What is Whitefriars’ doing? Richard Osborne Director of Property Services

Background WM Group: 4 RSLs with 30,000 homes Whitefriars created in 2000 following stock transfer from Coventry City Council Housing provider to 15% of Coventry’s population (now more than 18,500 homes) Ongoing £24m pa investment programme in Coventry New build circa 300 homes per year (minimum Sustainable Homes Code 3, as was) One of the largest employers in the City employing over 600 staff 100% of homes have been brought up to Decent Homes Standard at a cost of c.£200m New Asset Management strategy: energy efficiency in top 3 priorities

Energy efficiency works Originally around 8,000 hard to treat (non traditional) – 4,500 improved through EWI/other & part-CESP/ECO funding – 3,500 still to be addressed – Exploring options such as internal wall insulation, air source heat, etc Total spend £38m in energy saving measures, of which grant £17m: – : 74% funding/26% match – 2015/2016: 29% funding/71% match – 2016 onwards…? Improved health, financial inclusion, local employment, tenancy & estate sustainability, high satisfaction, reduced energy costs, increased pride Owner occupier options made available

Geographical locations

Meadow House Hi-Rise £300 = average annual household saving. This equates to £1.3million a year reduced household energy bills across improved Whitefriars’ stock to date.

Tarquin Close - Willenhall “Put heating on morning and then again in the evening – that’s enough, whereas last year it was on all day.”

Tile Hill Lane “The whole appearance of the area has been lifted. Tile Hill is now pleasing to the eye rather than drab and grey.”

Mercia House – City Centre Mercia External shot “Noticed the difference already. The flat is holding the heat in much longer.”

Ridgethorpe - Willenhall We are looking next to measure the health and wellbeing benefits of both energy efficiency improvement works and green space schemes

Fuel poverty initiatives Energy & water saving advice – Rent statements, residents magazines, website, community events, leaflets Small solar PV scheme 2012: circa 200 – (FiT reduction stopped further installs) Fuel poverty links to other aims: – i.e. financial inclusion & health/wellbeing EPC objective: all properties band D by 2020 & C by 2030 – Typically moving from E/F to D/C through current investment Frontline staff training: – NEA fuel poverty courses - circa 65 staff during 2014/2015 Local referrals and partnerships: – i.e. CCC’s Keeping Coventry Warm/Switch & Save campaigns, NEA energy advice, S.Trent water saving, CAB campaigns, Coventry Uni energy monitoring £150 a year annual electricity savings

Current projects Energy Switching help for customers – New energy switching supplier procured (proactive contact with existing customers, plus voids & lettings meter issues) Smart meter pre-pay – Encouraging lower tariff smart pre-pay meters (in advance of UK-wide rollout; non-big 6 energy supplier options available, health & safety issues communal cupboards) District heating potential Canley – Feasibility study being carried out in partnership with Coventry Council & University of Warwick, through DECC funding Severn Trent Water – Proactive customer contact re: water meters (opt-out option if no saving made), WaterSure tariff, £35 incentive for water use monitoring, etc – Free water saving devices through Plug-In project with Environment Agency & S.Trent Resident training – Energy advice training planned for customers, with qualification (employment support as well as energy awareness)

Future? Solar PV FiT announcement Life post-ECO funding Green Deal: white elephant? Environmental Sustainability Strategy review Continued emphasis on energy & water saving advice Future finance options: less reliance on funding, i.e: – Drive down install costs (collaborative working) – Hire purchase renewables/other (like your office photocopier) – Pension fund investment (probably not solar PV now, but other?) – Electricity load shifting (payments from District Network Operators to shift energy away from peak times) – Energy saving guarantees to fund works (others, such as Orbit, are ahead of us here)