Social housing apartments and district single-family houses

Location: Nottingham, United Kingdom

Population: 321,500 (city population)

Climate: Oceanic

Duration: 2017 – 2018

Sector: Buildings

Funding sources: Public

City networks: Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate & Energy

Savings: 56% reduction in energy consumption.

Solutions: The Energiesprong approach.

Multiple benefits: Energy savings.

Objective – Improve older homes by implementing energy-saving and energy-generating measures.

Solutions – This business case features ten properties in Nottingham’s Sneiton District that were chosen as part of a UK pilot of the REMOURBAN18 and Transition Zero initiatives to renovate older homes using energy-saving and generation measures significantly. These homes range in age from 1900 to the 1970s and range from single-family to multi-family dwellings. A significant percentage of the properties in the region (65%) are social housing, which is owned by Nottingham City Council (the public owner) and managed by Nottingham City Homes on their behalf.

Among the main stakeholders involved, we can find NCC (Nottingham City Council), public owner, NCH (Nottingham City Homes), Nottingham Trent University, NEP (Nottingham Energy Partnership), and Nottingham Credit Union, capital provider.

The Energiesprong approach was chosen based on a fixed price, with the total life cost and design quality taken into account. Each homeowner/private landlord received a grant for the work depending on the property type. Thus, leaving a payment of between 1400€ and 2536€ (£1260 – £2280) to pay. Without the grant, this house modification would ordinarily cost upwards of 8900€ (£8000). NEP and Nottingham Credit Union introduced a zero-interest loan to help homeowners pay for their contributions. Insulation became a more realistic choice because the cost could be spread out over several years without incurring additional fees.

Future energy cost savings and the budget for scheduled maintenance and repairs over the next 30 years are used to fund an Energiesprong renovation or new build. This approach helps residents maintain their living costs the same (source).

Funding – Nottingham received £5 million of EU Horizon 2020 research funding; £3m was for domestic energy efficiency measures for over 400 local homes, both social and private.

Innovation -The method by which the works were funded was an example of innovation. The household paid an ‘Energy plan,’ and the landlord (NCH) received an ongoing income to fund similar repairs on other properties. The resident enjoyed a far more comfortable home, as well as a flat-rate cost for energy that will not increase significantly when energy bills rise.

Success factors: 1) Assistance from an extensive network of experienced multi-disciplinary experts, giving a holistic approach to the remodelling project with a high level of flexibility during the design phase; 2) The owner was directly involved in defining the intervention methods included in the renovation project. 3) Optimal control of total expenses in the early stages of the project; 4) optimal integration of different measures due to collaboration among the many players involved in the refurbishment project.

Significant outcomes:

• A 56% reduction in energy consumption (43 kWh/m2 /yr) after retrofitting;
• EnergieSprong’s philosophy strives to associate tenants from the start of the project so that the various stages are held at their best.

Synergies with local policies:

• Energy Strategy 2010-2020 specifies the key technologies and programs required for Nottingham to contribute to reaching national and local carbon reduction and low or zero-carbon energy generation targets;
• Carbon management plan focuses on one action area – mitigation of carbon through the corporate performance of Nottinghamshire County Council.

Political alignment:

• Heat and buildings strategy outlines the government’s vision for high-efficiency, low-carbon buildings to create a greener future with more business and job prospects. The strategy’s main goals are to lower energy bills through improved energy efficiency, to build the markets needed to transition to low-carbon heat systems, and to evaluate the viability of hydrogen for heating (source);
• The Carbon Plan outlines how the United Kingdom will achieve decarbonisation within the context of energy policy. The plan includes five sectoral plans that encompass actions to be implemented this decade and in the 2020s, including Buildings that have minimal carbon footprints, including energy efficiency and low-carbon heating (source);
• Net Zero Strategy: Build Back Greener. This strategy describes sectoral policies and proposals for decarbonising all sectors of the UK economy by 2050 to fulfil the net-zero target (source).

Marketability: N/A