Glasgow's £6.8M Energy Fix: A Simple Solution to a Complex Problem

Glasgow City Council has pocketed a not-so-shabby £6.845 million from the Scottish Government to boost energy efficiency in homes across the city for the 2024/25 financial year. On paper, it’s a big win for the city and its residents. But, as with most well-meaning initiatives, the devil is in the detail.

The Area Based Schemes (ABS) programme (sounds fancy, doesn’t it?) is the chosen vehicle for rolling out this plan. The idea is simple: identify neighbourhoods struggling the most with fuel poverty and slap on some external wall insulation to help residents achieve an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating of C or better by 2030. The scheme focuses on areas like Kempsthorn in Pollok, Craigend in Easterhouse, and Barmulloch.

The programme’s criteria are ostensibly noble: target the poorest 25% on the Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation and areas where residents have somehow slipped through the cracks of housing association schemes. If you’re lucky enough to live in a Council Tax Band A-C property, or a Band D if the stars align, you might just make the cut.

The residents’ stories shared by the Council are heart-warming enough. Take Mrs Bell from Kempsthorn, who gushes, “I have hardly had my heating on” since her home was upgraded. Her energy bills have dropped, and she’s now keen to install even more energy-efficient measures. Lovely for her. But it’s hard not to wonder how many other residents have quietly slipped through the cracks of bureaucracy, their homes still as drafty as ever.

Of course, the Council is thrilled to tell you how aligned this scheme is with their ambitious Affordable Warmth Strategy, Sustainable Glasgow initiative, and the Scottish Government’s lofty Housing to 2040 Vision. Councillor Ruairi Kelly is quick to point out that this programme is about “helping people and families with their energy bills and reducing emissions.”

But let’s pause for a moment. Glasgow, like most cities, is riddled with old housing stock that haemorrhages heat and sucks up energy. The scale of the problem dwarfs the £6.845 million that’s been allocated. Glasgow’s housing woes require structural overhauls, not just some insulation and a round of applause.

The numbers might make headlines, but they barely scratch the surface of Glasgow’s broader energy crisis. Yes, it’s wonderful that the programme prioritises private homeowners and renters who often miss out on housing association upgrades. But what about the countless other residents, stuck in properties too dilapidated to qualify or in limbo with landlords unwilling to participate?

Then there’s the elephant in the room: why does it take such a massive outlay from the government to get people to do what is, ultimately, in their own interest? Energy efficiency measures lower bills and increase home values. Yet, without a government nudge (and a substantial cheque), many landlords and homeowners won’t lift a finger.

The programme is bolstered by organisations like the Wise Group, Home Energy Scotland, and HEAT, which provide bespoke advice and support to residents. These groups are crucial, offering practical guidance and ensuring the programme’s uptake. But how many hoops do residents need to jump through to access this support? Bureaucracy has a funny way of discouraging exactly the people who need the most help.

If the Council’s aspirations come to fruition, more homes in Glasgow will be warmer, cheaper to heat, and better for the environment. But there are significant hurdles ahead. The Council has acknowledged the challenges in speeding up the delivery of these measures and drawing down the full funding available.

Mixed-tenure blocks, for instance, present a logistical nightmare. Convincing a mix of homeowners, private landlords, and housing associations to agree on upgrades is often more trouble than it’s worth. And while Glasgow City Council says it’s working closely with Registered Social Landlords (RSLs), one wonders if the results will match the rhetoric.

The ABS programme is undoubtedly a step in the right direction. It offers practical solutions to some of Glasgow’s most pressing problems: fuel poverty, inefficient housing, and soaring energy bills. Residents like Mrs Bell and the Craigend couple might genuinely see life-changing benefits from these measures.

But let’s not pretend this is a panacea. Glasgow’s energy efficiency crisis isn’t going to be solved with a few million pounds and some well-placed insulation. It’s a complex, systemic issue that demands more than sporadic injections of cash. The Council’s ambition is laudable, but ambition alone won’t keep Glasgow’s residents warm through another brutal winter.