We have a range of activities ongoing throughout 2023/24 and 2024/25 to make our homes more energy-efficient and reduce our impact on the environment, as we work towards a goal of Net Zero Carbon by 2050.
SHDF wave 1
Working in partnership with Watford Borough Council, Three Rivers District Council, Thrive Homes, and managing agent OVO Energy, we secured funding under the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund (SHDF) to install external wall insulation to 57 social rent properties. These works were completed in summer 2023.
External wall insulation (EWI) is a layer of insulation that is added to the outside wall of a home. It improves the energy efficiency of your home by preventing heat from escaping – making it warmer in the winter and cooler in the summer!
It saves you money on your heating bills and gives your home a fresh new look.
Greener Herts
In 2022, we formed a partnership with local housing associations B3Living and settle, called Greener Herts. The aim of our partnership is to make Hertfordshire’s homes more sustainable and fit for the future.
Across our three housing associations, we own more than 20,000 homes – so we can make a real difference by adopting more sustainable ways of working and investing in energy-efficient homes.
Find out more about Greener Herts and the work we are doing here.
SHDF wave 2.1
In March 2023, Greener Herts – by now also joined by Dacorum Borough Council – made a successful application to the SHDF which will enable us to make energy efficiency improvements worth more than £40 million in total. This funding reflects a combined pledge of £25 million directly from B3Living, Dacorum Borough Council, settle and Watford Community Housing, with an additional £14 million provided by the SHDF.
Over 1,500 social housing properties will benefit from this funding – at Watford Community Housing our primary focus will include external wall insulation (EWI), cavity wall insulation (CWI) and internal wall insulation (IWI), and replacement windows to improve the thermal performance of homes.
Starting in April 2023, this is expected to take over two years. As of December 2023, Watford Community Housing have completed 78 homes and have 106 ongoing.
Green Heat Network Fund (GHNF)
We are looking to secure funding through the GHNF to carry out works to upgrade the district heating system serving Abbey View, Munden View and some of the nearby low-rise blocks. The aim is to deliver a renewable energy district heating system.