Seventeen properties in the villages of Crosshill and Barr are set for energy improvements under Ayrshire Housing’s Rural Retrofit Programme.

The Scottish Government has granted £256,000 for the work from its Net Zero Heat Fund. The fund provides support to registered social landlords across Scotland to install clean heating systems and energy efficiency measures across their existing stock. 

Ayrshire Housing’s chief executive Lesley-Anne Junner said: "Reducing emissions from our homes and buildings is one of the most important things we can do to help end Scotland’s contribution to climate change.

‘We have to rapidly scale up deployment of zero emissions heating systems in order to meet our climate change targets, which are to achieve net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2045."

All 17 properties will receive improved insulation through cavity wall and loft insulation, triple glazed windows and insulated doors.  The nine properties in Crosshill will also receive an Air Source Heat Pump, Solar Panels and Battery Storage. 

Lesley-Anne added: "The properties will be monitored which will give us useful data for future investment decisions.  All in all the funding for the project will exceed £500,000 of investment in the homes, significantly improving energy efficiency and cutting bills for our tenants."

The properties were chosen for this project as they are located in more rural and remote locations where they are more exposed to adverse weather conditions than in more urban areas and were also identified as being very energy inefficient.