L&Q secures over £27m of funding to improve the energy efficiency of homes
L&Q’s bid for the Government’s Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund (SHDF) has been successful, with the housing association being awarded over £27m to improve the energy efficiency of over 3,000 social homes.
The funding – the fourth-highest allocation of SHDF money to be awarded nationally excluding consortiums - will be used to retrofit and upgrade 3,401 homes in London, the South East and North West that have an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating below C.
The project will be carried out as part of L&Q’s Major Works Investment Programme and will see £68 million of energy efficiency measures, including cavity wall insulation, external wall insulation, loft installation and triple glazing, delivered in partnership with the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero.
Once complete, the works – which will be carried out between April 2023 and March 2025 – will help to cut fuel bills for residents as well as reduce carbon emissions and strengthen L&Q’s pathway to achieving net zero by 2050, one of the organisation’s core environmental goals.
David Lewis: Executive Group Director of Property Services, said:
“It’s very welcome news that we have secured a share of Government funding to make homes warmer, greener and more energy efficient for our residents.
"At a time when we are all feeling the effects of rising costs, the benefits to these works are clear: homes will be of a better standard and resident’s energy bills will come down.
"This successful funding bid will also help us play our part in tackling climate change, creating jobs, boosting the economy, and making local neighbourhoods even better places to live in.
David continues:
“Reaching zero-carbon across our housing stock is a huge challenge, and we can only deliver meaningful and lasting change if we work in partnership with our residents. We’ll measure our success not by intent, but by the demonstrable difference we are making to their lives.”
Lord Callanan, Minister for Energy Efficiency and Green Finance, said:
“This investment will help thousands of households to heat their homes for less, keep them warm for longer, and could save hundreds on their annual energy bill.
“The green energy sector is growing, and this funding will support green jobs and provide the training needed to deliver these vital upgrades to homes.”
L&Q released its second sustainability report this year, which shows a reduction in its carbon emissions of over 8%. Almost all L&Q homes - 99.7% - built between April 2021 and March 2022 achieved an EPC B rating, and the housing provider has started a roadmap to build new homes with increasing sustainability standards.
About L&Q’s Major Works programme
In 2022, L&Q started the industry’s largest investment programme – almost £3bn over 15 years – to improve the safety, comfort, and environmental performance of residents’ homes.
The landmark programme will include heating and window upgrades, and the installation of low carbon measures such as air and ground source heat pumps and solar panels.
The charitable housing association is also improving their homes in other ways, such as by providing around 48,000 new kitchens and 42,000 new bathrooms.