A grant of £37,625 has been secured by Kirklees council for their Heat Network Efficiency Scheme (HNES).

This funding will be put towards two optimisation studies, carried out on the Eightlands district heating network, and Burhouse Court’s communal heat network.

The current systems are set to be examined to find any inefficiencies and ways they can be improved.

Kirklees Council say their goal is to make sure homes are safe, healthy and well-maintained for tenants to live in.

Councillor Moses Crook, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Transport and Housing said: “Our successful bid gives us the opportunity to carry out specific and detailed work on how we can improve the performance of heating networks at our council homes.

“Not only will this scheme directly benefit residents at Eightlands Estate and Burhouse Court, but the findings from these studies will be used to improve other heating networks across our housing sites within the borough.”

The funding is coming from the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, providing the HNES with money for public, private and third sector applicants in England and Wales, supporting improvements to existing district heating or communal heating projects.

Louise Singleton, HNES Programme Manager said: “Fuel poverty in the UK has been exacerbated by the cost-of-living crisis, and the HNES is dedicated to ensuring that residents on one of the UK’s 14,000 heat networks are staying warm and comfortable in their homes without paying over the odds. 

“We are delighted to be supporting Kirklees Council to help them identify how to create a more efficient and reliable network for their residents.”