Around £100 million will go towards 'Older People, Homes for the Future' scheme, which will be delivered by North Tyneside Council in partnership with Northumbria University, in what will be the largest capital investment in the council's history.

'Older People, Homes for the Future' will see the replacement of current outdated, poor quality homes.

Of the 32 schemes, 12 will be new builds plus one cluster of bungalows, 12 will be refurbished, and seven schemes will be released.

The council has been able to transform its sheltered housing after it successfully bid for around £100 million in Private Finance Initiative (PFI) credits from Communities and Local Government (CLG).

Now the council and Northumbria University graduate Alex Hope are assessing the renewable energy potential of the sites. These could include solar power, biomass (biological materials) and geothermal (energy from the ground) sources.

It is believed to be the first time that the use of renewable energy is being explored across the whole of a public sector housing initiative.

Work is expected to start in 2010 and is estimated to finish in 2016.