A NEW project starting in Stoke Climsland will help residents reduce their energy demand by insulating their homes whilst making a step towards achieving Carbon Net Zero in the Parish by 2030.

The parish council has announced the Carbon Zero Homes Project. The aim of the service is to provide advice to residents that will help them make their homes more energy efficient.

The council welcomes the news that it has received £54,648.51 through the UK Government Shared Prosperity Fund for the project. This funding will enable the parish council to employ a Community Energy Advisor to set up and run the service, and the council are currently recruiting for the position.

Derris Watson, Parish Clerk said: ‘One of our councillors looked into it and 80% of the houses in Stoke Climsland have an EPC rating of D, E or F.

'The minimum to be a carbon-friendly home is an EPC rating of C.

‘Having an advisor will help people to find out what their house needs to be thermally efficient so it can be low carbon with a good EPC rating.

‘They will look at how the insulation of a property can be improved. They will look at whether a home is suitable for solar panels and will also look at damp, as damp homes require 40% more energy to heat.’

The advisor and the parish council will assist people as best they can to making the steps to make their homes more energy efficient. This will include signposting people towards available funding such as those on low incomes who may be eligible for help with costs.

Derris added, ‘we’re also not going to have oil boilers after 2025. So we need to look at alternative forms of heating.’