The UK government has gone on to announce that a further £1.25bn will be given to the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund- SHDF, which will be made use of to insulate or even retrofit 140,000 homes between 2025 and 2028.
Chancellor Jeremy Hunt, in the 2022 autumn statement, went on to state that a further £6bn would be allocated to pushing energy efficiency measures in buildings as well as industry.
The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero- DESNZ has gone on to outline how the £6bn in funding for 2025–2028 will be allocated.
It is well to be noted that under wave 1 of the SHDF, the government went on to offer £179m to 29 projects, whereas in wave 2.1, £778 happen to be granted, and wave 2.2’s top-up competition will allocate £80m of grant funding by 2024 April.
When it comes to the funding announcement, the chief executive of CIH, Gavin Smart, said that with high energy prices here to stay, enhancing the energy efficiency of their homes is one of the most prominent ways so as to cut carbon, decrease fuel poverty, as well as improving housing quality.
That is why CIH has consistently asked for some more government investment when it comes to energy efficiency schemes, and they are indeed excited to witness such announcements, specifically the largest wave in terms of the Social Housing Decarbonization Fund to date.
The announcements go on to recognize the leading role that the local authorities as well as housing associations have gone on to play in terms of pioneering the retrofit of homes which are existing and also letting the beneficiaries to live warmer, healthier, as well as happier lives.
The chief executive of the National Housing Federation, Kate Henderson, said that in September this year they did write to the secretary of state, Claire Coutinho, asking the government to allocate this funding and also recommit to the manifesto pledge as far as net zero is concerned. It is indeed great to see that the government has heard, and by helping with this additional funding, social landlords will now be able to plan as well as invest in some more retrofit works that will aid in lifting residents out of fuel poverty, thereby making sure that they live in warm homes that happen to be affordable to heat.
The director of sustainability at consultant Turner & Townsend, Richard McWilliams, opined that the new announcements happened to be a very positive step forward, which will give the sector immense confidence to invest.
The wide nature of the package is especially significant, and these measures go on to address homes, heat networks, public sector buildings, and much more. This shows the government happens to be aware of how holistic the solutions to the retrofit challenge must be.
It is not only about an individual building, but it is more about whole areas being upgraded as well as networked together. The sector needs to step up and also respond in kind.
The executive managing director of Wates Property Services, David Morgan, added that the current wave of funding happened to be a fantastic endorsement by the government in terms of the work already carried out throughout the sector so as to improve as well as futureproof more social housing properties.
He added that this happens to be an important development that goes on to show the commitment the government has to enhancing the energy efficiency of social housing properties. Support like this happens to be pivotal to their continued investment in innovation, skills, training, along with technology on the path to net zero carbon.
It is well to be noted that the government also took the step to announce that a further £1.5bn will be given to the boiler upgrade scheme, so as to help households in England as well as Wales replace gas boilers with heat pumps.
Apparently, a £400m grant in terms of household energy efficiency, which will be launched in 2025, will fund enhanced insulation as well as larger radiators.
