North East-based regeneration specialist RE:GEN Group has delivered £9.5m worth of decarbonisation works to over 1,600 social rented homes.
Achieved in little over eight months, the team has delivered more than 4,100 energy improvement measures as part of the UK Government’s Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund (SHDF).
Working with a range of partners including Gentoo Group, believe housing and Karbon Homes, 1,619 homes have been upgraded to have an energy performance certificate (EPC) rating of C.
Lee Francis, CEO of RE:GEN Group, said: “As a direct result of this work, more people are now living in warmer, more comfortable, energy-efficient homes.
“In partnership with our clients and with the support of a fantastic supply chain, this first scheme of work has been delivered on time, within the original deadlines set out by the UK Government — a fantastic achievement for all involved.”
RE:GEN Group installed 4,179 efficiency improvements, from deep retrofit measures including external wall insulation, new windows and doors, solar PV panels, and whole house ventilation strategies, to more light touch measures of loft insulation and installing energy-efficient lightbulbs.
Following the recent announcement of SHDF wave 2, RE:GEN Group will deliver approximately £20m of decarbonisation works over the next 20 months to homes across the North East.
Brian Bedford, Head of Sustainability at RE:GEN Group, said: “Here at RE:GEN, we are passionate about sustainability, whether that’s reducing the carbon footprint of our own operations, or sharing our knowledge and expertise with those we work with and the wider construction industry.
“The last eight months have been both a steep learning curve and huge success in equal measure. To have improved the efficiency of over 1,600 homes in such a short space of time is an incredible achievement which has only been achieved by the hard work of all involved with the projects.”
The SHDF was launched to help landlords with the costs of decarbonising their properties to achieve an EPC rating of C across all homes by 2030. The funding supported the installation of energy performance measures to tackle fuel poverty, reduce carbon emissions and deliver warm, energy-efficient homes.
Marc Edwards, Director of Asset and Sustainability at Gentoo Group said: “Gentoo appreciate the impact that the current cost-of-living crisis is having on our tenants. When energy bills are at an all-time high, it’s now more important than ever that we do everything we can to provide our tenants with safe, decent and energy-efficient homes.
“Through the funding we received from wave 1 of the SHDF, we were able to improve the energy efficiency of more than 400 homes with our delivery partner RE:GEN Group.”
Header image shows Gareth Hutchinson (Project Manager), Rachael Bell (Customer Experience Coordinator), Leanne Cummings (Customer Experience Coordinator), Vanessa Brown (Customer Experience Coordinator).
