Affinity Sutton FutureFit programme
The Energy Saving Trust has partnered with affordable housing provider Affinity Sutton and Camco to provide technical support to the major retrofitting programme FutureFit.
Read our latest findings in sustainable retrofit within the new report FutureFit: Installation phase in-depth findings
The Energy Saving Trust have evaluated the installation phase of the FutureFit project - the retrofit of 102 homes using low, medium and high cost packages of measures. This is the follow up report to FutureFit, part one which was released in September 2011.
FutureFit is a £1.2m internally funded retrofit project that has delivered low-carbon refurbishments to 102 Affinity Sutton homes across the country using a range of low, medium and high cost packages of measures. The project is structured around 22 different archetypes – types of housing that are common to Affinity Sutton’s stock and to the social housing sector as a whole.
There are two phases to the project; the works and installation phase and the monitoring and evaluation phase.
This project presented the Energy Saving Trust with the opportunity to focus on the installation phase of the works to capture the practical learning’s on site. By assessing closely the realities of implementing measures across a range of properties, we can build on the provision of practical guidance for achievable, effective solutions for wider industry.
FutureFit is not a ‘one-off’ or show home project and it does not focus on individual technologies or achieving the highest carbon reduction possible regardless of cost. Instead, it drills down into the practicalities of delivering low carbon retrofit to social housing stock and work out how much carbon reduction you can get for your money.
The findings not only have statistical relevance for the potential impact of retrofit for Affinity Sutton and its investment strategy across the rest of their housing stock, but can inform other long term strategic refurbishment plans too.
The project investigates how to identify the most suitable package of works for Affinity Sutton’s properties and how these can be delivered in relation to the following:
- With residents in occupation;
- How Affinity Sutton and other housing providers can engage with their residents on the issues of retrofit and energy efficiency;
- Which financial models might allow Affinity Sutton and others to deliver low carbon improvements to their wider stock in the coming years.
One of the key outcomes of the project for Affinity Sutton and the Energy Saving Trust has been the increase in knowledge and practical understanding of the factors affecting the carbon saving potential of retrofit measures and how this varies with different types of dwellings and construction systems across Affinity Sutton’s portfolio. This has included an assessment of relevant issues at a technological level, such as testing and commissioning procedures, as well issues with supply chain and potential impact of resident behaviour.
The Energy Saving Trust’s technical appraisal is supplemented with a comparison of predicted costs and actual costs incurred for retrofit measures with a view to identify hidden costs and to identify opportunities for cost reduction where scaling out to the rest of Affinity Sutton’s housing stock.
