social housing

Suppliers appointed to £100m social housing ‘disruptors’ framework

18 suppliers have won spots on a Social Housing Emerging Disruptors (SHED) framework launched by Procurement for Housing so social landlords can compliantly procure cutting edge, innovative services and technologies to support with retrofit, development and fire safety targets. The framework is worth up to £100m over three years. Challenges

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Contractors announced on PfH Scotland’s £0.25bn EESSH2 framework

Stirling-based procurement services provider, PfH Scotland, which represents 95 social housing providers across Scotland, has appointed 25 contractors to its new £0.25bn Energy Efficiency Standard for Social Housing 2 (EESSH2) framework. Procast, Easy Heat Systems, Changeworks and City Technical Services are among suppliers to win places across eight lots on

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British Gas prepares for heat pump growth

British Gas has become the latest organisation to sign up to the UK’s main F-Gas register REFCOM as it seeks to keep pace with growing demand for heat pump installations. The energy giant’s social housing subsidiary PH Jones maintains more than 195,000 homes across the UK. It supports 23 social

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Torus shortlisted for two national TPAS Awards

Torus is celebrating a double shortlisting at the TPAS Awards this year. The awards celebrate the tireless passion, commitment and impact the work of tenants and housing providers undertake day in, day out to drive lasting change for individuals and communities alike. Torus Tenant Board member and Landlord Operations Committee

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Latest Issue
Issue 325 : Feb 2025

social housing

Suppliers appointed to £100m social housing ‘disruptors’ framework

18 suppliers have won spots on a Social Housing Emerging Disruptors (SHED) framework launched by Procurement for Housing so social landlords can compliantly procure cutting edge, innovative services and technologies to support with retrofit, development and fire safety targets. The framework is worth up to £100m over three years. Challenges posed by Covid, materials and labour shortages, plus surging demand for low carbon, building safety and development works have created an unparalleled environment for housing providers. This is forcing them to search for fresh, non-traditional solutions to deliver competing strategic objectives. Public sector procurement has traditionally been seen as a barrier to innovation, introducing processes and bureaucracy that make it harder to buy emerging solutions from entrepreneurial SMEs and micro-organisations. Fledgling suppliers are unable to scale their solutions and invest in further innovation because buying teams can’t procure services compliantly under existing rules. Procurement for Housing has addressed these issues by creating a framework that is flexible, future-proof and light touch in terms of paperwork and procedure. A dedicated SHED portal will enable housing providers to conduct a simple desk-based supplier selection process. The portal will identify the supplier that can best meet their needs and PfH’s procurement team will provide pricing information and support the contracting process.  Innovators appointed to the SHED framework include Bimdl, a blockchain-backed building information modelling (BIM) solution; Power Circle Projects, which provides democratised, decentralised low carbon smart energy solutions; Chameleon Digitization an organisation using machine learning to spot dangerous gas canisters being taken into high rise buildings; Q-Bot, a robotic underfloor insulation installer and Green Action Trust which supports social landlords to improve the sustainability of their local environment. PfH worked with the Proptech Innovation Network to find suppliers at the forefront of housing technology, data and software solutions and service design to join the framework. A second generation SHED2 framework is due to launch in the Autumn of 2022. It will bring to market those innovations developed since the first framework launched. Neil Butters, head of procurement at PfH said:“Over the past 12 months, our members have been telling us about the perfect storm of challenges they’re facing with global supply chain disruption, a widespread skills crisis and huge pressure to meet fire safety, net zero and house building targets. There is urgent need for innovation that can help them address these problems, but public procurement regulations just haven’t caught up. Housing providers can’t compliantly buy the innovative services they need.” “The government is currently changing public procurement rules, but that reform might not come into force until 2023. We wanted to be brave and unpick the challenges around procuring innovation which is still a fairly intangible, transient category of goods and services. It was important we did that here and now for the sector, rather than sitting on our hands – no one else is really tackling it.” “Many of the suppliers we’ve appointed to the framework are small or micro businesses. We wanted to unlock their services for the social housing sector – these are pioneering, future-thinking organisations, many with a focus on sustainability or building safety. The SHED is about PfH supporting social landlords to identify and adopt innovation that will improve the lives of tenants.” For further information about the SHED framework visit https://procurementforhousing.co.uk/shed/

