Cumbria Cohesion launches insulation project
Cumbria Cohesion has launched an insulation retrofit scheme aimed at reducing fuel bills and improving efficiency to over 800 properties in Cumbria.
The Cumbria Cohesion partnership, which includes Cumbria County Council, Cumbria Housing Partners, Westfield Housing, Home Group Housing, Impact Housing, and South Lakes Housing, is investing over £7m during the next three years into the project.
The programme is part funded by the European Regional Development Fund and supported by social housing consortium Procure Plus.
The Cumbria Cohesion partnership has engaged with local companies to be involved in the works by utilising the Procure Plus merchant framework. Wolseley Group was selected to supply the materials for the scheme and has opened a new store in Workington in Cumbria to ensure a local workforce is employed.
Procure Plus also helped Cumbria Cohesion to select a main supplier and installer for the project. Following a tendering process, Parex won the contract for supplying the insulated render and contractor, Seddon Construction, was selected to install the insulation solutions.
Seddon Construction will further appoint local subcontractors and apprentices from the area.
Lesley Dixon, project manager at Cumbria Housing Partners, said: "The aim of the programme is to reduce fuel poverty and lower carbon emissions for over 800 households. In addition, we also aim to boost the local economy by creating jobs and training opportunities for organisations in the area. By creating a market for environmental solutions and an expertise in installing these solutions, the local community will benefit greatly and we hope to provide local companies with the confidence they need to invest in this type of work."