A British University has been granted £237,000 by the Government to study the effectiveness of energy efficiency measures in homes across Greater Manchester (pictured).

Researchers from the University of Salford will work with DECC to collect information from understanding living conditions and energy consumption to how people use their homes.

They will use sensors, which will measure heat loss and take electricity and gas meter readings every few minutes to understand people’s patters of energy use throughout the day. The study will provide scientific data on how effective the measures such as insulation, new boilers and glazing are and will provide information in support of the Green Deal initiative.

Dr Will Swan from the University of Salford’s Energy Hub, who is leading the project said: “If we are to effectively understand what difference sustainable retrofit is going to make to people’s bills and their quality of life, we need to establish the evidence base that will help inform those decisions. The team is committed to making sure we can not only do that but work with our partners to ensure that real learning takes place.”

The final report will be published in September next year.