Supporters
Councils
Bristol City Council
Bristol City Council has been a pioneer in upgrading its homes to make them more energy efficient. The scale of their efforts has made them one of the leading retrofit authorities in the country. In the last five years alone they have invested £42m on retrofitting their housing stock.
They are now improving their heating systems by moving away from gas, but without support from the government there is only so far councils like Bristol can go. Council budgets are tight and there is a skills shortage.
Cllr Tom Renhard, who is leading this work, said: “Everyone deserves to live in a warm, comfortable home which doesn’t pollute the planet. We all have a role to play and Bristol is ready and raring to deliver warmer homes, but we need the Government to back us.
“With the fuel crisis and rising prices for millions, we need bold action, not just more warm words from the government. The biggest threat we face in addressing climate change is no longer climate denial, it is climate delay.”
Leeds City Council
Leeds City Council is investing £100 million into improving energy efficiency in its council homes. As a result, thousands of council tenants will have cheaper energy bills and warmer homes.
The council knows that the impact of retrofitting on people’s lives is huge – particularly for those facing #FuelPoverty, and vulnerable people who suffer from cold-related illnesses
Cllr Helen Hayden is leading this work in Leeds. She’s championing the Great Homes Upgrade because she’s seen how improving homes can transform lives.
Cambridge City Council
Cambridge City Council has invested £4.3 million in improving their council homes’ energy efficiency. It also investigated how to retrofit council homes to meet different carbon emissions standards. Cllr Rosy Moore said: “We are urgently calling on the Government to support the Great Homes Upgrade ahead of the Autumn Budget and COP26. Tackling fuel poverty and addressing the climate emergency are key priorities for the council.
“We have been improving the energy efficiency of homes in Cambridge using our own funds and limited government funding. We need central government backing, and investment in retrofitting homes and training the retrofit workforce of the future.’
Glasgow City Council
Scotland is far outpacing England on energy efficiency. E3G estimates that at the end of 2017, Scottish government spending on energy efficiency per person was four times that of England’s.
Glasgow City Council have been retrofitting pioneers. Glasgow’s council housing stock is now upgraded, and they are moving on to thinking about how to upgrade privately owned homes.
Glasgow City Council leader Susan Aitken said: “We can show the world that we’re the demonstrator for how cities can transform, delivering Net Zero whilst addressing deep-rooted social challenges. Retrofitting is central to this – by reducing emissions, tackling climate change, stimulating the economy and creating new skills for the green economy, providing energy security, lowering energy bills, creating warmer homes and addressing fuel poverty.”
Cambridge County Council
Cambridge County Council has been leading a green energy revolution. So far Cambridge has invested £19 million into energy projects including solar panel parks, which will pay for themselves through the energy saved.
The council is helping schools with retrofitting, providing a loans system to help finance it.
It is also developing community heating networks, including in Swoffham Prior, where the council has partnered with a community land trust to develop clean energy for the whole village.
Liverpool City Council
Newcastle City Council
North Somerset Council
Organisations
Ashden
Carbon Co-op
Citizens UK
E3G
Energy Action Scotland
Energy Savings Trust
First Thermal
Greenpeace
Green Jobs Alliance
Insulation Assurance Authority
IPPR
Medact
Possible
Red Co-op
To add your organisation as a supporter, email Heather.Kennedy@neweconomics.org
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