‘Financial & Support Instruments for Fuel Poverty in Social Housing’

2008 - 2010Carbon Action Network Conference

London01.06.2010

Some information about us….• SAVE Agency, 1997, 2 staff• Our aims: "Working for sustainable energy and affordable

warmth in the South West and Wales"

• Independent non-profit company• Now over 40 staff (8 in Wales)• No core funding• Offices in Gloucester, Builth Wells, Swindon

Our projects include…….• affordable warmth, health, fuel poverty• advice and awareness raising• behavioural change • working with communities• working with LA’s & RSLs• working with business/ SMEs• working with schools• community buildings • strategic support• see www.swea.co.uk

FinSH project 2008-10• Financial and other ‘support instruments’ for

social housing: review and info exchange• Focus on retrofit of existing housing stock• Italy, France, Poland, Germany, UK

Three key areas of research:

1: finance,2: behaviour,3: existing and Best Practice…

…‘the guide’

1: Finance - Existing financial products reviewConclusions for funding in the UK: over 20 products found

No single fund specialising in precise target market. Options identified can be split into three categories:

1) Funding for social housing renovation that can include sustainable energy and,

2) Funding for sustainable energy that can include social housing and,

3) Funding that is non-specific that can include both social housing and sustainable energy.

A Close Review of CERT: 1994 to 2010 and beyond…Case Studies:• Gwynedd County Council -

Insulation Scheme• Stroud District Council -

Ground Source Heat Pumps

http://www.swea.co.uk/proj_FinSH_downloads.shtml

• Desk study literature review of current academic research

• Short questionnaire completed by 25 individuals who have expertise regarding social housing or specific role in relation to fuel poverty

2: Behaviour - Review of current knowledge on target group behaviour

http://www.swea.co.uk/proj_FinSH_downloads.shtml

Desk study literature review (& interviews) of 12 UK organisations (6 RSL’s, 5 LA’s & 1 Region):

Strategies and future perspectiveIdentifying and reaching energy poorCommunications, awareness and adviceChoice of retrofit technologiesFinanceSkills and trainingMonitoring and evaluation

3: Existing and Best Practice in the UK

http://www.swea.co.uk/proj_FinSH_downloads.shtml

• Boston Mayflower• Cardiff Council• Chelmer Housing Partnership• Drum Housing Association• East Riding of Yorkshire• Gloucestershire & South Gloucestershire• Luton Borough Council• Newark & Sherwood District Council• Penwith Housing Association• Stevenage Borough Council• Trent & Dove Housing Limited• West Mercia Housing Group

Case Studies available (here today):

…or download from: http://www.swea.co.uk/proj_FinSH_downloads.shtml

Gloucestershire Affordable Warmth Partnership and Boston Mayflower Case Studies: Strategy

http://www.swea.co.uk/proj_FinSH_downloads.shtml

Cardiff Council and Luton Borough Council

Case Studies: Detecting potential fuel poverty

http://www.swea.co.uk/proj_FinSH_downloads.shtml

Cardiff Council, Chelmer Housing Partnership and Drum Housing

Case Studies: Communication with tenants

• Residents magazine• Annual tenants bus tour • One day energy awareness courses• Specific information packs & guides

http://www.swea.co.uk/proj_FinSH_downloads.shtml

Drum HousingCase Studies: Choosing the measures

http://www.swea.co.uk/proj_FinSH_downloads.shtml

Energy Hierarchy:• Reduced energy demand• Efficiency opportunities are maximised• Renewables used where appropriate

Key Stages for RE:• Site investigation & planning• Option appraisal • Obtain quotations • Initial occupant liaison / briefing• Life cycle costing

Penwith Housing Association and Drum Housing

Case Studies: Finance

http://www.swea.co.uk/proj_FinSH_downloads.shtml

Procurement of bulk purchasing deals in collaboration with others:

• Price• Quality• Time-scales• Sustainability

Luton Borough Council

Case Studies: Skills & Training

http://www.swea.co.uk/proj_FinSH_downloads.shtml

Fund out of work 16 to 19 year olds (not in education, employment or training) to undertake a 12-week City & Guilds in ‘Insulation’

Cardiff Council and Drum Housing

Case Studies: Monitoring & Evaluation

http://www.swea.co.uk/proj_FinSH_downloads.shtml

• Performance against data fromother similar systems installed elsewhere in the UK

• Residents satisfaction• Efficiency• Coefficiency of Performance• Suitability for transfer • Celebrate success stories!

