Retrofit project that has made council homes warmer and has saved tenants money wins award

Birmingham City Council's Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund (SHDF) programme won the Retrofit Project of the Year for the Midlands and Wales at the Unlock Net Zero Awards.

The scheme – completed by sustainable regeneration specialist Equans, on behalf of the council - has helped tenants save £600-£1200 each year on energy bills, depending on the home and measures installed. Solar panels placed on buildings can save residents as much as £4 per day in electricity.

The work will save 2,500 tonnes of carbon per year – the equivalent of driving over 1400 petrol cars for a year. You would need to plant over 41,000 trees and let them grow for ten years to offset 2,500 tonnes of carbon.

Testing at the homes shows that retrofitted properties now have an Energy Performance Certificate of at least a C, with some reaching an A rating—the most energy-efficient rating available.

Work to be done - Dreghorn Road, before works were undertaken as part of the scheme.

The measures installed have included external wall insulation, new windows and doors, loft insulation, solar panels, high heat retention storage heaters and smart hot water tanks.

To give residents greater control over their energy usage, the scheme installed smart energy monitoring devices into some homes, which also provides valuable data to the council highlighting how the retrofit measures perform, levels of dampness, and if tenants are experiencing fuel poverty.

Councillor Nicky Brennan, cabinet member for housing and homelessness, said: 

"Having greener, energy-efficient homes reduces our tenants' energy bills, which is especially important during this cost-of-living crisis.

"It is also great to see how the work has transformed the look and feel of neighbourhoods, building a greater sense of pride among residents.

"These investments don't just save tenants money, they also significantly contribute to the council's net zero agenda. 

"I am pleased to see that the award judges have said that our retrofit scheme has set a benchmark for excellence in retrofit delivery, one that has combined cutting-edge technology with resident-focused design.

"I would also like to thank our delivery partner, Equans, who have been vital in identifying which properties were most in need of improvements and aligning this with our wider capital works programme. It has helped minimise disruption for our residents and maximised the benefits for them."

Rebecca Reynolds, Head of Sustainability at Equans, said:

“This ambitious project shows the vast benefits of retrofitting homes on a large scale and the far reaching impact this has. It has drastically reduced the carbon emissions of council housing in Birmingham and improved thousands of lives by making homes more comfortable and affordable to live in.

“It is vital that existing homes are modernised and made energy efficient for the next generation and we’re delighted that this scheme has won this much coveted award and the national recognition it deserves.”