Social housing retrofit – how can we all do better?

Many would agree that the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund (SHDF) continues to play a significant role in invigorating the retrofit space.

While the virtue of mandating PAS2035 is very encouraging, it’s important to recognise that SHDF should also come with a cautionary note. Despite the best intentions, the pursuit of funding can sometimes lead to flawed decisions around the selection and sequencing of retrofit projects. Regardless of the availability of funding for social housing providers, I offer the following key pieces of advice.

Firstly, comprehensive information up-front is imperative. Investing in quality Retrofit Assessments and Medium Term Plans are essential for gaining a clear understanding of what needs to be done and when. Additionally, broader pre-construction information should be collected earlier in the process. There needs to be a greater appreciation for addressing remedial issues identified during preconstruction surveys, as some key enabling works for retrofit are often overlooked remedial works.

Secondly, resident engagement is essential. Housing providers should have a duty to engage residents (and excite them about!) their decarbonisation strategies. This means being transparent and communicating both the potential disruptions but also the many benefits. After all, the primary goal of these projects is to enhance residents’ quality of life.

It is also crucial to acknowledge the significant overlap between what is deemed a decarbonisation project and planned or cyclical maintenance work, where budgets already exist – particularly for windows, doors, roofs, external facades and heating systems.

Retrofitting should not be viewed solely as an energy and emissions reduction effort but rather as an intelligent approach to modernising properties, ultimately reducing future maintenance costs and improving people’s lives.

Additionally, it is important that we don’t underestimate the importance of incorporating residential retrofit into a holistic decarbonisation place-based strategy. Isolating such projects ignores the potential benefits it can bring to transportation, infrastructure, and community development. A holistic approach takes all these factors into account, maximises social impact, and ensures cost-effective solutions, which is key for achieving thorough and sustainable decarbonisation.

Alice Monty is head of retrofit technical solutions, EQUANS UK & Ireland