Decarbonisation Feature


Decarbonisation 21


By approaching energy upgrades and heat decarbonisation at scale, providers have delivered long-term performance upgrades, turning ageing housing stock into some of the country’s most effi cient and comfortable retrofi t homes.


WHY SOCIAL HOUSING IS GETTING IT RIGHT Planning and delivering upgrades at scale, whether for entire buildings or estates, reduces disruption, secures economies of scale, and delivers long-term improvements to both homes and assets. In contrast, private homes are oſt en upgraded one at a time, which limits


impact and increases costs. Whole-building or estate-wide programmes deliver more consistent outcomes, improve comfort for more people, and reduce the overall installation cost per property. Crucially, social housing has shown that treating retrofi ts like infrastructure,


not just repairs, can accelerate heat decarbonisation and help meet net-zero goals without leaving anyone behind.


REAL-WORLD RETROFIT: LESSONS FROM THE FRONT LINE Kensa has supported housing providers across the UK to deliver impactful heating upgrades using the networked ground source heat pump system. Designed to serve entire blocks of fl ats or entire estates effi ciently, the system is now heating and lowering energy costs for thousands of social homes, including around 30 UK tower blocks. Two recent projects show the diff erence integrating this kind of system into a


whole-building retrofi t can make: At the Sutton Dwellings Estate in Chelsea, central London, Clarion Housing


retrofi tted 81 Edwardian-era fl ats across four blocks, placing networked ground source heat pumps at its heart. T e challenge was to modernise a heritage site in a dense, urban setting. By designing the retrofi t as a complete system, with heating and fabric working together, the project delivered modern, low-carbon homes that preserved the building’s historic character and improved energy performance. In T urrock, Essex, three 1960s tower blocks, containing 273 fl ats in total,


had outdated night storage heaters replaced with networked heat pumps alongside insulation improvements. Many residents had faced eye-watering


heating bills, but post-upgrade, these costs fell by as much as 66%. T e retrofi t resolved long-standing ineffi ciencies and provided a long-term, aff ordable heating solution that benefi tted every resident. T ese aren’t isolated improvements, they’re examples of what’s possible when


heating and building upgrades are treated as a system, not as standalone fi xes, and it’s something that the sector has been so good at doing.


THE OPPORTUNITY AND THE RISK T ere’s still a long way to go. Despite the sector’s commendable progress, thousands of homes still need upgrades. Funding and policy certainty will be essential to maintain momentum. T e WH:SHF will help transform many more social homes, including high-


rise and other “complex to decarbonise” properties. But with no further funding rounds expected before 2028, many housing providers face uncertainty just when long-term planning is needed most. For councils and housing associations with net zero plans and EPC


targets, clarity on what comes next is critical, not just to hit targets but also to deliver long-term savings and ensure residents continue to benefi t from warm, effi cient homes.


SCALING UP ACROSS THE UK Social housing has shown how to decarbonise homes eff ectively, aff ordably, and at scale. If a similar whole-building, or even street-by-street, approach was applied to private housing, it would enable large-scale delivery of energy effi ciency upgrades and clean heat initiatives, increase UK heat pump installations and deliver energy savings for millions of people. Retrofi t is central to the UK’s net zero strategy, and the lessons from social


housing provide a practical roadmap for others to follow. To meet climate targets, cut energy bills, and improve building performance, there needs to be a shiſt from individual measures to long-term, building-wide solutions. Social housing is showing how it’s done, and now the rest of the housing sector needs to follow.


Dr Stuart Gadsden is Commercial Director at Kensa Housing Management & Maintenance June/July 2025


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