The Scottish Government has made an award of £6.845 million to help make homes in Glasgow more energy-efficient.

The funding comes from the Energy Efficient Scotland Area Based Schemes (EES:ABS) programme, which takes an area-based approach with the twin aims of tackling fuel poverty and improving energy efficiency to make Scotland’s existing buildings near zero carbon wherever feasible by 2045.

The main objective of the EES:ABS programme is to provide funding to assist owner-occupiers and private landlords, who are either in or at risk of fuel poverty, to install energy efficiency measures through implementing a ‘fabric first’ approach. This approach helps reduce energy usage and costs, enabling eligible households to improve the energy performance of their homes to achieve an EPC rating of C or better by 2030.

The scheme - in line with Scottish Government guidelines to identify fuel-poor households - is targeted at areas in Glasgow within the lowest 25% Scottish Index Multiple Deprivation (2020); in Council Tax Band A-C and Tax Band D in certain conditions; that are not included in the area of operation of Registered Social Landlords (RSLs) and/or have consequently missed out on investment programmes; and where people are living with vulnerable conditions to the cold.

The ABS programme helps deliver the aims of city and national initiatives such as Glasgow City Council’s Affordable Warmth Strategy, Sustainable Glasgow, and the Climate Change Strategy, as well as the Scottish Government’s Housing to 2040 Vision.

Council officers are currently progressing projects included in Glasgow’s EES:ABS 2023/24 programme. The council is currently appraising tenders returned by contractors to take forward projects in Balornock (known as the Swedish Timbers Phase 2), Kempsthorn Road (Pollok), Craigend (Easterhouse) and Barmulloch (known as the Barmulloch Blackburns). EES:ABS funding will be used to implement measures in properties at Westercommon, in partnership with Queens Cross Housing Association.

The potential to progress other projects across the city as part of the 2023/24 programme are currently being explored.

Councillor Kenny McLean, convener for housing at Glasgow City Council, said: “This funding will once again help more homes is Glasgow become more energy-efficient, and this clearly an important project given the climate emergency and the cost-of-living crisis. The targeted support in the programme will help many households with their energy costs, and build more efficiency into the city’s housing stock.”