Retrofit for the Future

Helping to reduce CO2 emissions from social housing

The Peterborough EnviroCluster Retrofit Project is one of eighty seven social housing projects across the UK which benefited from a share of £17 million of government funding to test low carbon building technology.

The programme, entitled ‘Retrofit for the Future’, was the first of its kind in the UK, and saw social housing units across the country retrofitted with new, innovative technologies. Understanding and implementing best practice retrofitting is key to meeting the government’s CO2 reduction target of 80% by 2050. The results of the projects will be shared to help show how the UK’s current housing stock could be made more energy efficient.

In the initial design phase, over 190 organisations – including housing associations, architects and construction companies – received up to £20,000 each to carry out full feasibility studies and devise innovative proposals. From these proposals, 87 were awarded proof of concept development contracts to carry out retrofits on current social houses.

Innovative businesses have a crucial role to play in the low-carbon economy. This £17 million investment by Government will give companies the chance to grab a share of the significant potential retrofit market.

- Lord Drayson, Science Minister in Department for Business Innovation & Skills

The retrofit prototypes each received an average of £142,000 to demonstrate deep cuts in carbon emissions and exemplar energy efficient measures in UK social housing. The level of funding was specifically designed to stimulate the implementation of innovative, proof of concept demonstrator houses that may offer cost effective solutions for wider role out across the UK. Each demonstrator house will therefore be carefully evaluated by the Energy Saving Trust for at least 2 years and the potential for lower cost implementation in volume across the remaining UK social housing stock assessed.

For details on what we are planning in Peterborough, use the links at the top of the page.

EnviroCluster

Supporting environmental businesses in Greater Peterborough

EnviroClusterEnviroCluster is a membership network of environmental businesses, organisations and individuals based in and around Greater Peterborough, the East of England and the East Midlands.

The initiative aims to support eco-innovation and growth in the environment sector; stimulate the creation of new businesses supplying environmental products and services, internationalise regional environmental technology businesses; promote skills development, knowledge sharing and networking in the sector and to develop R&D and commercial projects amongst our members.