Since mid-2021, Manchester-based Procure Plus has helped to facilitate over £120m worth of installations through its industry-leading retrofit Dynamic Purchasing System (DPS). In the latest funding round, contracts exceeding £100m have been secured, marking significant progress towards collective sustainability goals.
Decarbonising the UK’s housing stock is a critical challenge, but despite recent government announcements causing uncertainty, the social housing sector remains committed to sustainability. Through initiatives like the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund and Home Upgrade Grant, Procure Plus has delivered some of the nation’s most successful retrofit schemes.
Despite funding challenges, there are unparalleled opportunities to revolutionise the housing stock. Reflecting on extensive retrofit work, Procure Plus highlights three key observations:
- A Fabric First Approach: Many retrofit projects are focusing on a “fabric first” strategy, prioritising proven energy efficiency measures such as improved insulation and building fabric enhancements to ensure homes reach at least Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) Band C. This ensures that the properties are optimised for the installation of new products such as air-source heat pumps, meaning the efficiency of future upgrades will also be maximised.
- Navigating Market Dynamics: Landlords are facing challenges in a buoyant yet uncertain market landscape, including price volatility and supply chain disruptions. Being driven by data and market insights allows Procure Plus to constantly evolve frameworks and offers so it’s always responsive to current conditions and more importantly, deliver cost-effective outcomes.
- Strategic Project Management: Successful projects hinge upon meticulous planning and effective communication from day one. Collaboration is key. Procure Plus upholds project integrity and stakeholder satisfaction through proactive management and transparent communication from the start of a project through to the very end.
Matt Jarratt, Assistant Director of Operations at Procure Plus, said: “Decarbonising the UK’s housing stock is an immense challenge, but one that the social housing sector is embracing with determination. Despite recent uncertainties, our collaborative efforts are driving transformative change, benefiting both the environment and tenants struggling with the cost-of-living crisis, and it’s encouraging to see.
“Our size and experience mean we have excellent market intelligence; we can track prices, talk to the market, and drill down into the numbers. We are driven by data and market intelligence, constantly evolving our frameworks and offers so they’re always responsive to current conditions.
“While the road ahead may be complex, we’re here to support social housing providers from start to finish, making a tangible difference in our communities.”
Header image: Matt Jarratt, Assistant Director of Operations at Procure Plus
