Wates rises to zero carbon challenge with launch of social housing energy services
Wates rises to zero carbon challenge with launch of social housing energy services
One of the country’s largest providers of maintenance for the social housing sector today launched a new service which will help social landlords to prepare their housing stock to meet zero carbon obligations.
Wates which works with more than 60 social housing providers, maintaining and repairing over 500,000 homes across the UK, has joined forces with energy efficiency specialist, Energy Specifics to provide a fully compliant, carbon-reduction retrofitting service, which will provide landlords with the tools to deliver a ‘whole house’ retrofit of each property with energy saving improvements.
Today’s announcement follows Wates’ commitment, made in January, to achieve zero waste and carbon across its operations by 2025. It also responds to UK Government targets for all social housing to achieve an EPC (Energy Performance Certificate) rating of C and above by 2030 and for all homes to be net zero carbon by 2050.
There are over five million social housing properties in the UK, and If we are to achieve the Government’s net zero carbon housing targets by 2050, three homes every minute will need to be retrofitted with energy efficient improvements.
Our partnership with Energy Specifics, one of the few companies already operating under the PAS 2035* retrofit standards framework, will bring technical expertise, funding and compliance to help our customers upgrade their existing housing portfolio to create healthier homes to live in, reduce carbon emissions and help residents out of fuel poverty.”
David Morgan
Managing Director, Wates Living Space
We are delighted to partner with Wates to lead the way on volume retrofit that combines our respective areas of expertise and will help thousands of tenants enjoy lower fuel bills and create much improved living environments for them.”
Tim Freeman
Director of Energy Specifics Ltd
Wates is currently in discussions with selected social housing authorities ahead of a pilot scheme beginning in Spring 2021.
How the service works
A team of specialist retrofit Assessors and Coordinators examines each home and provides a breakdown of the energy saving requirements needed by that property before improvements are recommended and installed. These can range from heating, lighting and hot water through to door and window replacements, insulation and renewable energy systems.
Customers can also access enhanced Government ECO (Energy Company Obligation) funding and grants which will help reduce the cost of programmes whilst also supporting residents in fuel poverty. Wates’ resident engagement teams will keep residents informed throughout the improvement works and be on hand to demonstrate savings made following completion of the works.
*PAS 2035: 2019 – Retrofitting Dwellings for Improved Energy Efficiency certification
