Гlasgow признан самым энергоэффективным районом Шотландии, в то время как островные сообщества занимают последние места

Scotland's best and worst areas for home energy efficiency revealed New research has revealed a stark divide in home energy efficency across Scotland Glasgow has been named the most energy efficient area in Scotland, while homes in the country's island communities are among the least efficient. New research looked at more than 1.2 million homes across all 32 Scottish council areas to find out how many had an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating of C or above. EPC ratings run from A to G, with A being the most energy-efficient and G the least. A rating of C or above is generally considered a higher level of energy efficiency. Across Scotland, just over half of homes (56.57 per cent) have an EPC rating of C or better. But there is a huge difference between some areas. Glasgow came out on top, with 71.48 per cent of homes achieving a C rating or above. That means more than seven in 10 homes in the city reached the higher efficiency level. At the other end of the scale, just 22.96 per cent of homes in Na h-Eileanan Siar achieved a C rating or better. Orkney was next lowest, with 24.76 per cent, followed by Shetland at 33 per cent. This means that five of the six areas at the bottom of the rankings are in Scotland's island and northern communities. In Na h-Eileanan Siar, more than half of homes - 53.7 per cent - were given an EPC rating of E, F or G. That compares with just 12.85 per cent across Scotland as a whole. Meanwhile Glasgow had just 6.6 per cent of homes rated E,F or G. Clackmannanshire came second in the rankings, with 68.75 per cent of homes achieving C or above, followed by Falkirk at 67.91 per cent. While West Lothian and Renfrewshire completed the top five. The research was carried out by building materials specialists Brick Wholesale, using Scottish Government data from the Scottish EPC Register. Researchers also looked at why some parts of Scotland appear to have more energy efficient homes than others. The biggest link they found was whether homes had access to the mains gas network. Around 85 per cent of homes in Na h-Eileanan Siar are off the gas grid, while 100 per cent of homes in both Orkney and Shetland are off it. In Glasgow, the figure is just one per cent. The researchers stressed that this does not mean being off the gas grid automatically makes a home less energy-efficient. However, it was the strongest link they found when comparing the different areas. They also looked at homes with solid, uninsulated walls but found no clear link between these and a council area's overall position in the rankings. In fact, Glasgow, Edinburgh, Dundee and Aberdeen all have relatively high numbers of solid-wall homes but still rank in the top half. Max Fetisov, Head of Marketing and Ecommerce for Brick Wholesale, said: "What really stands out in this data is the divide between areas with widespread access to the gas grid and those without it. "The three island authorities at the bottom of the table have very high proportions of homes off the gas grid, while in Glasgow, which tops the ranking, the figure is just 1%. "That doesn’t mean being off-grid is necessarily the cause of a poor EPC rating, but it was the strongest relationship we found when we looked at what might be behind the differences between areas." He said the findings also showed that the age or appearance of a property does not tell the whole story when it comes to energy efficiency. He added: "Its heating system, insulation and the way the whole building has been constructed all matter." Fetisov said homeowners should use their EPC as a starting point when looking at ways to make their property more efficient. He added: "If you are insulating, extending or repairing an older property, it is also important to understand how the building was originally constructed and make sure any new materials are appropriate for and work with what is already there." The most energy efficient areas in Scotland - Glasgow City: 71.48% of homes rated C or above - Clackmannanshire: 68.75% - Falkirk: 67.91% - West Lothian: 64.87% - Renfrewshire: 62.42% - North Lanarkshire: 62.11% - West Dunbartonshire: 61.66% - Edinburgh: 61.54% - Dundee: 61.16% - Midlothian: 61.02% The least energy efficient areas - Na h-Eileanan Siar: 22.96% of homes rated C or above - Orkney Islands: 24.76% - Shetland Islands: 33.00% - Highland: 35.29% - Argyll and Bute: 36.07% - Dumfries and Galloway: 37.65%