Regeneration and energy specialist, ENGIE, has been appointed to deliver a variety of regeneration programmes by Sunderland-based housing association, Gentoo Group.

As part of the Group’s wider £317m investment programme across its 29,000 home portfolio, the scope of the varied £16m work will include a variety of modernisation and safety improvement work across a number of Gentoo buildings, as well as the installation of new gas- condensing, energy-efficient combination boilers and associated works to 1,000 properties in Washington as part of a district heating upgrade.

Lee Francis, Area Director at ENGIE, said: “Resident welfare is at the core of all these projects and it is important that all households feel safe and secure in their homes.

“We have a skilled team and vast experience in regeneration, which is further enhanced by our fantastic partnership with Gentoo. We have demonstrated our extensive abilities, with a number of projects already being delivered by us on Gentoo’s behalf. We’re currently re-roofing properties and repairing gable walls across thousands of properties in Houghton le Spring and Sunderland, whilst also installing Ground Source Heat Pumps, an innovative source of renewable energy, to seven tower blocks in Sunderland.”

Conan McKinley, Director of Asset Strategy at Gentoo, said: “We’re really pleased to continue our partnership with ENGIE and look forward to seeing the successful delivery of some really key projects over the coming months.”

All three of the newly awarded projects will be managed separately, but all work will be completed with residents in occupation and ENGIE will work openly and closely with Gentoo customers throughout the duration of the projects to ensure disruption is kept to a minimum.

Several consultation meetings and coffee mornings will be scheduled for those who are affected by these programmes of works; while dedicated Resident Liaison Officers will also be on hand at all times.