Recognition for our work in making our homes energy efficient
North Devon Homes is committed to improving energy efficiency in our customers’ homes and reducing bills. Therefore, we were delighted to have been Highly Commended as Housing Association of the Year at the South West Energy Efficiency Awards 2024.
We were even further thrilled to have been also Highly Commended at the awards under the Large Scale Project category. This was for a project we worked on in two of our sheltered housing bungalow sites that are without mains gas. We clad 48 properties in external wall insulation and upgraded windows, doors and heating systems, where required. We also used the opportunity to learn more about reducing our carbon emissions and how to improve energy efficiency in our other homes for the future.
This was possible following our success, along with other social housing providers, in securing £4.7 million of Wave One funding from the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund (SHDF) for energy improvements to properties across the South West of England.
We have more recently been successful in a further bid to secure funding in Wave Two of the SHDF. This funding has enabled us to upgrade 120 of our properties to an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating of band C or above.
This included a project at Tewsley Close, Bickington, where we upgraded four blocks of flats and eleven bungalows, all of which had night storage heating. The improvements included the installation of PV panels to the flats which will provide free electricity and can be diverted to heat the hot water tanks when needed. All night storage heaters in the properties were upgraded to high heat retention storage heaters which are more economical to run and can be boosted by the PV panels during the day.
The properties have also benefitted from having the existing mineral wall cavity insulation removed and replaced with a better performing thermal bead. Upgrades have been made to windows and doors, where needed. The assessments show that all the properties are now above the EPC C rating and with some achieving a rating of band B. The works have ensured that these homes will be more affordable for our customers to run, now, and in the future.
The Energy Saving Trust reports that 21 per cent of total carbon emissions in the UK come from our homes and so here at North Devon Homes, we are on a mission help reduce emissions from our homes whilst helping customers to lower their energy bills and keep them warm during the colder, winter months.
We are now looking at alternative funding to continue on our journey to improve all of our properties up to an EPC rating of band C by 2030. We are working with existing contractors and consortium to see what our options are for SHDF wave 3, but also hope to be working with local contractors. This will help us to spread the knowledge and skills of our inhouse workforce and local contractors.
