Hundreds of homes to get energy saving upgrades
Bristol City Council has secured £13.5m of government funds to spend on about 300 to 350 homes which have poor energy efficiency ratings
The grants can be spent on measures like solar panels, heat pumps, new double glazing and better insulation to reduce energy bills.
Green Councillor Martin Fodor, said: "It's just disappointing that we didn't get as much as we were actually encouraged to bid for."
More news stories for Bristol
Watch the latest Points West
Listen to the latest news for Bristol
One out of seven Bristol households can not afford to keep their homes properly heated, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.
The council applied for £51m of funding from the Department of Energy Security and Net Zero, but was only given a quarter of that.
Around £20,000 will be spent on each property, which must have an Energy Performance Certificate within bands D to G.
Money will also go towards retrofitting homes in North Somerset and Bath and North East Somerset.
Demand for grants is expected to exceed the cash available but the council has not decided on the selection criteria yet.
Mr Fodor, chair of the Environment and Sustainability Committee, said it was "really important to tackle fuel poverty" and help people save energy.
"We have an excellent track record in Bristol and the work of City Leap to upgrade homes is important," he said.
"It's just disappointing that we didn't get as much as we were actually encouraged to bid for."
The works will be carried out by Bristol City Leap, a partnership between the council and American firm Ameresco,
Follow BBC Bristol on Facebook, X and Instagram. Send your story ideas to us on email or via WhatsApp on 0800 313 4630.
Quicker action needed on climate, says council expert
City council to miss carbon neutral target
Council in £3m bid for heat pumps to cut emissions
Bristol City Council
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Axios
an hour ago
- Axios
Why Ford is doubling down on electric vehicles
Ford's decision to invest $5 billion in a new family of electric vehicles might seem crazy at this point, given how much the political winds have shifted against EVs since President Trump took office. Widen the lens, however, and Ford's big bet is the only natural choice in the face of existential threats to its business. The big picture: More and more mainstream car buyers can't afford to buy a new Ford, which sells for an average of $56,000. It's not just Ford, of course. The entire industry is facing an affordability crisis. At the same time, Chinese carmakers have figured out how to make inexpensive, high-quality, digitally advanced EVs, and they're quickly taking over the world. It's only a matter of time before those Chinese cars arrive in the U.S. Failure to invest in the face of that global challenge is akin to waving the white flag. Yes, but: Building affordable EVs profitably is a lot harder without consumer tax credits and other EV-friendly policies killed by the Trump administration. Trump's tariff policy has also placed a huge cost burden on American automakers — nearly $10 billion this year alone for General Motors, Ford and Stellantis. At least his environmental policy has given them more time to push high-margin, U.S.-built trucks and SUVs. Threat level: U.S. automakers are at a crossroads, with new technology and new competition from all directions, says Ford CEO Jim Farley. "We saw this coming for years. We knew that the Chinese would be the major player for us globally — companies like BYD, new startups from around the world, Big Tech has their ambition in the auto space. They're all coming for us," he told employees and visitors at Ford's Louisville, Kentucky, assembly plant Monday. "Legacy automotive companies, we need a radical we need to do it and be sustainable and make money, and we need to do it with American workers." Driving the news: Ford's answer is a new electric vehicle platform designed from a clean sheet by mostly outsiders to bring fresh thinking to the problem. ""We took inspiration from the Model T – the universal car that changed the world," said Doug Field, Ford's chief EV, digital and design officer, who previously worked at Tesla and Apple. "We applied first‑principles engineering, pushing to the limits of physics to make it fun to drive and compete on affordability. Our new zonal electric architecture unlocks capabilities the industry has never seen. This isn't a stripped‑down, old‑school vehicle," Field said. The first model, coming in 2027, will be a versatile medium-sized pickup truck, with room for five passengers, a storage "frunk" (front trunk) and an open pickup bed. Ford envisions multiple body styles sharing the same universal EV platform at price points below $40,000, enabling economies of scale to ensure profitability. The cars will be powered by low-cost, lithium-iron-phosphate batteries produced in Michigan. Zoom in: The effort includes a complete rethinking of how vehicles are assembled — essentially throwing out the traditional assembly line Henry Ford invented — in order to overcome China's advantages, including low-cost labor and control of battery supply chains. "We tore up the moving assembly line concept and designed a better one," Farley told reporters. "Henry Ford would be proud." Instead of a traditional conveyor line, Ford designed an "assembly tree" with three branches for increased efficiency. Large single-piece aluminum castings replace dozens of smaller parts, enabling the front and rear of the vehicle to be assembled separately on different branches. Those modules are then united with the structural battery, which serves as the floor of the vehicle, with seats, consoles and carpeting already installed. The process dramatically improves ergonomics for employees by reducing twisting, reaching and bending, Ford said. Yes, but: New efficiencies mean fewer jobs. When the revamped Louisville plant reopens in 2027, it will employ 2,200 workers, 600 fewer than today. Workers no longer needed will be offered buyouts or move to other nearby factories, Ford said. The bottom line:"There are no guarantees with this project," Farley acknowledged. "We're doing so many new things I can't tell you with 100% certainty that this will all go just right. It is a bet. There is risk."
