The combined authority was one of the first to pilot the green deal and is now offering a full programme to householders.

Keepmoat, Wates Living and Willmott Dixon Energy Services will deliver the programme of housing energy efficiency retrofits after beating a field of 20 prequalified firms.

The Greater Manchester Green Deal Delivery Partnership’ will run for three years from 2014 to 2017, with an option to extend for a further 2 years.

The coalition of nine local authorities across the region aim to support a minimum of 15,000 households across all tenures to reduce both their household energy bills, and carbon emissions.

Initially it was forecast to be worth anywhere between £100m and £400m, although this still looks ambitious given poor domestic take up of green deal around the rest of country.