PRINCIPAL retrofit contractor Sustainable Building Services (UK) Ltd (SBS) has secured two major contracts worth a combined £15+ million to deliver large-scale energy efficiency upgrades to hundreds of mixed-tenure homes across North East Derbyshire.
Funding comes from the government’s Warm Homes: Social Housing Fund Wave 3 (WH:SHF) and the newly launched Warm Homes: Local Grant (WH: LG), with work spanning both social and privately owned housing over the next three years.
Rykneld Homes’ £10.4m project partly funded through WH:SHF includes almost 400 properties, while North East Derbyshire District Council’s £5.1m project funded through WH:LG will target more than 300 fuel-poor households in the region, taking an area-based approach to retrofit.
Retrofit measures planned across the projects – to help all properties reach an EPC rating C – include external wall insulation, cavity wall and loft insulation, window and door replacements, solar photovoltaic systems and air source heat pumps. Fabric, renewable and clean heat measures are planned to provide a reduction in energy demand and a switch to low carbon heating.
Daniel Owens, regional director at SBS, said: “Being appointed to deliver this scale of retrofit in North East Derbyshire is especially rewarding given our long-standing relationship with Rykneld Homes and the local council. We understand the local housing stock and community and have built foundations that will ensure trustworthy and efficient delivery from day one.
“These programmes enable us to continue making a real difference to people’s homes, health and energy bills, while contributing to local net zero goals and creating skilled jobs in the region. It is a fantastic opportunity to build on everything we have achieved here over the past decade, so we can’t wait to get started.”
SBS will continue its established partnership with Rykneld Homes to help deliver energy efficiency measures to social homes across the district. This builds on recent projects, including a £21 million retrofit scheme that upgraded more than 640 properties under the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund Wave 2.
Niall Clark, deputy managing director at Rykneld Homes, said: “You only have to look at our track record of work with SBS and the partnership we have developed, to understand the difference we’re making in the region. SBS has worked extensively in North East Derbyshire, holding vast experience in the retrofit sector and vital knowledge of local housing.
“Through various schemes, we have improved thousands of homes with an approach that priorities customer engagement, as well as high quality results and service. The contractor’s values align very closely with our own, making this appointment an easy decision as we look to quickly mobilise our upcoming retrofit programme.”
The two programmes are designed to tackle fuel poverty, reduce carbon emissions and improve comfort, health and wellbeing for residents in some of the region’s least energy efficient homes.
SBS has been appointed to deliver both programmes via direct award through EEM’s Property Improvements and Decarbonisations Works Framework. With dedicated teams already operating in the region, the contractor is well-placed to ensure consistent delivery across all property tenures included.
To find out more about SBS, visit www.sustainablebuildinguk.com
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