Orkney Islands Council has extended its partnership with Warmworks for a fifth year which will enable households to benefit from a Scottish Government scheme supporting home energy efficiency improvements.

It follows a bumper year for local households in which the Council was awarded a record £2 million from the Scottish Government’s Heat and Energy Efficient Scotland scheme (HEES:ABS), to improve the energy efficiency of homes throughout the county, all allocated funds are on track to be fully used, ensuring that the work is completed by May in accordance with the grant requirements.

Warmworks will continue to promote the HEES:ABS scheme to householders, assess their eligibility to access support and to coordinate the installation of energy efficiency improvements.

Available to homeowners, private sector tenants, and landlords, the program helped 176 households in Orkney during 2022-23. This assistance included improvements like loft, wall, and underfloor insulation, as well as the installation of modern high heat retention storage heaters.

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Warmworks operates from an office in Kirkwall and collaborates with local subcontractors to implement energy efficiency upgrades. Individuals interested in the program should reach out to Warmworks to determine their eligibility for funding. Additionally, the local team can provide guidance and direct them to other possible sources of assistance and advice.

Councillor Gwenda Shearer, the Council’s Chair of Education, Leisure and Housing, said: “We’re delighted to have the Warmworks team continue to work with our community to take full advantage of the HEES:ABS scheme. Once again we’d urge householders to explore if they could benefit, by getting in touch with Warmworks directly."

Nicola McLeod, Managing Director of Warmworks’ Scotland Division said: "We are really excited to be continuing our partnership to help homes in Orkney to be warmer and more energy efficient. The benefits of the scheme for Orkney homes are clear – last year we helped 176 Orkney homes to save an average of £728 through the installation of energy efficiency improvements in their homes. We encourage people to get in touch with the team in Orkney to find out if they qualify for support."

Under the HEES: ABS scheme, eligible households can receive funding for:

•Loft insulation.

•Internal wall insulation.

•External wall insulation.

•Under floor insulation.

•High heat retention storage heaters.