GLASGOW-based energy services firm Union Technical has started work to retrofit 18 homes in Skye.
A £540,000 upgrade of terraced and semi-detached bungalows at Shulishader Beag in Portree, which were constructed in the 1980s, is designed to help address the island’s housing crisis.
Union Technical is working to install new cavity wall insulation, solar PV and battery storage systems, air source heat pumps and ventilation upgrades, to improve thermal efficiency and help tenants reduce their energy bills.
The properties are managed by Trust Housing Association.
Union Technical has experience of working to upgrade and improve homes in rural areas of Scotland, with the current retrofit in Portree following recent developments in Dumfries and ongoing work in the Outer Hebrides.
Owen Coyle, director at Union Technical, said, “Union Technical has a wealth of experience working in Skye, and within the Highland & Islands area more widely, and our current project in Portree is a major milestone for us. The cost-of-living crisis is having a significant impact in the islands, where food and energy prices are typically higher than on the mainland. Reducing energy bills and allowing that saving to be distributed in the community can only have a positive outcome.
“The services Union Technical provides are utility funded and government backed. This funding has been critical in ensuring the cost to the client is minimised, which means funds go further towards achieving their energy efficiency aspirations.”
Ian Davie, head of development & asset strategy at Trust Housing Association, added, “Union Technical’s track record of working within the affordable housing sector in Scotland, and in particular within rural locations, was a key factor in the selection process to become our sustainability partner and main contractor for the retrofit at Shulishader Beag.
“We immediately saw the value in the services which Union Technical provide, and how a partnership would benefit our tenants. Once complete, the retrofit works will help our customers with the cost-of-living crisis by driving down energy usage and fuel bills, helping to tackle fuel poverty and providing warmer and healthier homes.”
