Energy efficiency works on 95 homes in Coventry have been completed thanks to Social Housing Decarbonisation wave one funding.
Citizen, a West Midlands based housing association, successfully bid for £1.1m Government funding to carry out energy efficiency improvements to homes, which had an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating below C.
Works included external wall insulation, installing energy-efficient doors and windows, increasing loft insulation and improving ventilation to reduce the potential for mould growth.
The project was delivered in collaboration with Coventry City Council, and so far, the scheme is one of the first three in the country to be completed in June 2023.
Customer Ntombiyelanga Mgutshini had energy improvement works carried out on her home including new windows and doors. She said she is looking forward to seeing the difference it makes.
Ntombiyelanga said: “My house looks much better than before and I would definitely recommend having the works done if you are offered it.
“My home felt cold previously and it felt like I would put the heating on, and it wouldn’t make much difference. Now I’ve had the work done I’m looking forward to seeing the impact it makes in the winter.
“I felt really excited when the work was offered to me as it will help save energy and potentially money in the winter.”
Now works are complete all the 95 homes have achieved an EPC rating of C.
The housing association could only bid for funding in the first wave of the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund if they entered a joint bid with the local authority.
Head of Strategic Asset Management at Citizen Chris Morris said: “It’s fantastic news that we have completed works to 95 homes across Coventry thanks to funding from the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund.
“We’re pleased to hear that Mrs Mgutshini and many others are happy with the improvements and are looking forward to seeing the benefits of the work and that she would recommend it to others to have the work completed on their homes too.
“We worked with Coventry City Council on this project and delivering this successful project will help reduce the amount of energy used, reduce the amount of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions and reduce the impact on the environment.
“Over the next two years we will be working with Coventry City Council, delivering wave two of the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund where we will carry out energy efficiency improvements to more than 2,000 properties across the city. We’re looking forward to seeing the positive impact this has on our customers.”
Successful applicants for wave two of the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund were announced earlier this year and the improvement project is expected to be completed by summer 2025.
Cllr David Welsh, Cabinet Member for Housing and Communities, commented: “I’m really pleased to have been able to work so closely with Citizen on this project. As Council, we remain committed to working with our partners to raise housing standards across the city and projects like this are essential to that work.
“Nationally we are facing a crisis in housing which is impacting the lives of people in Coventry as well as up and down the country. That’s why we will continue to pressure the government to influence much needed change in national housing policy. We want to keep delivering transformative schemes like this because we believe they can drastically improve people’s lives, helping to lift people out of fuel poverty, but we need the Government to support us in doing so.”
Cllr Jim O’Boyle, Cabinet Member for Jobs, Regeneration and Climate Change, said: “This project will have a real impact on these residents. Not only will it hugely improve the energy efficiency of their homes, but it will also help save them money on their energy bills.
“Improving the energy efficiency of homes in the city is absolutely crucial to our efforts to tackle climate change. This project is a step in the right direction but for it to have a widespread effect the Government needs to take retrofitting homes seriously and fund these projects appropriately.”
Gareth Keith at GJK consultants, who supported both Coventry City Council and Citizen in their successful bid applications and subsequent project delivery, added: “It is great to see the people of Coventry benefiting from energy efficiency improvement projects like this, especially through strategic partnerships between the principal social housing provider in area and the local authority.
“Building on the success of wave one, we are excited to be part of the strategic partnership in the delivery of wave two as this ambitious project seeks to deliver residential, energy efficiency improvements, at scale. These complex residential decarbonisation projects aim to tackle fuel poverty, deliver cost-effective carbon savings to achieve the UK’s target for Net Zero by 2050, support the green economy and improve the comfort, health and well-being of social housing residents.
“GJK consultants are committed to supporting the Department of Energy Security and Net Zero, local authorities and social housing organisations in achieving their decarbonisation objectives.”
The Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund makes further progress towards delivering the Government’s commitment to invest in the energy performance of homes and ensure that all rented properties achieve a minimum band C by 2030.
Header image: From left to right are: Councillor David Welsh, Citizen customer Ntombiyelanga Mgutshini, Head of Strategic Asset Management at Citizen Chris Morris and Councillor Jim O’Boyle.
