in on efficiency Tenants could save hundreds of pounds as a result of major environ- mental work being carried out to thousands of homes.

The project aims to improve the efficiency of the Vale Housing Association's 5,000 homes and to cut tenants' heating, water and transport costs.

The work directly affects one-in-eight of all households in the Vale of White Horse Horse, and will benefit the local environment as a whole.

The association claims its homes are far more energy-efficient than most privately-owned properties, with cavity wall and loft insulation and double-glazing to a very high standard.

It said a combination of measures currently being completed may cut tenants' fuel bills by as much as half.

New properties have been specifically designed to include water efficiency measures, such as meters, and items including low volume toilet cisterns also help reduce annual water bills by between £55 and £130.

As 60 per cent of its tenants don't own a car, the association said its new homes will be built no more than half-a-mile from local shops or a bus route wherever possible.

Alison Jennings, the association's environmental co-ordinator, claimed: "We are leading the housing association movement with this project.

"We hope to be the first housing association in the country to be awarded ISO14001, an internationally recognised environmental standard, early next year.

"The Housing Corporation has given us a £50,000 'innovation and good practice' grant to carry out and promote our work."

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