BUILDING
INSIGHTS LIVE
Exploring Solutions for Decarbonising Social Housing
T
he third Building Insights LIVE round table dedicated to tackling social housing management and maintenance issues was held in London in October, focused on sharing knowledge on how the sector is delivering
the Warm Homes Plan. It featured a variety of expert voices from across the sector, plus the construction sector supply chain, sharing knowledge on decarbonising homes at scale, for the long-term benefi t of tenants, including learnings from the ECO and HUG programmes. T e round table brought housing professionals together with the construction
supply chain and expert consultants to collaborate and openly discuss this key issue. T e £1.29bn Warm Homes Social Housing Fund, currently in its third wave of energy effi ciency upgrade projects, gives the sector the chance to achieve low energy retrofi ts at a scale never seen before, including a variety of fabric improvements and heating measures. T e unique mix of professionals we assembled candidly explored realistic
solutions for decarbonisation at scale, including hearing insights and questions from event sponsors WMS Underfl oor Heating, LHC Procurement Group, Intergas Heating and Mira Showers. Focusing on real-world challenges, the discussion didn’t shy away from
issues. Delegates agreed there was a multiplicity of motivations plus other challenges, such as confusion on who the decision maker is on decarbonisation projects, aff ordability of upgrades, and how to engage with residents. Useful examples of success were also shared however.
Recommendations were shared at the end of the session, ranging from
harnessing AI to the need to bring the price of electricity closer to gas, to a better joining-up of Government policy. With EPC ‘C’ established as a minimum for social housing by 2030, the shiſt has moved to avoiding fuel poverty as the key objective, replacing others such as ‘heat demand.’ But managers have a raſt of challenges, not least as the decarbonisation measures required means an entirely diff erent heating approach. T e insights and learnings from experience are a must read for not only the
sector, but Government. Only practical knowledge-sharing and collaboration of this sort will help see realistic solutions disseminated across the UK.
ROUND TABLE ATTENDEES • Matt Baird, Co-Chair, Spring Housing Association & Director, Avalon Recruitment
• Tania Jennings, Net Zero Carbon Manager, Lewisham Council • Sue Riddlestone, CEO Bioregional Development Group • Paul Norman, Director of Asset Strategy, Clarion Housing Group • Alison Haigh, Associate, Buttress Architects • Sarah Daly, Head of Strategic Partnerships & Sustainable Communities, Agile Homes
• Richard Ellis, Director of Sustainability, Peabody •
Stephen Tracey, Construction Manager, Wates
• Christian Dimbleby, Head of Sustainability UK, White Arkitekter • Georgina Sommerville, Managing Director, Green Rose Community Interest Company
• Ruth Dent, Director of Customer & Assets, Re:gen Group • Elaine Middleton, Board Member, Livin Housing, and consultant, The Social Housing Round Table
• Alison Skillen, RISE Project Director, Turner & Townsend • Kyae Lee, Senior Technical & Sustainability Manager, Legal & General Aff ordable Homes
SPONSOR ATTENDEES • Mark Owen, Business Development Manager, WMS • Underfl oor Heating • Graham Collie, Director of Product Innovation, LHC Procurement Group
• •
Stewart Thompson, National Specifi cation Manager, Intergas Heating
Ben Smith, Senior Channel Manager (Specifi cation), Mira Showers
Housing Management & Maintenance December/January 2026
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