25 May 2009 - The Otago Regional Council (ORC) is urging residents in Milton and Arrowtown to apply for assistance for insulation and heating appliances from its Clean Heat Clean Air programme.

The progamme provides assistance towards the purchase and installation of home insulation and clean heating appliances. Low income earners can have their home insulated for as little as $300 and a further $300 will provide a modern clean heating appliance.

Grants of up to $2000 for replacement heating appliances are also available to people who do not meet the low income threshold.

Programme manager Jeff Donaldson says despite extensive promotion and clean heat expos, residents in these towns have been slow to take advantage of the programmes benefits.

"Funding is still available, but for a limited time, so residents are running the risk of losing out if they don't apply now," Mr Donaldson says.

Residents in the other eligible towns of Alexandra, Clyde and Cromwell have been keen to participate in the programme. So far 208 households have benefitted from new heating appliances and 694 insulation retrofits have been completed.

The programme has recently won the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority's (EECA) Fujitsu General NZ Award for a project that improves the energy use in residential dwelling and was commended for providing tailor made solutions which satisfy specific household needs.