Edinburgh’s ambitious multi-million-pound retrofitting roll-out and mixed tenure improvements will make council homes ‘net zero ready’ in the coming years, with measures such as external wall insulation and solar panels being installed to improve living standards in many low-rise buildings and multi-storey blocks.

Marking the City of Edinburgh Council’s latest set of insulation upgrades, the Housing, Homeless and Fair Work convener Jane Meagher visited tenants in the North of the city to see how their homes have been transformed.

Along Crewe Road North and Crewe Road Gardens, at least £2.23 million has been invested this year towards making 90 homes in mixed tenure buildings warmer and cheaper to heat. The vast majority of these (70) are council homes.

Funded by a mix of EES/ABS grants, owner contributions and council funding, properties in the area have benefited from external wall insulation and in many cases replacement roofing, with all works delivered by Insulated Render Systems (IRS) in partnership with the council, Changeworks and Home Energy Scotland.

Councillor Jane Meagher, Housing, Homelessness and Fair Work convener, said: “It’s hard to describe the huge difference these measures will make: to the fabric and warmth of these homes, to people’s fuel bills and to the environment, and of course to the lives of everyone who lives in them now and in the future.

“By bringing these older homes up to a newer energy efficiency standard, we’re not only driving down carbon emissions, we’re clamping down on issues like damp and fuel poverty. It’s complex work but it’s vital because it prioritises our tenants and their living standards.

“It has been a pleasure to meet with some of the residents and to hear their feedback and I’m pleased to see the real difference the building work is making. The works taking place along Crewe Road are an indication of more upgrades to come. Just think what we could achieve if we were to receive the funding we need to roll this programme out even further, to improve even more of our tenants’ homes?

“I’m grateful to the partners involved in supporting this roll-out and to our tenants, whose rents help towards paying for improvements to council homes alongside grant funding. Edinburgh faces a Housing Emergency and we need to tackle it together.”

Josiah Lockhart, chief executive of Changeworks, said: “Changeworks has worked in partnership with the City of Edinburgh Council on a number of EES ABS projects and it’s great to see the fabric improvements made to properties here on Crewe Road. Ongoing high energy costs mean that these energy efficiency projects make a real difference to householders, helping them stay warm and save energy as well as reducing carbon emissions.”

Green measures have also been installed to homes in Gilmerton, where over 180 eligible private home owners and tenants are benefitting from £2.5m investment over two years towards solar PV panels and battery energy storage, external wall insulation and upgrades to the look of buildings. Future upgrades with Changeworks are also planned for homes in the Liberton area in the year ahead.

Elsewhere in the city, at least £2.2m has been invested by the council to transform a block of 36 homes in Oxgangs into a modern looking, sustainable building with upgrades to the roof and coverings, external walls, stairwells, and common landings. The council is now looking to undertake a whole house retrofit of the multistorey blocks May and Gunnet and is carrying out design work for blocks in Leith, mixed-tenure improvements also taking place in Lochend and Restalrig and in Wester Hailes.