In light of the recent energy price cap rising by an average of 54%, it is clear that there is more pressure than ever on families to afford to keep their homes warm. To reduce fuel stress and support the comfort, health, and wellbeing of tenants through delivering warmer and more energy-efficient homes, Mears Group will work collaboratively with three existing clients over the next 12 months to undertake energy efficiency works to c. 500 homes.
These works will provide up to 41% reduction in carbon emissions, a projected 61% reduction in space heating demand and mitigate tenants rising energy costs by up to 55%.
Securing a £5.18m Social Housing Decarbonisation Funding (SHDF) as part of in excess of £15m overall investment, Mears Group’s Carbon Reduction Team focused on developing a solution to decarbonise the housing stock of their existing clients by taking a resident-first approach to reduce fuel stress, improving residents’ quality of life, and improving the condition and energy performance of the stock. The successful bids means Mears has had a 100% success rate in bidding for the fund.
The successful funding award and client investment will deliver the following measures by March 2023:
- External Wall Insulation (EWI), loft insulation and replacement windows to over 100 homes
- EWI and loft insulation works to circa 60 homes
- EWI, loft insulation, replacement windows and doors and warm roofs to over 300 homes
One of Mears’ partners is Crawley Borough Council. Councillor Ian Irvine, Cabinet Member for Housing commented: “We are really pleased that our first bid into the SHDF has been successful and is the beginning of our journey to become a net zero council. This will lead to cheaper fuel bills for our residents as the works develop and will build on our overall plans to make Crawley an greener, energy-efficient borough.”
The SHDF is the first tranche of funding from central Government via the Department of Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy (BEIS) over the next ten years to improve the energy performance of social rented homes on the journey to achieve net zero by 2050 in England. Its purpose is to raise the energy performance certificate (EPC) rating of social homes to a minimum of EPC Band C by taking a ‘worst first, fabric first’ approach.
Alan Long, Executive Director at Mears, said: “The SHDF funding success is the result of a genuine collaborative approach between Mears Group, our clients and partners. The submissions resonated as they put residents first by focusing on improving their quality of life through energy efficiency measures and stock improvement to mitigate the impact of rising energy costs — critical in the current climate.”
“Our data-led approach enables clients to be ‘funding and finance ready’ with projects ready to go in order to take advantage of funding as an enabler to support the long-term strategic asset management needs of the housing stock.”
In addition to the properties receiving energy efficiency measures and stock investment increasing to a minimum EPC band C, the works will generate up to 70 jobs in the local supply chain including six apprentices.
