HOUSING 2. The HUG Phase 1 This element focuses on off-gas grid properties. The cost of upgrading energy performance of an off-gas grid property tends to be higher, and funding is needed to support the installation of multiple measures per home.
The time to apply is now Applications for funding from the Sustainable Warmth Competition are open until 4th August. The ambition is for the funding to be allocated this autumn, with work to get underway in January 2022. The Government is asking that all local authorities submit rigorously thought-out applications that they are confident can be delivered in full by 31st March 2023. Local authorities must show that their applications meet various key eligibility criteria for funding, including showing that properties identified for upgrades have an EPC rating of band D, E, F and G. Funding must also be targeted at low-income groups with a combined household income of no more than £30,000 – and a robust methodology will be needed to demonstrate how these households will be identified and verified. Previously, funding through the LAD Scheme was guaranteed for each and every local authority through regional Energy Hubs across the country. But with this new competition format, funding is not guaranteed for all, and local authorities must go up against each other with their bids.
Help is at hand There’s no doubt that the funding application process can be complex and time-consuming – but local authorities don’t have to go it alone. By teaming up with a partner like Daikin, housing providers can access free support to develop their proposals – across the planning, application and delivery process. Our team consists of dedicated experts, experienced in securing funding from similar schemes, grants and competitions.
We can help carry out stock analysis and feasibility studies, setting out which properties are best suited to heat pumps and most likely to be approved for funding. This includes helping local authorities meet the competition’s criteria and highlight how the proposed funding will help those most in need, by effectively assessing the EPC ratings of their properties and identifying households living in fuel poverty. We can also support through overseeing consultations with local residents, bringing them on board through regular communications, easy-to-read guides, YouTube videos and even mobile showrooms where they can familiarise themselves with heat pump technology and understand how it will benefit them. We’re also on hand to advise and provide training to local plumbing and heating businesses and supply chains, to maximise the opportunities for the local economy to grow and feed off the work created by funding.
The right technology for the job Heat pumps are a leading technology for the decarbonisation of UK homes and deliver a wide range of benefits compared with other options in the mix. Heat pump technology can deliver substantial carbon savings of approximately 2600kg of CO 2 per year, which is far beyond many of the alternative solutions on the market – and it’s well-established enough to be rolled out at scale. Heat pumps are also a great solution for projects with tight timescales, as they’re readily available, can easily be installed in a couple of days and don’t require planning permission. We’re working hard to support housing providers, installers and residents when it comes to commissioning, operating and fully understanding these low-carbon heating systems – to ensure all parties reap maximum benefits from heat pumps, as together we build clean, green, happy communities, fit for the future.
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