Greener Homes Summit

Cabinet Secretary in talks over more energy efficient housing

Delegates from the construction industry, housing organisations and mortgage lenders are meeting today to discuss a way to help beat fuel poverty.

Cabinet Secretary for Infrastructure and Capital Investment Alex Neil has called together representatives from Scotland’s house building industry and financial institutions to discuss how to provide more affordable environmentally-friendly housing options.  The Greener Homes Summit will explore ways of making more fuel efficient housing more widely available, therefore helping to cut energy bills.


Mr Neil said: “With our climate here in Scotland, we cannot afford to drag our heels over moves to beat fuel poverty.  Helping increase the supply and uptake of more energy efficient homes would be a massive step on the way to doing this.

“I have already called on the financial institutions to consider introducing ‘green’ mortgages with a lower deposit requirement to encourage more people to consider buying fuel efficient homes.

“New technologies are key to energy efficient homes and a vital element in economic recovery.

“Existing and prospective home owners should be encouraged and supported to invest in new forms of technology and energy efficiency measures.

“I hope that out of today’s summit, we will find new ways to make those homes more readily and easily available throughout Scotland.”

The summit is taking place at South Lanarkshire College in East Kilbride, which recently won a Green Gown innovation in education award for its low energy Aurora House project.  The house, which is used for training in the design and construction of affordable low-energy building, will be visited by Mr Neil and the other delegates during the summit.

South Lanarkshire College Deputy Principal Angus Allan said:

“The Aurora House project hinges around the principle that approaches in lowering energy use, and therefore carbon emissions, should be affordable and within reach of the whole population in order to be effective.

“In addition to this, goals for lowering energy use should be consistent with other social and economic priorities such as eradicating fuel poverty in new social housing and generally lowering fuel bills by using energy efficient design and construction.”