A pilot test underway in selected properties and villages in south Cambridgeshire is providing a source of great comfort for the residents of hard-to-treat solid wall properties, according to Saint-Gobain Weber, formulator and manufacturer of insulation systems and facade renders.<br> <br> The company's weber.therm XM External Wall Insulation (EWI) is being installed and evaluated for performance and efficiency.<br> <br> "This brilliant insulation system has turned my cold house into a warm and comfortable home. I can now open windows, override the timer and use just two small radiators for evenings. I know I'm going to make a big saving on my fuel costs now," reports Mandy Carmichael. She has lived in her home at Comberton, Cambridge for ten years and has seen her fuel oil bill triple in the past five years.<br> <br> Carmichael's landlord, South Cambridgeshire District Council (SCDC), has recently applied the weber. therm XM EWI and render system to this three bedroom property and simultaneously replaced the oilfired heating system with an air source heat pump and appropriate hot water cylinder.