The ALMO’s whole-house retrofit programme, funded by three waves of the government’s social Housing Retrofit Fund, successfully upgraded the energy efficiency of 429 pre-war solid wall homes in Northampton.

The programme’s fabric-first approach won ‘Most Innovative Retrofit/Refurbishment Scheme’ at the 2024 Housing Digital Innovation Awards, and ‘Best Net Zero Carbon Initiative’ at this year’s National Housing Maintenance Forum Conference Awards.

NPH are leading the way in whole-house retrofit. They are only one of only a handful of social housing providers that have successfully secured funding from all three waves of the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund (SHDF). At the 2022 NFA conference, the then NPH sustainability manager Paul Tucker described the nail-biting process of getting the necessary evidence together to meet the short SHDF bid window of eight weeks for the first bid in 2020.  

The NPH approach focuses on first minimising heat loss and then installing energy-saving heating technology. It delivers swift results for residents’ comfort while still working towards the long-term goal of net zero carbon housing. The least energy-efficient homes have been targeted – EPC band D or below – and retrofit work in these properties has reduced space heating demand by up to 70%.

NPH resident, Aliye, lives in one of the first homes to be retrofitted during the Demo phase. “Because of the new insulation and windows, our home is no longer drafty and once it’s warm, it stays warm,” she said.

“The works have transformed the outside of the house too – it looks really great and much more appealing. To anyone offered energy efficiency measures, I’d say go for it – we have had no regrets.”

The current wave, which should be finished this coming spring, targets homes built in the 1920s and 1930s, retrofitting them with external wall insulation, top-ups to loft insulation, new windows and doors and mechanical ventilation. A successful further bid for SHDF funds will update 101 more council-owned homes, starting this spring.

Andrea Johnson, NPH’s Head of Asset Investment, said: “This project has aimed to make homes better for the people who live in them, improving energy efficiency and reducing the risk of fuel poverty. It’s a challenging process for all involved, particularly for the residents living through the retrofit process, so we’re extremely grateful for the patience shown by our residents as we make these important improvements.

“Amongst all the challenges and learning opportunities, the project team have achieved some fantastic outcomes and winning a national award demonstrates NPH’s continued sector leading application of fabric first deep retrofit, with support from West Northamptonshire Council and the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund.”