Our de-carbonisation partnership delivers whole-house retrofit programmes to improve the energy efficiency, comfort and sustainability of council and privately owned homes.
Working with Osborne Energy, we combine government funding and capital investment to reduce carbon emissions, tackle fuel poverty and create warmer, healthier, lower-cost homes across the district.
We recognised the need to improve housing energy performance, reduce emissions and support vulnerable homeowners facing high energy costs.
Since April 2023, our partnership with Osborne Energy has delivered government and capital-funded retrofit programme. Our approach combines fabric-first improvements with renewable technologies to create warmer, more energy-efficient homes, reduce household costs, cut emissions and protect the long-term value and sustainability of our housing stock.
The partnership aims to improve the energy efficiency of homes, reduce carbon emissions, lower energy bills and improve residents’ health and wellbeing. It supports social housing tenants, private homeowners and vulnerable households through a range of funded programmes.
Residents benefit from warmer, healthier homes with lower running costs, while the council benefits from more resilient housing assets, reduced maintenance liabilities and measurable progress towards its net-zero ambitions.
This is a strong example of how a whole-building retrofit can combine decarbonisation with improvements to the quality and long-term sustainability. The project involved two interconnected residential blocks and was funded through the our Capital Programme, Warm Homes Local Grant and Warm Homes Social Housing Fund Wave 3.
We addressed both energy efficiency and long-standing structural issues. Works included extracting and refilling cavity wall insulation, brickwork repointing, damp proof course remediation, rainwater improvements and Finlock gutter encapsulation. Insulated roofs, improved thermal detailing, and new windows and doors were also installed to reduce heat loss and improve energy performance.
All 18 flats were upgraded while residents remained in occupation. 16 homes improved by at least one EPC band, including three achieving EPC A and six achieving EPC B.
The project has created warmer and more comfortable homes, reducing damp and heat loss while improving energy efficiency. It has also extended the life of an important asset, demonstrating how investment in decarbonisation can deliver environmental, social and financial benefits.
Since 2023, the partnership has completed more than 1,176 retrofit surveys and delivered 985 energy efficiency measures across 441 homes, achieving annual carbon savings of around 198 tonnes.
Government funding has maximised investment, while combining essential repairs with energy efficiency improvements has delivered environmental, social and economic benefits, creating warmer, more resilient and sustainable homes across Wealden.