Energy-efficient homes become hot topic for Stanley stoves

A STOVE manufacturer, forced to put half its workforce on a three-day week, hopes new energy-efficiency laws will be an invaluable lifeline for the plant.

Seventy-five workers at Waterford Stanley have begun short-time working, due to a seasonal drop in demand.

But the indigenous Irish manufacturer hopes new energy ratings for households will spur demand for its stoves — cast-iron, home heating hubs, which are far more efficient than open fires and increase a home’s energy rating and value.