Award-winning social enterprise, Scarf, has unveiled a partnership with a top Aberdeenshire golf club to promote an innovative new support service for local homeowners.
As part of the awareness-raising campaign for the Scottish Government-funded Energy Efficient Ellon programme, Scarf has sponsored the 18th hole at Newburgh-on-Ythan Golf Club for a period of three years.
Energy Efficient Ellon aims to bridge the knowledge gap stopping owner occupiers and private landlords across Aberdeenshire from making improvements to the efficiency of their property.
By offering a bespoke advice service and access to government loan funding and a trusted trader database, home owners can be supported to make changes recommended on an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) to bring their home in line with the Scottish Government’s target of all Scottish residential properties having an EPC rating of ‘C’ or better by 2040.
In addition, private landlords are also being encouraged to sign up to the programme as new rules coming into force next year mean that to secure a new tenancy after April 2020 properties must have an EPC of at least band ‘E’, lowering to band ‘D’ by the end of March 2025.
Senior programme officer, Ross Adams, said: “Scarf is committed to being an active part of the local community and we are delighted to be able to work with Newburgh-on-Ythan on this sponsorship. We also look forward to holding events at the club over the next few years.
“People who sign up to Energy Efficient Ellon will benefit, for free, from advice from industry experts, referrals into other programmes such as Home Energy Scotland, monitoring of the temperature in the property before and after measures are installed and also a free-of-charge EPC inspection after the works have been carried out.”
To help reach as many people as possible, an advice hub has been set up at Inverythan House, The Square, Ellon offering a drop-in service to anyone looking to hear more about the programme or other ways to make home energy efficiency improvements.
Funding support has also been announced in the form of an interest-free loan of up to £10,000 with a 25% cashback offer through Home Energy Scotland, the Scottish Government’s flagship energy advice service, also delivered in the North-east by Scarf.
Paul Manson, Club Manager at Newburgh-on-Ythan Golf Club, said: “We are grateful to Scarf for their support and look forward to working with their team over the coming years. Securing sponsorship is key for most golf clubs in Scotland and I’m glad the 18th hole will be supported by Scarf moving forward.”
In addition to home-owners and landlords, businesses can also benefit from the service through a referral to Resource Efficient Scotland, another service delivered locally by Scarf.
Scarf was established in Aberdeen in 1985 and has grown to deliver energy efficiency project on behalf of the Energy Saving Trust and local authorities as well as initiatives all aimed at alleviating fuel poverty from two sites in Aberdeen and Dundee. For more information on the work done by Scarf in the North East of Scotland please visit www.scarf.org.uk.
