Building new Council homes and improving existing properties is essential for tenants in Exeter and helps the city to cut its carbon footprint. That’s the message from Cllr Marina Asvachin, Exeter’s Lead Councillor for Housing.
Building new Council homes and improving existing properties is essential for tenants in Exeter and helps the city to cut its carbon footprint.
That’s the message from Cllr Marina Asvachin, Exeter’s Lead Councillor for Housing.
Cllr Asvachin was speaking during a visit to Brook House, a new development of 21 new Passivhaus flats constructed on the site of a former car park located off Hamlin Gardens.
The first residents moved into the new homes last October, marking the latest chapter in the City Council’s construction programme to build new social housing in Exeter.
The homes have been constructed to certified Passivhaus standards, using a “fabric first” approach. This means the flats are highly energy efficient, with high levels of insulation and exceptional airtightness.
They are climate-resilient for the future, and their energy efficiency measures help tenants offset the rising cost of living through savings on energy bills, while also reducing carbon emissions.
Cllr Asvachin said: “These new homes are very important for Exeter because we know housing is in short supply and there is a huge need for good quality social housing.
“They are super energy efficient which helps tenants save on energy costs and that in turn helps the city to cut its carbon footprint, so I am very proud of our council house building programme.”
Cllr Asvachin also saw ongoing work to retrofit the Council’s existing housing stock to make it energy efficient and more comfortable for tenants.
The Council expects to have retrofitted 920 properties by March, targeting all poorly performing homes in terms of energy efficiency.
Works can include loft insulation, cavity wall insulation, windows, doors, ventilation, roof repairs, structural repairs, PV installations, heating control upgrades, and heating system improvements.
The average fuel consumption for tenants has reduced by between 40 and 50 per cent.
The Council is currently bidding for £4.34m funding - if successful it will deliver 140 property retrofit completions per year for the next three years.
Cllr Asvachin said: “The retrofit programme is something I am also very proud of. It is making a real difference to tenants, making homes more comfortable and less expensive to run and is also important to the Council’s commitment to reduce carbon emissions.”
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