting 176 job-years of employment.

Managing Director SSE Enterprise Utilities, Nathan Sanders, said: "This report comprehensively tells us the impact district heating systems can make on residents and their homes. From the jobs created through construction, the improvements in home comfort and the positive benefits to address fuel poverty too.

"And of course, district heating is more efficient than individual boilers because for every unit of primary energy both electricity and heat are generated – thereby delivering more energy 'bang for buck' and significantly reducing emissions in the process.

"As we continue efforts to decarbonise the heat sector we believe district heating will play a leading role and we hope today's report is a helpful contribution to the debate about how we heat our homes in the future."

(MH)