Exeter City Council has completed a retrofit of 300 homes, with plans to eventually tackle 4,000.
The council homes have received external wall insulation, high performance cavity wall insulation, loft insulation, new double glazed windows and doors, solar panels, smart meters and upgraded central heating systems.
Eventually the Council aims to transform all of its properties in Exeter as part of its ambition to become a Net Zero Carbon City.
Cllr Laura Wright, Deputy Leader of Exeter City Council, said: “We will retrofit all of our council stock eventually and that’s over 4,000 properties, so it is a really big ambition. But we are on the way towards that already.
“For each property that has been retrofitted there will be an average reduction of 3.2 tonnes of carbon every year.
“By the end of the year we will have retrofitted about 360 – that’s a carbon reduction of 1,152 tonnes at least, and that’s an amazing figure.”
Resident Rebecca Merrett said the work on her home in Wonford had made a big difference and said she uses a lot less energy since the refit. The house is also warmer and more comfortable.
She said: “Through the winter for us the insulation has made a big difference. We’ve had solar panels put on, new double glazing and doors and cavity wall insulation.
“It has made a huge difference to our energy bills. Anything that can be saved at the moment – whoever you are – is something you are grateful for so as long as I am lowering my bills I’m happy.
“We used to find that we needed the house really hot but now we don’t, it feels more self-sufficient. We are really proud of our house, we love where we live and we are proud to be here.”
The work is being carried out with a £1.3m investment from the council in addition to a £1.1m government grant to tackle fuel poverty in the city’s least energy-efficient homes.
