Paving the way to decarbonising housing

Like many other housing associations in Wales, Taff Housing is grappling with the task of acquiring up to date data on the energy rating and condition of the 1500 homes under its management. This is the requirement set by the Welsh Quality Standards to help identify those households living in low energy homes so they can be prioritised when it comes to the investing in energy saving measures as part of the Welsh Government’s optimised retrofit programme. 

There are significant challenges facing the social housing sector – from funding restrictions, supply chain limitations, skills gaps and efficacy of technology, to finding the best approach for tenants. I’ll also raise points on what the Welsh and UK Government could do to further support housing providers in making these changes.

Like all other housing associations, Taff Housing has been allocated funding by Welsh Government from the Optimised Retrofit Programme to invest in affordable warmth measures in our homes. However, we are in a bit of a chicken-and-egg situation because although we have started carrying out the initial surveying work, this is expected to take several years to complete. So, in the meantime, we need to start making decisions on what we will do with the homes we have already completed surveys on, as we can’t wait until the process has been completed before we commence work. 

Therefore, we are having to prioritise the homes that will benefit most from energy efficient measures based on the data we have available. However, what these measures look like, will be individual to each home. We need to consider the style of the building, the suitability of technology and the right approach for the tenant, to avoid disruption where possible and help them overcome any financial strains caused by rising energy bills.

There are significant challenges facing the social housing sector – from funding restrictions, supply chain limitations, skills gaps and efficacy of technology, to finding the best approach for tenants.

There are many arguments for the fabric first approach, to ensure the home can retain the heat efficiently. However, the fabric measures are typically more costly and can take several years to see the financial benefits. On the flipside, the installation of solar PV and a battery, which is more versatile, is a fraction of the cost, and residents are more likely to see immediate savings on their fuel bills.

Welsh Government’s latest heat strategy plan suggests that heat pumps are the solution for most homes in Wales. However, while I can appreciate their sustainable credentials, the cost, size and logistics for this form of technology makes them unsuitable for many of our inner-city homes which don’t have space between buildings and flats. Therefore, I would be interested in the solutions they suggest for these homes.

As a result, we have decided to pinpoint a small number of homes that are suitable for the fabric first approach while installing home upgrades like solar panels, batteries etc in others. That way, we hope to both maximise our budget and impact in the most economical and efficient way possible.

One of our biggest concerns is the scepticism around the technology itself. Not only is much of the technology still in its infancy, but it is also continually evolving and being replaced with newer, more improved models or innovations. This makes us reluctant to invest in something that we may have to go back and update later. Saying that, we have undertaken several trials and invested in a new lime-based render trial on some of our older terraced properties, as well as a new infrared electric wallpaper technology in one of our new build properties. We are now monitoring the impact of these technologies over the next 12 months before continuing to adopt them for other properties. 

There is such a range of different technologies available from different sources that it would help if the Welsh Government created a reliable and trustworthy regulatory body that could test, certify and endorse the products as safe and dependable. This would help to guide the housing providers on what technology we should adopt and from whom.

Finally, but possibly one of the most important factors that places huge restrictions on us is the supply chain limitations: with very few companies manufacturing the technology, paired with a vast skill shortage in the sector. I was pleased to see that the Welsh Government has recognised a need to invest in training and upskilling in this area in its recently published Heat Strategy. This is much needed, if we are all to deliver these changes to meet the government targets.

There is such a range of different technologies available from different sources that it would help if the Welsh Government created a reliable and trustworthy regulatory body that could test, certify and endorse the products as safe and dependable.

We have invested some of our funding into training people internally to carry out the surveys to help reduce our outsourcing costs, but further investment in training from Welsh Government would be very welcomed.

Like many other housing associations, we are dedicated to improving the energy efficiency of our tenants’ homes to help them manage their fuel costs. However, as I mentioned above, there are many factors that impact the decisions we make. We need the Welsh Government to address several elements such as guidance on other solutions where heat pumps are not suitable, as well as looking into the establishment of a regulatory body who can test, certify, and endorse technology that is fit for purpose. We also need to have more clarity on funding post 2025 so we can make the right decisions and investment for our tenants now. This will prevent us from potentially falling short and enable us to meet the Welsh Government’s ambitious and challenging decarbonisation plans.

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