Energy efficiency works on homes in Coventry have reached a key milestone with more than 1,000 homes completed.
This marks the halfway point in Citizen’s wave two decarbonisation project which is part of the Government’s social housing decarbonisation fund
The housing association worked with Coventry City Council to submit a bid to the Department of Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) and were successful in receiving a £23.8m grant and Citizen is also funding a further £44m to create a £67.6m investment. The money is being spent on energy efficiency improvement works to bring the homes up to a better energy rating, making homes more affordable to heat.
Margaret Campbell is the customer living in the 1,000th home to be completed and has had energy efficiency works carried out to her property including loft insulation and external wall insulation.
Margaret said she is feeling the benefit of the works now they are completed.
She said: “I am really happy with the works that have been done on my home. I’m pleased with how it looks and it’s such an improvement compared to how it looked before.
“My home is much warmer now. I can turn the heating off now at certain points during the day and my home stays warm.
“It’s good to have the work done to your home as there are benefits once it’s completed. I would recommend the energy efficiency works to other people if they are offered it.”
The energy efficiency works carried out to each property reduce the amount of energy it consumes to keep it at a comfortable temperature, and it also reduces the potential for mould growth.
Chief Operating Officer at Citizen, Mads Nelson, said: “We’re thrilled to have reached the halfway point in this project and completed energy efficiency works on more than 1,000 homes.
“It’s lovely to hear Margaret’s feedback and that she is really feeling the benefit of the energy efficiency works on her home.
“This project has helped make a positive difference to our customers in terms of saving energy in their homes and as a landlord we want to make sure we are working with our partners to make a positive difference to achieving carbon reduction initiatives and providing better quality homes.
“We’re looking forward to helping more customers with these energy efficiency works as we complete the second half of the project over the next year.”
Cllr Naeem Akhtar, Cabinet Member for Housing and Communities at Coventry City Council, said: “It’s great to meet Margaret in her home and to see the benefits of the work. As a result of the scheme, once completed, more than 2000 Citizen homes will be retrofitted. Good progress is being made and this is helping with energy bills, reducing damp and mould, and is giving tenants extra peace of mind.
“As many as one in five households in Coventry are considered fuel poor and that’s why it’s important that works are being completed at scale.
“At the same time training centres are being developed by contractors because of the scheme and this has created vital employment opportunities for local people.”
As part of the project, we also worked with contractors and Coventry College to train the next generation of retrofitters and help them secure employment.
Students who complete the bootcamp at the college, are interviewed by employer partners and, if successful, can join a training academy and potentially secure full-time employment.
Adrian Bishop from Westdale Midlands Ltd added: “We are proud to be associated with this trailblazing scheme, where the works we are delivering are having such an important and positive impact on the lives of the residents, and that our training academy is having such a positive benefit for the Coventry community.
“The training academy has been very successful and has been recognised nationally and by government officials, who have made regular visits to see for themselves how we have been able to bring fresh talent and skills into the construction industry, leading to us being able to deliver employment at scale.
“We are also proud to have received awards for the academy, further endorsing our initiative.”
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