Like many residents living in rural communities, David Fielding had to rely on oil heating at his home which he freely admits was not the most energy efficient or environmentally friendly.

Now through a drive to introduce green technology to hundreds of homes in North Yorkshire, the 73-year-old has had an air source heat pump, solar panels and improved insulation installed at his Kirkby Fleetham property.

The new eco-friendly measures are being introduced across the county through funding which is being delivered by ourselves from the Government’s Home Upgrade Grant.

“Instead of with oil or gas where the temperatures fluctuate considerably, my house now stays at a more ambient temperature throughout and the heat is more evenly distributed,” said David.

“I researched it all, found out I was eligible and thought, ‘why not?’ The physical work was all done in under a week with minimum disruption. It was so slick and efficient – those who completed the works knew exactly what they were doing and they were so professional.

“I’m optimistic and would tell anybody the same – just research the whole thing, it’s proven. I’ve got rid of all the oil, all the dirty stuff and there’s no emissions – it’s clean. In addition to all that, it probably increases the value of the house too – it’s been wonderful.”

North Yorkshire’s ongoing decarbonisation programme has already helped hundreds of families by upgrading poorly insulated homes and tackling high energy costs.

Our executive member for housing, Cllr Simon Myers, said: “Some of our most vulnerable residents live in the worst-insulated and most expensive-to-heat properties in the county.

“That’s why it’s crucial we continue to improve the energy efficiency of our social and privately-owned homes. By doing so, we not only help to protect the environment but also reduce the amount of money that residents pay on their heating.

“Housing is estimated to be responsible for 19 per cent of carbon emissions across North Yorkshire, so considering how we heat our homes and upgrading their levels of insulation is an easy way to make a real and tangible difference to residents’ lives.”

Funding for these schemes is delivered on behalf of the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, with sustainability experts from Salix Finance recently visiting the county to learn more about the initiative’s success.

Salix’s director of housing, Paul Hill, said: “It was fantastic to meet with representatives from North Yorkshire Council and Align Property Partners to discuss how they are delivering energy efficiency retrofit works across the county.

“It’s clear that government funding schemes – such as the Home Upgrade Grant – play a critical role in enabling these retrofit programmes to be delivered at scale and with pace.”

Align Property Partners, the council-owned building design consultancy, has played a key role in delivering these upgrades.

Managing director Ron Walton said: “It’s great to hear feedback from residents who have been delighted with the improvements made to their homes and the subsequent savings on their energy bills. That will continue to inspire us as we press ahead with this important work.”