Cllr John Lines, Cabinet Member for Housing and David Hannon, Director of Investments, Assets and Regeneration for Family Housing Association viewed solar panels being installed in a Birmingham street today for a renewable energy project that will see some 250 households benefiting from a range of renewable energy measures.
The house in Coplow Terrace is one of the first to receive works under the ground breaking Summerfield Eco Neighbourhood project, which is supported by the Council’s Housing Department with NRF funding. Some 42 residents will receive the solar installations by the end of March and are already realising the benefits of having solar hot water, which will translate into real savings in their gas and electric bills.
This project was approved by the Council last month and will help achieve lower energy use for households through a programme of domestic solar water installation and other energy saving measures, as well as encouraging residents to recycle and adopt greener lifestyles. The project will benefit residents most at risk from the rises in domestic fuel prices.
Family Housing are managing the project and are working in partnership with solar installation contractors Eaga and local firm New World Solar to deliver this ground breaking scheme, creating up to 20 training placements over the life of the project so that local people can benefit in terms of employment and training opportunities.
Family Housing Association has worked extensively with the local community to develop the project and translate residents ideas and aspirations into action. The Association has also recently transformed one of its Victorian properties located on Summerfield Crescent into Birmingham’s first ‘Eco Show Home’ which has been fitted with a number of environmentally friendly features, including Birmingham’s first domestic wind turbine, to promote and demonstrate to local residents the energy saving technologies available.
Family is also working in partnership with the Ladywood Housing Education Initiative which has helped local school children set up an Eco Radio Station, an Eco Website and have composed and professionally recorded an album of songs spreading the message about climate change and the work that is being undertaken to help their neighbourhood to ‘go green’. The websites can be found at www.eco-radio.co.uk and www.tntnews.co.uk.
Councillor John Lines, Cabinet Member for Housing said: “It’s great to be able to help make a difference to the lives of residents and at the same time reducing CO2 emissions. Birmingham will continue to lead the way in tackling Climate Change and reducing fuel poverty and working in partnership with Family Housing will continue to make further improvements to housing in the Summerfield area.”
David Hannon, Director for Family Housing added “We are extremely pleased with the progress of this project so far. Even though we are only at the beginning, solar panels have been installed to half a dozen homes and the feedback from residents has been fantastic. The first households to receive the works have commented on how happy they have been with the installation and the panels are working as residents have been able to switch off their boilers and be energy efficient.”