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Bright Green Homes: Over 500 households in Bristol, North Somerset and Bath & North East Somerset (BANES) are to receive funding for energy efficiency and renewable upgrades to help tackle fuel poverty and cut carbon emissions.
The ‘Bright Green Homes’ project will be delivered across the South West, by Bristol City Leap, an innovative new partnership between Bristol City Council and Ameresco, designed to bring in investments of nearly £500 million in low carbon energy projects and create over 1000 jobs in its first five years.
Energy efficiency upgrades will be determined on a case-by-case basis and will range from insulation measures like loft and cavity walls to the installation of renewable and low-carbon technologies such as solar panels and heat pumps.
Households can apply via the Bristol City Leap website where they will complete a short questionnaire to determine their eligibility.
Home improvements for eligible households will be installed by Bristol City Leap partner, Ameresco from March 2023 and continue until 2025.
The three councils successfully bid for funding from phase 2 of the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero’s home upgrade grant, which has already provided over £1.1 billion to low-income households living in England’s worst quality, off-gas grid homes.
The latest round of funding will help reduce the carbon footprint of homes while supporting hundreds of households in the south west struggling with energy bills.
David White, Operations Director for Bristol City Leap, commented: “We are delighted that Bristol has been successful in the most recent round of the Home Upgrade Grant scheme. We were able to make a much larger bid than in previous funding rounds due to the additional delivery capability that Bristol City Leap can bring to bear through the partnership between Bristol City Council and Ameresco. As a result, our Bright Green Homes project will help reduce the energy bills of over 500 families in Bristol, Bath and North East Somerset and North Somerset, whilst also tackling the climate emergency and creating local jobs.”
Department for Energy Security and Net Zero’s announcement marks the third time in three years that Bristol City Council has received funding for residents in low energy efficiency and low-income households and builds on the hundreds of homes already benefitting from improved energy efficiency.
Councillor Kye Dudd, Cabinet Member for Climate, Ecology, Waste and Energy in Bristol, said: “I know many people are deeply concerned about the cost of heating their homes and rising energy bills, so I’m glad that we have secured even more funding through the government’s Home Upgrade Grant.
“This funding is an essential part of Bristol’s commitment to become a carbon-neutral city and it will also make a real difference to eligible residents in the city – saving them money on their household energy bills and making their homes more energy efficient through upgrades like better insulation.
“If you think your household meets the eligibility criteria, then I urge you to complete the online questionnaire. If you have any questions about the project or eligibility criteria, please get in touch with Bristol City Leap.”
More information on the scheme, including eligibility and how to apply can be found on our Bright Green Homes page on our website www.bristolcityleap.co.uk/domestic/bright-green-homes or by contacting the Bristol City Leap team at 0117 352 1180.
A little bit about Bristol City Leap…
Bristol City Leap is a world-first, game-changing approach towards decarbonisation at the city scale. The City Leap Energy Partnership is a twenty-year joint venture between Bristol City Council, Ameresco and Vattenfall Heat UK which will enable the delivery of over £1 billion of investment into Bristol’s energy system.
Put simply, this means a transformative boost in the amount of renewable energy and decarbonised heat powering our city, which in turn means a cleaner, greener and healthier place to live, learn, work and play.
During the first five years of the partnership, nearly £500 million will be invested in a range of large infrastructure projects including the significant expansion of Bristol’s award-winning Heat Network that provides local businesses and residents with access to reliable, affordable low-carbon heat from sustainable sources. Solar panels and low carbon heating systems will be installed at local schools, the council’s social housing will be made more energy efficient to tackle the cost-of-living crisis, and substantial investment will go into community-owned renewable energy projects to help residents play a part in Bristol’s journey to carbon neutrality.