Issue details

This report seeks approval for the procurement and the award of a new contract(s) to support the continued delivery of the Council’s housing energy efficiency (retrofit) programme, which contributes to achieving the objectives set out in the Council’s Climate Change Strategy 2021– 2 2026. The strategy outlines a vision for Cambridge to become a net zero carbon city by 2030, subject to the necessary enabling actions from central government, regulators, and industry.

The Council’s Housing Asset Management Strategy includes a commitment to improve the energy efficiency of its existing housing stock, in turn reducing carbon emissions. A key target is to upgrade all Council homes currently rated EPC ‘D’ or below to a minimum of EPC ‘C’. To support this, a capital budget allocation of £3.8 million per annum has been made within the Housing Capital Plan through to 2035. This has been supplemented by government grant funding secured since 2023 onwards. The programme is also aligned with the national target for all social housing to achieve at least EPC ‘C’ by 2035.

Under the current External Wall Insulation (EWI) contract, which commenced in December 2023, approx. 225 council homes have been retrofitted from EPC ‘D’ and below to EPC ‘C’. Measures delivered include external wall insulation, enhanced ventilation, replacement of external doors and windows where required, top-up loft insulation and associated maintenance and repairs. This phase was supported by £2.26 million from the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund (Wave 2.1).

Following a successful bid to the Wave 3 round of the Government’s Warm Homes: Social Housing Fund, the Council has been awarded £3.8 million to upgrade a further 370 Council homes between 2025/26 and 2027/28. This will include a similar suite of energy efficiency measures, together with replacement of gas boilers with air source heat pumps in 37 homes. The current EWI contract is due to expire in March 2026, however the above demonstrates that there is an ongoing demand for the works and services. This report proposes the procurement and award of a new contract(s) to ensure continuity in the delivery of the energy efficiency programme once the current contract expires.