Scottish Government awards contract for next home energy efficiency programme

The Scottish Government has confirmed Warmworks will deliver the next stage of its energy efficiency improvement programme.

The Edinburgh-based company was in charge of delivering the last national programme, which winds up in September and helped more than 33,000 homes improve their energy efficiency rating.

The government will relaunch the Warmer Homes scheme in October with additional funding.

It forms a key pillar of the effort to tackle climate change, with heating currently producing a fifth of the nation’s greenhouse emissions.

Zero carbons buildings minister Patrick Harvie said: “The successor scheme will have a widened eligibility criteria which will allow a broader range of households to access help.

“The scheme will adopt new standards, delivering whole house retrofit and with a greater emphasis on zero direct emission heating, like heat pumps or electric heating, so households will be able to get more work done.”

Referrals for the programme are currently paused, though applications are still being assessed. Those eligible can receive support for improving insulation, draft proofing, new boiler installation and exploring renewable options, such as solar panels.

Warmworks chief executive Ross Armstrong said: “This new contract comes at a time when people are experiencing difficulties in balancing the need to stay warm at home with the cost of doing so. We also know the importance of prioritising low carbon upgrade options where possible to ensure the country’s net zero ambitions can be met.

“We stand ready to meet these challenges in a way that makes sure the new scheme can deliver the right help to everyone who is able to benefit from it.”