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Contractors announced on PfH Scotland’s £0.25bn EESSH2 framework

Stirling-based procurement services provider, PfH Scotland, which represents 95 social housing providers across Scotland, has appointed 25 contractors to its new £0.25bn Energy Efficiency Standard for Social Housing 2 (EESSH2) framework. Procast, Easy Heat Systems, Changeworks and City Technical Services are among suppliers to win places across eight lots on the five-year contract. In order to attract a wide range of small, local suppliers as well as national contractors, the framework is structured around six regions, covering every area of Scotland. Housing providers can access energy efficiency modelling through the framework, helping them to identify the upgrades needed to bring their stock up to Energy Efficiency Standards for Social Housing post 2020 (EESSH2) target levels. EESSH2 standards, which were confirmed by the Scottish Government in 2019, encourage social landlords to tackle fuel poverty and reduce carbon emissions by ensuring all social homes in Scotland reach Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) Band B by December 2032. PfH Scotland’s EESSH2 framework covers whole property retrofit, feasibility studies, funding advice, land and environmental surveys as well as the servicing and installation of gas and renewable heating systems. Scottish housing associations and local authorities can procure from the framework either via mini-competition – where they can access template call-off documents and specifications – or on a direct award basis, meaning they won’t need to go through any additional tender process. Chris McGinn, PfH Scotland’s Commercial Manager said: “Research shows that just 7% of housing association stock in Scotland currently meets EESSH2 standards, so there is a long way to go before 2032. We did a lot of pre-tender engagement with Scottish housing providers, asking about the barriers to improving energy efficiency. They told us that identifying the right energy efficiency upgrades, accessing funding and delivering to deadlines were all areas they wanted support with and I’m confident this new framework will help providers to bring their homes up to EESSH2 standards.” Andrew Filby, Project Manager at Ayrshire-based charity the Energy Agency said: “We welcome the Scottish Government’s commitment to ambitious targets on both climate change and fuel poverty, but this represents a significant challenge for housing providers.  Frameworks such as PfH Scotland’s EESSH2 framework will play a key role in providing a platform for Scottish housing associations and local authorities to access the technical expertise and experienced contractors to meet this challenge. Having access to the right skills will not only provide a pathway to EESSH2 compliance but also minimise the risk to both housing providers and tenants as we transition to a low carbon economy”. For further information about PfH Scotland’s EESSH2 Heating Services framework visit https://pfhscotland.co.uk/eessh2/

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British Gas prepares for heat pump growth

