ENERGY EFFICIENCY UPGRADE

400 of Broadacres’ homes are to benefit from a £5.3 million energy efficiency upgrade after the Association secured grant funding from the Government for a new housing retrofit scheme.

Broadacres is part of a consortium led by the North East and Yorkshire Net Zero Hub that has successfully attracted funding from the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund Wave 2.1 to deliver an £80 million retrofit project across the North East and Yorkshire.

This is made possible by a £32.4 million grant from the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero and £48.2 million from members of the consortium to deliver the £80.6 million scheme to 5,525 homes.

The Decarbonisation Fund aims to raise the energy performance certificate (EPC) rating of social housing properties to a minimum of Band C.

A range of work will be carried out to dramatically improve the energy efficiency of homes across the region through a worst-first, fabric-first approach using measures such as external wall, loft, cavity wall, and underfloor insulation. Some homes will also receive renewable technologies such as solar photovoltaic panels or air source heat pumps, moving away from reliance on fossil fuels to power and heat these homes.

Broadacres will use the money to fit solar panels to 400 homes in rural areas which will help customers reduce their energy usage and in addition we will also be adding underfloor insulation to 200 homes, loft insulation to 140 homes and air source heat pumps to 70 homes to suitable homes.

This will complement the work we have already been doing on our existing homes to make them more energy efficient, including installing air source heat pumps at over 700 homes. And when we build new homes, we always fit air source heat pumps.

This will also contribute to our drive towards becoming an entirely net zero carbon organisation by 2050.

Helen Ball, Broadacres’ Senior Sustainability Manager, said: “We’re delighted to have secured this funding which will help us to further accelerate our zero carbon journey.

“In addition, it will help to reduce the number of people in fuel poverty and improve their comfort and health, while supporting the green economy and jobs.”