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Sunderland has been chosen to join a £17million project to drive the green housing revolution.
City housing group gentoo will get about 510,000 from the Government's Retrofit for the Future scheme, the first of its kind in the UK.
It will run special projects at six Wearside properties – in Grindon, Columbia and Washington's Coach Road Estate – to test low-carbon building technology, in a bid to increase energy efficiency and reduce emissions.
It includes additional insulation, solar thermal panels, triple-glazed windows, and a membrane installed in the roof and walls to reduce heat loss.
There is also a new condensing boiler and a mechanical ventilation system, to keep the house well ventilated but airtight.
"Through the installation of these key features, we hope to achieve an 80 per cent reduction in CO2," said Ray Sanderson, strategic manager for gentoo green.
"We are also very keen that our customers experience as little disruption as possible, and we have found ways to carry out the work without having to find them alternative accommodation."
He added: "Finding solutions to improve energy efficiency within existing homes is critical if we are to help the Government meet emissions reduction targets.
"We are delighted to have been selected to develop and implement some of these innovative solutions."
Retrofit for the Future involves 87 UK social housing projects, with gentoo one of the few firms to be chosen to run three.
It is hoped the scheme can contribute towards meeting the Government's CO2 reduction target of 80 per cent by 2050.
David Bott, of the Technology Strategy Board – which is involved in the project – said: "At least 80 per cent of the houses we'll be living in by 2050 have already been built.
"So it is critical that we look at ways to dramatically improve the performance of our existing housing stock.
"Retrofit for the Future provides the testbeds we need to ensure the development of long term, mass solutions.
"This initiative has seen the retrofit market come together, with social landlords, local councils, architects and other specialist suppliers developing a range of high performance and cost effective prototype solutions."
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Weather for Sunderland
Saturday 04 February 2012
Today
Light sleet showers
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