M&E twelve months post completion of renewable energy systems installed to include:

Based on the knowledge from previous research (finance, behaviour and current practice) across partner countries a new guide for housing providers and implementing organisations covers categories:

‘the guide’

• Strategic approaches• Identification and reaching residents at risk• Raising awareness and changing energy

use behaviour• Involving residents in the retrofit process• Choosing the right retrofit measures• Financing a retrofit programme• What skills are needed• Evaluation of retrofit programmes

http://www.swea.co.uk/proj_FinSH_downloads.shtml

Taking a comprehensive & strategic approach

Drome - France

http://www.swea.co.uk/proj_FinSH_downloads.shtml

ANAH (National Housing Agency) funded renovation of 100 homes and evaluated a level of €14/m2/yr running cost set a target benchmark for future funding from the parent organisation

Berlin - Germany

How to identify and reach residents at risk

http://www.swea.co.uk/proj_FinSH_downloads.shtml

Bewohnergenossenschaft FredrichsHeim eGA small housing association with 600 apartments

Billing of all utilities takes place at the same time so that comparisons are made and houses with high fuel bills are investigated

Marseille - France

Raising awareness & changing energy behaviour

http://www.swea.co.uk/proj_FinSH_downloads.shtml

La Bricarde – Public energy and water consumption display kits set up in communal areas and room set aside with interactive display and film made with resident involvement.

Involving residents in the retrofit processNurnberg - Germany

http://www.swea.co.uk/proj_FinSH_downloads.shtml

WbG Nurenburg GmbH – network of affiliated companies managing 18,000 apartments. Have comprehensive tenant engagement process including:

written notificationtenant meetingshousehold inspections tenant liaison whilst works are on site post completioninformation and PR

Venice - Italy

Choosing the right retrofit measures

http://www.swea.co.uk/proj_FinSH_downloads.shtml

Measures are chosen by life cycle of the building rather than a theoretical pay back period…

…then compared with demolition and rebuild costs to meet the same energy performance standards

Sant Ilario d’Enza - Italy

Financing a retrofit programme

http://www.swea.co.uk/proj_FinSH_downloads.shtml

Managing Agent (ACER) in partnership with the local Council and a bank fund loans where the tenant agrees through a rent increase retrofit measures over a 15-year period

The local Council repays 66% the tenant 33%

Repayment in rent increase is 50% less than energy bill savings e.g. energy bill savings €20/month, rent increase / loan repayment €10/month

Germany

What skills are needed?

http://www.swea.co.uk/proj_FinSH_downloads.shtml

A Turkish environmental group of BUND (Friends of the Earth) trains volunteers over 25 hours in aspects of energy, water, mould and waste

Training includes how to communicate new knowledge and introduction for the use of Smart Meters

Marseille - France

Evaluation of retrofit programmes

http://www.swea.co.uk/proj_FinSH_downloads.shtml

La Bricarde and specialist organisation (Ecopolenergie) have worked with 14 households to monitor consumption of energy and water remotely by getting the residents to take readings and feeding data back

Feedback is given back to residents so that changes in consumption is monitored thus encouraging behaviour change

Other downloads include ‘Key figures in the UK’Social HousingIncomes Energy Prices & the elusive ‘Social Tariffs’!ClimateLegislative background & other sources of information

…and more to follow!

Available from:

http://www.swea.co.uk/proj_FinSH

I would be very grateful for feedback

Thanks!Stuart Davies

Stuart@swea.co.uk