USA Today
2 hours ago
- USA Today
Bath & Body Works opens kiosks in 600 college bookstores. See list.
It's back to school for Bath & Body Works as the company announced plans to sell its products in over 600 college campus stores for the 2025-2026 academic year. The brand's reach aims to strengthen its connection with Generation Z consumers after being named the No. 1 fragrance brand for American teens and the third overall most-shopped at beauty stores by teens in the Piper Sandler Taking Stock with Teens Spring 2025 Survey. Bath & Body Works has partnered with ICM Distributing Company to launch kiosks, working with national chains such as Barnes & Noble College and Follett-operated bookstores, as well as independent campus retailers, according to Chief Merchandising Officer Betsy Schumacher. What products will be available at college campuses? A variety of Bath & Body Works products will be available on college campuses, including body creams and lotions, fragrance mists, Wallflower diffusers, PocketBac hand sanitizers, lip products such as glosses and scrubs, hand soap and 3-wick candles, Schumacher said. Scents like Champagne Toast, Mahogany Teakwood and Clean House Vibes are standout scents and will be available in these bookstores, added Schumacher. What campuses will Bath & Body Works be available at? Bath & Body Works kiosks will be located on approximately 600 college campuses nationwide. The following 400-plus locations are at Barnes & Noble College- and Follett-owned campus bookstores, provided to USA TODAY by Bath & Body Works. The remaining locations, not included in the chart below, are independently owned bookstores. Can't see the chart in your browser? Visit Greta Cross is a national trending reporter at USA TODAY. Story idea? Email her at gcross@
Chicago Tribune
2 hours ago
- Chicago Tribune
In Illinois, Democratic House leader Hakeem Jeffries says affordability could be key message for the midterms
SPRINGFIELD — As national Democrats continue looking for a message that will resonate with the American public enough to put them back in power, U.S. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries said Tuesday it could be as simple as: 'America is too expensive.' Speaking in Illinois' state capital about President Donald Trump and GOP funding cuts to public aid and benefit programs, the New York City congressman argued high costs continue to plague average Americans. 'Housing costs are too high. Grocery costs are too high. Utility costs are too high. Insurance costs are too high. Child care costs are too high,' Jeffries said, flanked by U.S. Rep. Nikki Budzinski and U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin, both of Springfield. 'America is too expensive. We need to drive down the high cost of living. Donald Trump has failed to do it.' Before arriving in Springfield, where he's expected to appear Wednesday with Gov. JB Pritzker at the Illinois State Fair, Jeffries hit the same message on MSNBC's 'Morning Joe.' As dozens of Texas Democrats fled their state for Illinois to prevent Republicans from passing a gerrymandered Texas congressional map to gain GOP seats for the midterm elections, Jeffries said the GOP efforts are happening 'because Republicans don't have any track record of accomplishment that is designed to focus on the American people, to make life better for the American people, to lower costs for the people of Texas and beyond. And so they want to rig the elections to cling on to power.' Jeffries' comments come as the midterms have begun to take shape more than six months after Trump took office. On economic issues, Trump has instituted a wide array of tariffs, which have increased some consumer costs and created uncertainty for businesses and the financial markets. In July, the consumer price index, which measures the average change in pricing over time, rose 2.7% over the last year for all urban consumers, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. During their event in Springfield, Jeffries, Budzinski and Durbin said massive tax breaks for the wealthy and spending cuts that were cornerstones of Trump's domestic legislation will deprive many Americans of federal health care funding, food assistance and early childhood education programs. 'Democrats are committed to fixing a broken health care system and making sure that health care is available to everyday Americans that's affordable and accessible when they need it,' Jeffries said. 