Press Release

Abseiling to insulate Islington flats

9 July 2010

There have been some strange sights on Islington’s council estates over the past couple of months – teams of abseilers. This isn’t the latest urban sports craze but Homes for Islington (HFI)’s innovative way of insulating homes across the borough.

As part of HFI’s aim to improve housing in Islington, it has been cavity wall filling since January and has finished work on nearly 4,000 properties. This is to reduce the amount of heat lost through walls in the buildings and therefore reduce the heating bills for our residents. On top of traditional methods of completing the work – with scaffolding or cherry pickers – operatives from Avalon Abseilers have been working on the taller blocks in Islington.

Islington is only the second borough in the country to use abseilers in this way. The method is cost effective and it’s an easy way to insulate taller blocks; removing the need for scaffolding which minimises disruption for residents and speeds up the work. The insulation work on these tower blocks has already benefitted almost 450 residents’ homes.

The insulation will keep properties warmer in winter and cooler in summer. It will also help residents to save money on their fuel bills and reduce carbon emissions associated with heating use. HFI estimates that the insulation could help to save residents up to £115 on their fuel bills and will reduce CO2 emissions by 610 kg – that’s the equivalent of boiling a kettle 10,000 times!

• Stephen Kirrage, HFI’s Director of Property Services said, “We want to give our residents the best value for money we can – both when doing work to their homes and in saving them money in the longer term. We are not afraid to use a new way of working to improve our services if they can be shown to be beneficial such as these abseilers.”

ENDS

For media enquiries please contact Jaime Goumal in the HFI communications team on 020 7527 4370 or email jaime.goumal@homesforislington.org.uk

Notes to editors:

1. Homes for Islington, one of the UK’s largest arms length management organisations (ALMO), which began operations in April 2004, is charged with managing council housing stock throughout the borough. It is owned by Islington Council and managed by a Board of Directors, made up of Islington tenants and leaseholders, council representatives and independent members.

2. HFI was awarded the highest rating (3 stars with excellent prospects) from the Audit Commission in 2008, putting it in the top 4% of ALMOs in the country.

3. Image 1: Avalon Abseiler on Dixon Clark Court, Highbury Corner
Image 2: Abseiler working on the outer wall