British Gas has become the latest organisation to sign up to the UK’s main F-Gas register REFCOM as it seeks to keep pace with growing demand for heat pump installations. The energy giant’s social housing subsidiary PH Jones maintains more than 195,000 homes across the UK. It supports 23 social housing providers, has carried out almost half a million service calls and installs more than 11,000 heating systems and 850 renewable projects annually. A growing number of these installations now involve renewable systems with noticeable growth in heat pumps. It is actively recruiting to increase its team of skilled engineers and grow installation work backed up by ongoing expert service and maintenance. With the social housing sector moving more quickly towards low and zero carbon targets than other parts of the residential market, British Gas said upskilling the PH Jones workforce was a priority. “The industry is clearly suffering from an acute skills shortage, and it is crucial that large employers like us step up to address it,” said PH Jones director Matt Isherwood. “As well as bringing new engineers into the sector, we also need to upskill our existing workforce, particularly those already involved in boiler installations and other ‘traditional’ heating projects. “They will be crucial to delivering high performing heat pump systems in line with the government’s ambitions, but the technology does require specialist skills. We recognise the importance of making sure everyone working for us is properly trained, accredited, and able to comply with legislation. Credentials “That is why we were very keen to become REFCOM members as it is the best way to demonstrate our credentials and support higher standards across the sector,” he added. The government has set the industry the challenge of installing 600,000 heat pumps a year by 2028 – an almost ten-fold increase on current rates – and the Climate Change Committee believes 19 million will have to be installed to meet the country’s net zero carbon emissions target by 2050. PH Jones already has 11 F-gas qualified engineers and a larger team specialising in its renewables work. The agreement it has signed with REFCOM will allow it to eventually register many more certified operatives in line with its plans to expand its workforce. Founded in 1963, it now employs around 600 staff. Its social housing and facilities management business was acquired by British Gas in 2011. It received a ROSPA gold medal in 2019 following five successive years of receiving the prestigious health & safety initiative’s gold award. REFCOM is celebrating 25 years of helping refrigeration and air conditioning companies demonstrate their business and technical credentials and promoting higher professional standards of refrigerant management. Originally set up as a voluntary scheme in 1996 by a group of contractors who wanted to demonstrate their commitment to high professional standards and responsible refrigerant handling, it became the mandatory register for compliance with the European F-Gas regulation in 2009. It recently recorded its 7,000th company membership, which represents an estimated 90% of the total number of firms operating in the refrigeration and air conditioning sectors. The UK continues to ‘mirror’ the F-Gas Regulation despite its departure from the EU, which means that all personnel carrying out installation, commissioning, decommissioning, repairing, maintenance, or servicing of stationary refrigeration, air-conditioning or heat pump equipment that contains or is designed to contain F-Gas refrigerants must hold the relevant designated qualifications.www.phjones.co.uk/www.refcom.org.uk

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Torus shortlisted for two national TPAS Awards

Torus is celebrating a double shortlisting at the TPAS Awards this year. The awards celebrate the tireless passion, commitment and impact the work of tenants and housing providers undertake day in, day out to drive lasting change for individuals and communities alike. Torus Tenant Board member and Landlord Operations Committee member, Ray Jones was nominated by the Group for the Lifetime Achievement Award. Ray has been an active tenant since 2008 first with Liverpool Mutual Homes and latterly with Torus. Over the past 11 years, Ray has been a passionate advocate of tenant representation and decision-making. His sphere of influence has been far-reaching and embraces committees for assets, audit and risk, remuneration and financing. With a focus on the provision of high-quality, mixed tenure homes and investment in existing homes, Ray’s input has helped shape the delivery of Liverpool’s Marwood Towers and Torus’ award-winning development, Ogden’s Place, in Everton. For the past year, as a member of Torus Landlord Operations Committee, Ray has been the voice for nearly 40,000 tenants.  However, Ray took his voice and those of all tenants to a national stage when he was successfully appointed to the National Housing Federation’s ‘Tenant Advisory Panel’. This critical role sees him helping to develop the design and policy for social housing associations and boards nationwide. Commenting on his nomination, Ray said: “I’m honoured and privileged to have been nominated; I enjoy excellent social housing accommodation and facilities. “I have become passionate in trying to make sure all social housing tenants of whatever age, can also enjoy clean, safe, affordable housing, which in turn, helps maintain health and wellbeing. Building up a transparent relationship between tenant and provider is the key to a successful partnership, both parties benefit accordingly.” Torus’ second nomination, Torus Talk, an innovative online tenant engagement and consultation platform has also been shortlisted for the Excellence in Tenant Communication Award. Designed and developed in consultation with tenants, the Customer Involvement Team and the Communications Team, Torus Talk harnesses the power of Facebook to give 38,695 tenants the opportunity to have their say without physically having to attend consultation sessions. By removing barriers to participation, Torus Talk has enhanced tenant involvement, scrutiny and empowerment. Torus Regional director, Jan Calland, said: “Torus celebrated its one-year anniversary in January and we worked hard to embed tenant involvement from the outset. Much of this is thanks to the combined vision of our board, leadership team and Landlord Operations Committee. “However, teams across the business and tenants alike have embraced tenant participation as a way to work together, make positive changes and keep improving. The fact that we’ve been shortlisted really recognises the value of the work that’s been done.” The TPAS Awards take place on March 27th in Manchester.

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