{"id":27524,"date":"2020-09-01T16:13:21","date_gmt":"2020-09-01T15:13:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/newsblogsnew.ihbc.org.uk\/?p=27524"},"modified":"2020-09-01T16:13:21","modified_gmt":"2020-09-01T15:13:21","slug":"9-5m-retrofit-scheme-to-reduce-wales-social-housing-carbon-footprint","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/newsblogs.ihbc.org.uk\/?p=27524","title":{"rendered":"\u00a39.5m retrofit scheme to reduce Wales\u2019 social housing carbon footprint"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"Wales has launched a new \u00a39.5m programme to reduce the carbon footprint of existing social housing, make energy bills more manageable and provide new job opportunities.<\/h3>\n

<\/p>\n

pbctoday<\/em> writes:<\/p>\n

The Optimised Retrofit Programme (ORP), part of the\u00a0Innovative Housing Programme<\/a>, will fund the fitting of energy efficiency measures in up to 1,000 existing homes owned by registered social landlords and councils.<\/p>\n

The investment package will help tackle fuel poverty and contribute to\u00a0decarbonisation<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Julie James<\/a>, minister for housing and local government, launched the Optimised Retrofit Programme during a visit to Craig Cefn Parc in Swansea.<\/p>\n

This retrofit scheme of six 1970s bungalows by\u00a0Swansea Council<\/a>\u00a0trials an approach of how to reduce residents energy bills, improve tenant comfort and reduce carbon emissions.<\/p>\n

Optimised Retrofit Programme aims<\/strong><\/h3>\n

The Optimised Retrofit Programme will support the sector to test different approaches to reach the goal of carbon neutrality.<\/p>\n

It will include an innovation competition \u2013 opening next month \u2013 to support the piloting of innovative new solutions for retrofitting our housing stock.<\/p>\n

The knowledge and learning gained will influence the future of the Welsh Housing Quality Standard so that all those living in social homes will benefit from reduced energy bills and warmer, more efficient homes.<\/p>\n

ORP is a key part of the \u00a345m Innovative Housing Programme announced earlier this year, which focuses on building new carbon neutral homes using\u00a0modern methods of construction<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The scheme will contribute to plans to reduce greenhouse gases by 95% by 2050 with an ambition to reach net-zero in future.<\/p>\n

Applications for the Innovative Housing Programme\u2019s fourth year are now officially open.<\/p>\n

A collaboration across\u00a0Welsh Government<\/a>, the Optimised Retrofit Programme has been part funded through the innovation and business streams.<\/p>\n

It has long been recognised that retrofitting homes will be a key tool in the green economic recovery, with the ambition the programme will create jobs, provide training and skills in both existing and new retrofit and heating technology.<\/p>\n

Ensuring housing is energy efficient<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Julie James said: \u201cThe coronavirus pandemic has highlighted the importance of a warm, secure and affordable home like never before. It has also shown the positive effects of reducing greenhouse gasses.<\/p>\n

\u201cHousing is responsible for 27% of all energy consumed in Wales and 15% of all demand side greenhouse gas emissions. While we have plans in place to ensure new homes are heated and powered only from clean energy sources, ensuring our existing housing stock is as energy efficient as possible is vital to if we are to meet our ambitious target of reducing our greenhouse gas emissions by 95% by 2050.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis scheme is essential to tackling climate change, and driving down household energy costs now and in the future. Helping people, including those on lower incomes, to reduce their fuel bills while keeping their homes warm.\u201d<\/p>\n

Economy minister Ken Skates, commented: \u201cA welcome boost to the Welsh economy,\u00a0retrofitting homes<\/a>\u00a0will provide quality jobs and training opportunities in the heart of our communities.<\/p>\n

\u201cTo help drive forward innovation and build a Welsh supply chain we will be launching a competition for social landlords to apply for research and innovation funding in September.\u201d<\/p>\n

Clarissa Corbisiero, deputy chief executive and director of policy and external affairs at Community Housing Cymru, added: \u201cDespite the immediate threat of Covid-19, the climate emergency has not gone away, and the pandemic has only highlighted the need for more good quality, affordable homes.<\/p>\n

\u201cHousing associations in Wales are committed to playing their part in tackling these issues. We now have an opportunity to learn from the experiences of the last few months, and be ambitious in our response.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis funding is a welcome first step to decarbonise 1,000 homes, build local supply chains and create jobs in our communities.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n
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Read more….<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Wales has launched a new \u00a39.5m programme to reduce the carbon footprint of existing social housing, make energy bills more manageable and provide new job opportunities.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-27524","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-sector-newsblog"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsblogs.ihbc.org.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27524","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsblogs.ihbc.org.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsblogs.ihbc.org.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsblogs.ihbc.org.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsblogs.ihbc.org.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=27524"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/newsblogs.ihbc.org.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27524\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":27525,"href":"https:\/\/newsblogs.ihbc.org.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27524\/revisions\/27525"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsblogs.ihbc.org.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=27524"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsblogs.ihbc.org.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=27524"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsblogs.ihbc.org.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=27524"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}