'And lastly, we have to clean up corruption in Washington, D.C., and deliver a government that actually works for the people and not for the privileged few.' Although Democrats are out of power in Washington, Jeffries, who has served in the U.S. House since 2013, said he thinks the party has gained traction since Trump won the White House and Republicans took control of both chambers in Congress. Since then, Jeffries noted a Democratic-backed judge won a coveted seat on the Wisconsin Supreme Court, and he said Trump has become 'deeply unpopular,' following the tax break and spending measure. 'There is a reason why Donald Trump has ordered Republicans to engage in mid-decade gerrymandering of the congressional map. It's because he wants to rig the midterm elections,' Jeffries said. 'Republicans are on the run all across America.' Jeffries on 'Morning Joe' also spoke in support of the Texas House Democrats who traveled to the Chicago area and elsewhere to prevent the Texas House from establishing a quorum to vote on a new congressional map pushed by Republicans. Jeffries said the whole saga has shown how voters across the U.S. should be 'able to choose the people they want to represent them in Washington, as opposed to politicians and party bosses choosing their voters.' 'The Texas Democrats are standing up for the principle of free and fair elections,' Jeffries said. 'Nothing is more American than that. We are at an all-hands-on-deck moment. And so, I certainly support the principle that we have to utilize every single tool in the toolbox in California, in New York, here in Illinois, from coast to coast.' The Texas Democrats have been joined by Pritzker and other Democrats in accusing Republicans of kowtowing to Trump, whose administration is encouraging similar actions in other GOP-led states as a means of holding the party's slim majority in the U.S. House in next year's midterm elections for the remainder of Trump's second term. They have noted repeatedly that political maps are usually redrawn only once per decade following the U.S. census, and have said Republicans are trying to change the rules and disenfranchise Texas citizens for purely political reasons. Texas Republicans have countered that the congressional maps in many Democratic states, including Illinois, are gerrymandered. Pritzker has said that Illinois' 14-3 Democratic majority congressional map passed legal muster. As Republicans try to force Democrats back to Texas to vote on the remap, GOP Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton and others filed a petition — in what at least one legal expert called long-shot litigation — with a western Illinois court to compel Illinois law enforcement to enforce civil warrants from the Republican Texas House speaker against the Democratic lawmakers who sought refuge in Illinois. On Tuesday, Jeffries also addressed U.S. Sen. John Cornyn's threat from last week of getting the FBI involved in trying to ensure the lawmakers return to Texas — a request from the veteran Texas Republican that he said was granted by the law enforcement agency. Jeffries called Cornyn's actions 'pitiful' as he's trying to 'weaponize the FBI' for political purposes at a time when he faces a contentious primary reelection bid against Paxton, who is vying for Cornyn's seat. 'It's sad because the senator has (presented) himself for decades as someone of integrity,' Jeffries said of Cornyn on 'Morning Joe.' 'And now that he's in the race of his life and is on his way to losing the Texas Republican primary for his own reelection, he is targeting elected officials who he believes are his adversaries solely for political gain.' 'The FBI obviously should be focused on doing other things in terms of targeting child predators, terrorists or drug traffickers, not being used as political pawns in a game that (Texas Gov.) Greg Abbott and John Cornyn and Texas Republican Party bosses are trying to utilize for their own political power,' Jeffries said on 'Morning Joe.' 'This is the same principle connected to the fact that you have more than 100 people who've lost their lives in Texas, including dozens of children, tragically in the historic flooding. There is clear evidence that there has been mismanagement or failure to act decisively.'
