It's the 🆕 issue! Read on, retrofitters!

Welcome to the new issue

As we publish, we're slap-bang in the middle of our Birmingham Retrofit Summit, with host partner Birmingham City Council - our final 2022 event in what's been a super-busy year.

We are delighted to welcome home energy efficiency survey specialists ThermaFY as this issue's guest sponsor, who share their case study examining measures to bridge the gap between energy efficiency and affordability.

As ever, there's a lot to share with you so without further a-do, let's get straight to it.

Read on, retrofitters...

Guest sponsor article

ThermaFY ECO Solutions: bridging the gap between energy efficiency and affordability

ThermaFY has established that simple, affordable measures can be carried out on heating systems of 80% of selected RSLs ‘wet heating system’ housing stock to make immediate reductions in energy bills and carbon emissions. ThermaFY estimate that 75% of properties' heating systems operate below 85% of their energy efficiency. This is particularly significant for RSL tenants due to massively rising fuel prices, high inflation and increases in personal taxation impacting their household budgets...

📰 News & Opinion

Will the £18m energy campaign help people in poverty?

The government’s £18million public information campaign advising people how to save energy will not be enough to help people living in poverty who are already “risking their own health by cutting energy use”, experts have warned...

Positions of power: hitting the heat pump growth targets

The government is aiming to increase annual heat pump installations from 30,000 to 800,000 by 2028. How this can be achieved was discussed at the IEA’s annual research seminar last month...

Introducing the Licence Plus Scheme

The Licence Plus Scheme provides a key route in supporting TrustMark Registered Businesses to engage in a transitional adoption of fabric-first, whole house retrofit. This additional aspect of the licence has been created to support the achievement of the UK’s Net Zero targets and aid homes in reducing their household energy bills...

Energy efficiency: How much is the UK government spending?

Recent government announcements of new funding for insulation suggest the UK is finally starting to take energy efficiency seriously – but how significant are the new plans in light of past failures...?

Ros Atkins on... The UK’s home insulation problem

BBC Analysis editor Ros Atkins looks at why millions of UK homes don’t have adequate home insulation – and what the government plans to do about it...

LendInvest launches green bond framework

Net proceeds from the green bonds will only be used to finance or refinance loans for eligible green projects, including the construction or purchase of energy-efficient properties, or enhancements to improve the energy performance of existing builds...

Government announces £1 billion investment in energy efficient home improvements – will you be able to get it?

Over 400,000 more homes could get access to energy efficiency improvements, such as loft or wall insulation, after the Government announced plans to expand the existing Energy Company Obligation (ECO) scheme. We've full info on who's eligible, what's available and how to get it...

Vaillant begins UK heat pump production

Vaillant UK has added a heat pump production line at its headquarters in Belper, Derbyshire. The new line, dedicated to production of Vaillant’s AroThern plus R290 air-to-water heat pump, will run alongside its existing gas boiler production lines...

📅 Events

Event: Bringing the heat pump experience to life - 9 Dec (1130hrs)

This Nesta webinar is for anyone involved in the heat pump industry, whether you're an installer, manufacturer or retailer. If you work in climate change, local government, social housing, neighbourhood planning, or in a local or national energy group, and interested in how more households can access heat pumps, then this event is for you...

✍🏽 Government & Policy

Enhanced support to make homes warmer and greener

Homeowners (in Scotland) can now apply for a standalone grant of £7,500 from the Home Energy Scotland Scheme to install heat pumps. Previously, applicants were required to sign up for a loan before they qualified for this funding, but can now access the money directly...

£1.4m grant scheme to support social care improve energy efficiency now open

The scheme is part of Welsh Government’s Backing Local Firms Fund, which has been established to support businesses in parts of our local everyday economy to deliver more of the products and services required by the public sector, helping to create more and better jobs closer to home...

Jeremy Hunt: Cut energy use to stop Putin 'blackmail'

Chancellor Jeremy Hunt has said people should cut their energy use to stop the UK being "blackmailed" by people like Russian President Vladimir Putin. Mr Hunt said "in the end everyone is going to have to take responsibility for their energy bills" and consider how to cut their consumption...

UK Government unveils £1bn ECO+ energy efficiency scheme

It will extend support to those who currently do not benefit from any other government support to upgrade their homes, targeting the least energy efficient homes...

Government joins with households to help millions reduce their energy bills

Of the £1 billion funding available through the new ECO+ scheme, around 80% of the funding will be made available for those households who are in some of the least energy-efficient homes in the country – that is, those with an EPC rating of D or below – and in the lower Council Tax bands...

Funding competition - Net Zero heat and power upgrades for demand reduction phase 1 - Innovation Funding Service

Organisations can apply for a share of up to £5 million to develop data driven approaches for upgrading portfolios of buildings. This will accelerate the shift to a net zero economy and reduce carbon emissions, heat usage and energy demands...

🤩 Local/Regional Action

Aberdeen retrofit firm to help insulate worst housing stock in Europe

A new community-led retrofit co-operative is hoping to help tackle the problem of fuel poverty throughout the north-east of Scotland and meet ambitious government targets on insulating homes...

Liverpool City Region leads £56.8m energy-saving project to improve 5,000 homes across the North West

The Liverpool City Region Combined Authority (LCRCA) has led a North West-wide project to add energy efficient measures to more than 5,000 households at risk of fuel poverty. Strong early performance saw the Combined Authority retrofit 1,336 homes across the city region – boosting the original £11.3m allocation up to £15.3m...

Register 🆓 for the Liverpool Retrofit Summit, AM's, 31 Jan - 2 Feb 2023, online

💬 Reports, Research, Guides

Tenement retrofit project wins Glasgow Institute of Architects sustainability award

John Gilbert Architects has picked up the Glasgow Institute of Architects Sustainability Award 2022 on behalf of the Niddrie Road project team delivering a pioneering retrofit of a pre-1919 tenement....

Register 🆓 for the Glasgow Retrofit Summit, AM's, 28 Feb, 1, 2 March 2023, online

Two-thirds of homeowners say they understand retrofit benefits

The study by the bank finds that 42% of homeowners rate retrofitting their property as a significant priority, with 52% adding that they are worried about the climate crisis...

Good COP/Bad COP: Balancing fabric efficiency, flow temperatures and heat pumps

There is a concern that Ireland's Heat Loss Indicator (HLI) requirement is limiting heat pump deployment, thereby hindering Ireland’s goal of net zero in 2050. This review of the HLI policy and associated rules was undertaken alongside a discussion of heat pumping technologies and their operation, optimal performance and innovation...

Domestic Retrofit: Market Intelligence & Skills Assessment - Energy Systems Catapult

This report acts as a summary of the key findings from the assessment and lists the headline recommendations for action over the next 5 to 10 years. Identified barriers across three key areas: Curricula, Demand and Tutors & Training facilities.

Heat pumps are the ‘central technology’ for low-carbon heating, concludes IEA

Heat pumps will provide one-fifth of the world’s heating needs by the end of the decade if nations follow through on their plans, according to the International Energy Agency...

⏭ Coming up

Hope you enjoyed this issue. Next issue >>>

We're always looking ahead at Low Carbon Homes. Our next - and final issue (21 Dec) before the seasonal break - will be looking at what's coming up in the new year and bringing you the latest on all the retrofit and energy efficiency news to peruse over the holidays.

Thanks for reading. See you next issue.

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