British Gas Joins Forces with Leading Partners to Pave the Way for Decarbonizing Social Housing

British Gas Joins Forces with Leading Partners to Pave the Way for Decarbonizing Social Housing

(IN BRIEF) British Gas has joined a consortium with NatWest, Places for People, Sero, and Tallarna to pilot a new approach to decarbonizing up to 1,000 social housing units. The initiative will test financial models that make retrofitting more affordable, with the goal of creating a scalable solution for the social housing sector. The project aims to lower energy costs for residents and support the UK’s sustainability goals.

(PRESS RELEASE) WINDSOR, 16-Aug-2024 — /EuropaWire/ — British Gas has announced its participation in a groundbreaking consortium aimed at transforming the energy efficiency of social housing across the UK. Partnering with NatWest, Places for People, Sero, and Tallarna, this initiative is set to pilot a new approach to retrofitting up to 1,000 social housing units, with a focus on reducing carbon emissions and lowering energy costs for residents.

The project will use a desktop pilot to test innovative financial models that quantify the environmental, financial, and health benefits of retrofitting homes. This approach seeks to make net-zero upgrades more affordable by exploring alternative funding mechanisms, such as the sale of solar power generated by the homes, retrofit credits, and government grants. The success of this pilot could provide a scalable blueprint for social housing across the UK, enabling landlords to overcome the upfront cost barriers associated with energy efficiency improvements.

Pineapple Sustainable Partnerships leads the consortium, offering a comprehensive solution that simplifies the decarbonization process—from energy assessments to funding and implementation. By making the retrofit process more accessible, the consortium aims to support social housing providers like Places for People in creating healthier, more energy-efficient living environments at scale.

The initiative is designed to deliver significant social value, allowing residents to benefit from reduced energy bills and enhanced living conditions while contributing to the UK’s broader sustainability goals. By developing a commercially viable model, the consortium hopes to make this approach widely adoptable across the housing sector.

NatWest, a key player in the consortium, is hosting a series of discussions to explore the project’s potential impact and invite other social housing providers to participate. Interested parties are encouraged to contact Pineapple Sustainable Partnerships to learn more.

Dan Rosenfield, Managing Director of Net Zero at British Gas, emphasized the company’s commitment to making decarbonization accessible: “We are dedicated to helping households transition to greener, more affordable energy solutions. This collaboration is an exciting step toward making large-scale decarbonization a reality for the social housing sector, ultimately benefiting residents and supporting our sustainability goals.”

Miatta Fahnbulleh, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, praised the initiative: “As part of our Warm Homes Plan, we are accelerating efforts to upgrade homes across the UK. British Gas and its partners are leading the way in bringing low-carbon heating to more social homes, helping to cut emissions and strengthen our energy independence.”

Greg Reed, CEO of Places for People, added: “This project aligns with our commitment to sustainability and innovation in the social housing sector. By participating, we are not only advancing our own sustainability objectives but also contributing to the development of scalable solutions for achieving net-zero emissions.”

Notes to editors

• The consortium comprises 6 leading organisations from the finance, housing, energy, sustainability, technology, and insurance sectors.
• Pineapple Sustainable Partnerships: Orchestrates the project, streamlines the supply chain, and leads the development of the consortium’s financing model.
• Places for People: Lead social housing landlord for the initial project phase.
• NatWest: Provides financial backing and expertise in developing innovative funding solutions.
• British Gas: Offers extensive experience in delivering energy efficiency upgrades and acts as key delivery partner.
• Sero: Contribute essential knowledge and practical tools in retrofit technology, measurement and billing.
• Tallarna: Uses software, integrated insurance, and legal structuring to create financeable business cases.

Media Contacts:

Pineapple – Catherine Chan, catherine@pineapplepartnerships.com

Places for People – Alexandra Booth, alex.booth@placesforpeople.co.uk

NatWest Group – Laura Blumenthal, laura.blumenthal@natwest.com

Sero – Zoe Symonds, Zoe.Symonds@social.co.uk

Tallarna – Michelle Taute, michelle@tallarna.com

Centrica
Media Relations
Tel: 01784 843000
Email: media@centrica.com

SOURCE: Centrica