EAST End residents are turning their homes into research labs to help others cut their energy bills.

People living in Sandyhills have had small sensors fitted in their homes to measure the benefits of different types of insulation in hard-to-heat homes.

Shettleston Housing Association has teamed up with Future City Glasgow and Strathclyde University to carry out the study which aims to identify the most effective ways to cut heating bills for people in older, poorly insulated properties.

Future City Glasgow has fitted small sensors in the homes of tenants and owners to measure humidity and temperature indoors and compare it with conditions outdoors.

Some of the test properties have been fitted with external insulation but others have not.

Data collected by the sensors is being analysed by researchers at Strathclyde University.

The information gathered will be used to show which insulation provides the biggest improvements in energy efficiency and living conditions.

Retired plasterer George Cameron was one of the first volunteers to take part in the study.

He has had a sensor fitted in his living room and another in his kitchen plus a small weather station erected in his garden.

Shettleston Housing Association clad the exterior of his two bedroom, end terraced house and also upgraded the insulation in his attic.

As well as cladding tenants' properties, the housing body has been helping owner occupiers access grants to have their homes done.

However, the work had to be halted due to changes in the grants.

Glasgow City council leader Gordon Matheson has written Chancellor George Osborne protesting at the changes to funding which will stall insulation projects, leading to high bills for residents and threatening jobs.

Chris Cunningham, director of Shettleston Housing Association, said: "Understanding the impact of insulated render systems is vital for the government to understand the value of programmes like ours.

"The study will serve to bring home to all parties the need to ensure funding from whatever source is available."

There are plans to work with other housing associations, including Glasgow Housing Association, to monitor the benefits of different types of insulation in properties of varying construction.

Future City Glasgow is a city council led £24million programme to show how technology can make life in the city smarter, safer and more sustainable.

vivienne.nicoll @eveningtimes.co.uk