We have over ten years experience of advising landlords on how to improve the energy efficiency of social housing. Here’s a comprehensive guide to planning a retrofit programme, including how we can help :

1. Initial Assessment:

• Begin by conducting a thorough assessment of the housing association’s properties to identify areas with the highest energy consumption and potential for improvement.
• Review existing energy performance data, such as SAP ratings and carbon emissions, to understand current energy usage patterns and areas for improvement.
• Parity Projects’ Portfolio software provides baseline reporting, layering property and relevant open data, with filters to focus in on your areas of interest

Filtered Baseline Characteristics for a housing stock

2. Set Objectives and Targets:

• Establish clear objectives for your energy efficiency programme, aligning them with your overall sustainability goals and regulatory requirements.
• Define specific targets for energy savings, carbon emissions reduction, and other relevant metrics to measure the success of the program.
• Portfolio can model options based on carbon emissions, fuel bills, SAP ratings, and heat demand, alongside budget

3. Financial Planning:

• Determine the budget available for energy efficiency works, while considering potential funding sources such as government grants, loans, or partnerships.
• Portfolio can model options for optimising a project for a given spend, within any related criteria, and the potential for revenue over time from Retrofit Credits
• Parity Projects’ Portfolio Plus can deliver additional analysis to find homes relevant to funding eligibility criteria and to prioritize projects based on their urgency and contribution to organisational targets.

4.Identify Retrofit Opportunities:

• Identify retrofit opportunities that align with the housing association’s objectives and targets, focusing on measures that offer the greatest potential for energy savings and carbon emissions reduction.
• Portfolio models options, taking into consideration our library of over 2000 energy efficiency measures, including insulation upgrades, heating system improvements, lighting upgrades, and renewable energy installations.

5. Engage Stakeholders:

• Engage with tenants, residents, and other stakeholders to gather input, address concerns, and build support for the energy efficiency program.
• Communicate the benefits of energy efficiency improvements, which include reduced energy bills, improved comfort, and environmental sustainability.
• The benefits can be modelled using Parity Projects Portfolio service, and stakeholder needs can be incorporated into the planning process undertaken in Portfolio Plus

6. Procurement and Contracting:

• Develop procurement strategies to secure contractors, suppliers, and consultants for the implementation of energy efficiency works.
• Portfolio indicates the likely costs and gives both parties confidence in the deliverability of the programme.
• Ensure that contracts are structured to deliver value for money, quality assurance, and compliance with relevant regulations and standards.
  

  Calculated investment scenario for an EPC C target including existing planned works programmes

7. Project Management:

• Establish project management processes to oversee the planning, implementation, and monitoring of energy efficiency works.
• Monitor project progress, budgets, and timelines closely to ensure that delivery is on schedule and within budget.
• Upload completed works to Portfolio, for inclusion in progress reports

8. Measurement and Verification:

• Implement systems for monitoring and evaluating the performance of homes.
• Conduct regular assessments to measure energy savings, carbon emissions reduction, and other key performance indicators against the established targets.
• Record risk indicators on Portfolio in terms of Damp and Mould and other HHSRS categories
• Take up Parity’s additional Risk Predictor analysis to apply learning from monitoring to identify risk across the stock

9. Continuous Improvement:

• Continuously refine the plan based on lessons learned, feedback from stakeholders, and changes in technology or regulations.
• Join the Portfolio User Group to learn from the Parity team, visiting speakers and peers
• Seek opportunities for innovation and collaboration to enhance the effectiveness and sustainability of the program over time.