Many social landlords contact us here at SHIFT because they are committed to developing feasible plans to achieve Net Zero (or at least EPC C) homes across their stock. We have supported lots of clients to create a roadmap via an EPC analysis of their existing homes, combining expertise with our technology partner to deliver clear, costed, practical, address-level plans. This is how we do it:
1. First, we build a ‘virtual twin’ of your housing stock, by analysing your asset management data, interrogating the EPC database, and intelligently filling in the gaps. Our technology partner’s software package also shows which homes can attract Government funding, as well as maps to aid retrofit planning.
2. Next, we determine which interventions, at address level, are needed to achieve strategic aims. We can do this iteratively to explore different approaches (for example, slow and steady or rapid upgrade). It includes costs, resultant SAP ratings and CO2 emissions as a result of a variety of interventions and can take into account technologies you may wish to avoid (e.g. solid floor insulation), whole house retrofit approach, staged approaches, and a ‘triggers’ approach which aligns with planned maintenance regimes.
This part of the service also advises on the pros and cons of new technologies and how there may be potential conflicts between achieving fuel poverty and net zero targets. We will advise ways to manage these conflicts.
3. Finally, we derive a completed roadmap, staged in exactly the way you require, including expected costs. We create this to promote action and highlight areas where and when ‘stepping-stone’ projects ought to be initiated. It will include long-term and interim KPIs which allow you to monitor progress towards fuel poverty and/or net zero carbon targets. The written report details what needs doing to each address by when, overviews, suggested timelines, recommendations on dealing with “hard to treat” homes, no-regret approaches, and trigger approaches.
Each address will have its own bespoke roadmap towards the overall targets, together with costs and resultant SAP and CO2 emissions. The data is accessible to you directly on the software portal and can be extracted to suit. In the absence of clear Government guidance, we will define a suitable, science-based target for a social housing context. This incorporates Government research into housing and Government policy.
Optional extras:
- Explore the impact of new SAP versions, carbon factors, electricity costs, etc
- Devise first year retrofit work package
- Extend to anticipated Decent Homes 2 preparations – adaptation to climate change, green spaces and biodiversity
- Extend to ESG reporting
- Extend to sustainability strategy development – environmental baseline and gap analysis for all directorates and then strategy development
If you would like a full or part EPC analysis of all your stock, please be in touch.
Image by Louis Reed on Unsplash