The sector could act as a blueprint, according to Dr Stuart Gadsden, Commercial Director of Kensa, instead of people looking to politicians and private landlords’ failed attempts.
Image: Dr Stuart Gadsden, Commercial Director of Kensa.
The poor reputation associated with social housing couldn’t be further from the truth when it comes to the environment. Currently, the sector is quietly delivering one of the UK’s most important climate success stories – cutting carbon from homes.
While the private housing market continues to debate the ‘how’ and ‘when’ of decarbonising homes, social landlords have been getting on with it. They’re upgrading homes at scale, improving energy efficiency and cutting energy bills by installing low-carbon heating systems such as heat pumps.
These upgrades are helping to tackle fuel poverty and transforming the performance of some of the UK’s most complex housing stock. A sign of progress that’s been made already is that nearly three-quarters of social housing properties are now EPC-rated A to C. We know the EPC system isn’t perfect, but it’s a good indication of how the sector has taken action to improve its properties.
How did this happen?
This progress hasn’t happened by chance. It’s the result of long-term planning, purpose-driven investment, and targeted government support. Previous funding schemes like the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund (SHDF) and now the £1.29 billion Warm Homes Social Housing Fund (WH SHF) have helped social landlords move beyond piecemeal upgrades to deliver coordinated, whole-building retrofit programmes.
By approaching energy upgrades and heat decarbonisation at scale, providers have delivered long-term performance upgrades, turning ageing housing stock into some of the most efficient and comfortable retrofit homes in the country.
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 flats or entire estates efficiently, the system is now heating thousands of social homes, including around 30 UK tower blocks.
Two recent projects show the difference integrating this kind of system into a whole-building retrofit can make:
- Sutton Dwellings, Chelsea – Clarion Housing retrofitted 81 Edwardian-era flats across four blocks, placing networked ground source heat pumps at its heart. The challenge was to modernise a heritage site in a dense, urban setting. By designing the retrofit 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.
- Thurrock Council – Three 1960s tower blocks (273 flats) had outdated night storage heaters replaced with networked heat pumps alongside insulation improvements. Many residents had faced heating bills of over £1,200 a year, but post-upgrade, these costs fell by as much as 66%. The retrofit resolved long-standing inefficiencies and provided a long-term, affordable heating solution that benefitted every resident.
These aren’t isolated improvements, they’re examples of what’s possible when heating and building upgrades are treated as a system, not as standalone fixes.
Why social housing is getting it right
Social landlords are leading the way because they plan and deliver upgrades at scale. Upgrading 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 often 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 retrofits like infrastructure, not just repairs, can accelerate heat decarbonisation and help meet net-zero goals without leaving anyone behind.
The opportunity — and the risk
There’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.
The WH SHF is helping to transform many more social homes, including high-rise and “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 benefit from warm, efficient homes.
Scaling up across the UK
Social housing has shown how to decarbonise homes effectively, affordably, and at scale. If a similar whole-building, or even street-by-street, approach were applied to private housing, it would enable large-scale delivery of energy efficiency upgrades and clean heat initiatives, increase UK heat pump installations and deliver energy savings for millions of people.
Retrofit is central to the UK’s net zero strategy, and the lessons from social housing provide a practical roadmap for others to follow.
A replicable route to net zero
Social housing providers have shown that decarbonising homes at scale and doing it well is not only achievable but already happening. Their focus on whole-building upgrades, coordinated delivery, and low-carbon heat offers a powerful blueprint for the rest of the housing sector.
To meet climate targets, cut energy bills, and improve building performance, we must move from individual measures to long-term, building-wide solutions.
Social housing is showing the way. Now the rest of the housing sector needs to follow.
Images supplied via Kensa.
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