Social Housing Net Zero Fund: progress reports - February 2026

Projects Funded Under Checkpoint 5 of the SHNZHF

Project Title: External Wall Insulation Upgrade 2022/23

Project Organisation: Shire Housing Association

Technology Type(s): EWI

Location(s): Bellsbank and Cumnock, East Ayrshire Council

Grant Value: £412,155.28

Completion Date: October 2023

Project Headline: Fabric first measures to 54 social rented homes in multi-tenure project in East Ayrshire

Project Description:

The project installed fabric first energy efficiency measures, in the form of EWI, to 54 socially rented homes across 21 4-in-block, multi tenure flats across East Ayrshire. The housing association accessed funding from the Energy Agency to fund the owner-occupied properties, allowing the full building to benefit from the EWI installation.

The EPCs of the properties varied slightly between bands D and E. The aim of the project was to bring the EPC to bands B and C.

The project applied PAS 2025 measures to achieve thermal efficiency and reduce tenant’s heating bills significantly.

Project Title: Swedish Timber EWI Programme Dalry

Project Organisation: Cunninghame Housing Association

Technology Type(s): EWI

Location(s): Dalry, North Ayrshire Council

Grant Value: £1,016,563

Completion Date: January 2024

Project Headline: Fabric First approach delivers fuel savings to tenants in to non-traditional hard to treat properties in Dalry

Project Description:

This project delivered fabric first energy efficiency upgrades to 96 properties in Dalry, North Ayrshire. the properties of the project were of non-traditional construction, 95 of which were Swedish timber kit. The other 5 properties were of traditional construction.

The project installed EWI to these properties, which lowered tenant heating bills and providing readiness for future low carbon heating upgrades through a ‘fabric first’ approach.

The project brought the EPC of the properties up from band D to band C.

Project Title: Off-Gas Villages – Energy Efficiency Programme (Phase 2 Application)

Project Organisation: Falkirk Council

Technology Type(s): ASHP, Solar PV and Battery Storage

Location(s): Various locations across Falkirk Council

Grant Value: £975,975

Completion Date: March 2024

Project Headline: Clean heating and microgeneration for 100 homes in Falkirk

Project Description:

This project was phase 2 of Falkirk Council's off-gas villages energy efficiency project. This phase of the project installed clean heating and microgeneration to 100 properties across 9 villages in the Falkirk area. The properties varied in size and archetype.

Each property was fitted with an ASHP, solar PV and battery storage. This reduced the carbon emissions from these properties by 95% and reduced energy consumption from the grid. The microgeneration also reduced tenants fuel bills, taking them out of, or away from the risk of, fuel poverty and providing them with more thermal comfort and control of their heating systems.

Project Title: Triple Glazing Upgrade to North Lanarkshire Properties

Project Organisation: Lanarkshire Housing Association

Technology Type(s): Triple Glazed Windows

Location(s): Multiple locations across North Lanarkshire Council

Grant Value: £454,040

Completion Date: November 2023

Project Headline: Triple glazing for 111 homes across North Lanarkshire reduced fuel bills and improved tenant’s thermal comfort

Project Description:

The project installed fabric first energy efficiency measures to 111 properties across North Lanarkshire. 102 of the properties were flats, and 9 were four-in-a-block cottages flats. All received new triple glazing.

The project upgraded the existing windows with a more energy efficient specification which improved thermal comfort for tenants and make their homes easier to heat, helping reduce energy demand and tenant’s fuel bills. The project also had a positive impact on the EPC of the properties, bring them up from a band C to a band B.

Project Title: Osprey Housing Lofts and RIR 2022

Project Organisation: Osprey Housing Association

Technology Type(s): LTUI and RIRI

Location(s): Multiple locations across Aberdeen City, Aberdeenshire and Moray Councils

Grant Value: £120,732

Completion Date: March 2024

Project Headline: Fabric first measures to 306 properties across Aberdeenshire, Aberdeen City and Moray

Project Description:

This project installed fabric first energy efficiency measures to 306 properties of varying archetype, including flats, bungalows and houses and varying size, from 1 – 4 bedrooms. The project installed loft insulation top-ups for 297 of these, and room in roof insulation for 9.

Two thirds of these properties were early 2000s timber frame construction, with around 100-150mm of loft insulation in place. Topping up the existing loft insulation was the most straightforward way to increase the thermal efficiency of these properties.

The other third of the properties were older, of various construction types and, where appropriate, these had already had cavity wall insulation and benefitted from increasing the loft insulation or installing room in roof insulation.

Project Title: From Rationing to Rationality – the Introduction of Whole House Heating and Ventilation

Project Organisation: Lochalsh and Skye Housing Association

Technology Type(s): ASHP

Location(s): Skye and Lochalsh, Highland Council

Grant Value: £267,040

Completion Date: March 2024

Project Headline: Providing Clean Heating and reduced energy bills to 30 homes on the Isle of Skye

Project Description:

This project provided clean heating to 30 homes across the Isle of Skye, of varied archetype. The properties were previously heated with either inefficient storage heating, sold fuel heating and oil boilers. All properties had their heating systems replaced with ASHPs.

The aim of the project was to alleviate fuel poverty and improve comfort levels in tenant's homes. The project also aimed to improve the EPC of the properties from band D to band C.

Project Title: Hillcrest Homes Fuel Poverty Heating Upgrade Scheme

Project Organisation: Hillcrest Homes

Technology Type(s): HHRSH and Solar PV

Location(s): Arbroath in Angus; Dundee City in Dundee; Alyth, Blackford, Crieff in Perth & Kinross; and Newburgh in Fife

Grant Value: £1,709,847

Completion Date: March 2024

Project Headline: Clean heating and microgeneration to 466 homes across Dundee, Angus and Perth & Kinross

Project Description:

This project installed clean heating and microgeneration to 466 homes across multiple locations including Dundee, Arbroath, Newburgh, Crieff, Alyth and Blackford. The archetypes of the properties varied among different sizes of flats and houses. All properties received new Quantum HRRSH and where suitable, and solar PV was also installed.

The new measures allowed the tenants more control and flexibility over their heating, and reduced fuel bills and increased thermal comfort. It is anticipated that tenants will save on average £430 per year.

Project Title: ACHA Social Housing External Fabric Programme

Project Organisation: Argyll Community Housing Association

Technology Type(s): EWI

Location(s): Multiple Locations across Argyll and Bute Council - Bute, Cowal, Dunoon, Islay and Tiree

Grant Value: £1,092,750

Completion Date: April 2024

Project Headline: Project installed insulation measures, primarily external wall insulation (EWI) into 141 social rented properties across Argyll and Bute

Project Description:

The main bulk of these 141 properties are in Dunoon and included various archetypes including post war late 1950s dwellings. Other properties benefitting from these measures were located across Cowal and Bute and included properties on the islands of Islay and Tiree.

These properties had already received ASHPs in previous packages of works and the installation of EWI would therefore maximise the benefits of these systems and ensure heat is not lost through the fabric of the buildings.

This project intended to alleviate fuel poverty and deliver continued energy efficiency works to help tenants who are the most in need.