Esh Construction has been appointed to retrofit homes across County Durham after Durham County Council secured £630,000 of Home Upgrade Grant Phase 2 (HUG 2) funding from the Department for Energy, Security and Net Zero.

Energy efficiency upgrades and low carbon heating will be installed in up to 35 eligible homes across the region, including owner-occupied and private rented properties off the gas grid.

The project will include improved ventilation, loft insulation, cavity wall insulation, air source heat pumps, smart heating controls and photovoltaic panels, with each property receiving bespoke upgrades. Esh has commissioned Storm Tempest to conduct retrofit assessments, design and coordination to establish which measures will improve the eligible homes to an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) C rating.

Lisa Stafford, Head of Retrofit Solutions at Esh Construction, said: "Our retrofit contracts are growing at pace and we are proud to support Durham County Council in decarbonising homes and reducing carbon emissions for residents across the region.

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"We use a fabric first approach to improve the thermal warmth of properties and implement new technologies to provide upgrades to homes to improve them to an Energy Performance Certificate C rating."

Cllr James Rowlandson, Durham County Council's Cabinet member for resources, investment, and assets, said: "As a council we are committed to ensuring residents have access to good quality housing, which is why we are pleased to have secured funding from the Home Upgrade Grant.

"This funding will allow us to retrofit houses in County Durham, reducing the carbon emissions in line with our ambitions to achieve net zero across the county. The improved energy efficiency of these houses will also support households by reducing the cost of energy bills."

Esh Construction is a TrustMark-accredited contractor and partners with a PAS 2030 and PAS 2035 compliant supply chain. The firm is a PAS 2030 certified installer for cavity wall insulation, including that installed in party walls, energy efficient glazing and doors, external wall insulation (site rendered external wall insulation systems and pre-finished external wall insulation systems) and loft insulation.

The Home Upgrade Grant, a government-funded scheme by the Department for Energy and Net Zero, was introduced to deliver progress on statutory fuel poverty targets for England by 2030 and UK Net Zero targets by 2050 and focuses on upgrading inefficient off-gas grid heated homes to provide cleaner and more sustainable heating solutions.

The HUG 2 project prioritises homes with an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating of D, E, F, or G. Low-income households who own their home can get upgrades fully funded within the relevant cost caps and do not have to contribute.