Arcus is working in partnership with Thirteen Housing and Equans to retrofit 60 existing properties in Hartlepool. The project aims to help residents save on energy usage while also driving down carbon emissions. Residents have already expressed their delight at the results of an energy-saving project to help keep their homes cooler during the summer and warmer in winter, whilst also helping to keep energy bills low.
The scheme, which is the first of its kind delivered by Thirteen Housing, will focus on homes in the Owton Manor area of the town. The project is being funded by the Government’s Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund, which was set up to support the installation of energy performance measures in social housing properties.
Taking a fabric-first approach, the retrofit measures include upgrading doors and windows in properties, installing and upgrading wall (EWI) and loft insulation, while ensuring there is appropriate ventilation to reduce the risk of condensation. These measures will help to improve the energy efficiency of the properties, reduce customer energy usage and improve the aesthetics of the estate.
A range of sensors and technology to support testing, learning and the customer experience will also be piloted during the process. Carbon emissions from the properties will be reduced by around 2,000 tonnes over the lifetime of the technology installed across the scheme – as much as 1.6 tonnes of carbon per property each year, equivalent to the amount absorbed by approximately 70 trees. The previously hard-to-heat homes now have Energy Performance Certificate ratings as high as C – an improvement from pre-work ratings which were as low as E.