1. Communicare Boom Flats Retrofit: Overview and Key Findings
Louise Scholtz, Programme Manager: Urban Futures, Policy and Futures Unit, WWF SA
8 November 2017
17 November

2. Roadmap Boom Flats Retrofit
Project rationale and objectives – Louise Scholtz (WWF SA)
Project design and research methodology – Louise Scholtz (WWF SA)
Site selection – Louise Scholtz (WWF SA)
Challenges – Louise Scholtz (WWF SA)
Overview of capital product design – Jacus Pienaar (NASHO)
Overview of tenant engagement – Jocelyn Muller (Independent Consultant)
Review of quantitative and qualitative outcomes – Megan Sager (Sustainable Solutions)
Q & A and feedback
Group discussion
17 November

3. Rationale and objectives
Boom Flats Retrofit
Rationale and objectives
Potential of social housing to address access to clean affordable energy, pursue resource efficiencies (in particular water) and address climate change
Relatively high utility burden borne by low income households
Results in tenant churn that impacts on operational viability of SHI’s
Difficulties to access private financing to install green technologies and little manoeuvrability with tight state subsidies
Using grant funding from WWF Nedbank Green Trust to retrofit energy and water efficient technologies
Contribute knowledge on suitable technologies and design for the sector and tenant engagement praxis
Develop a granular understanding of quantitative and qualitative impacts of retrofitting using real data
Provide analysis that can support the large scale roll-out of green technologies within the sector
Influence social housing policy and unlock private and public sector finance
17 November

4. Boom Flats Retrofit
Financial analysis
One of the key reasons social housing was selected is the high utility burden on the poor
Poor households allocate 2-3x as much of their budget to electricity and other household fuel as rich households
3,4%
National average
Source: Statistics South Africa Living Conditions Survey 2014/15
17 November

5. Boom Flats Retrofit
Financial analysis
At Boom Flats, however, residents spent less on electricity pre intervention: 3-6% household income
Baseline consumption per unit averaged 274 kWh pm, reflecting energy poverty
kWh
Middle class average
Source: Meter data, SEMS
17 November

6. Project design and methodology
Boom Flats Retrofit
Project design and methodology
Collaborative project between project partners - WWF SA, NASHO and Communicare
Multi-pronged approach -
Capital project design
Tenant engagement
Pre and post-retrofit measurement of utility savings
Quantitative and qualitative analysis of outcomes
Informed by desktop research on existing praxis – nationally and internationally
Amplified with tenant interviews and engagement with SHIs
Expert input and peer review
Supported by pre and post measurement of utility usage over a significant period of time
17 November

7. Selected site Boom Flats Retrofit Project: Communicare Boom Flats
Financial analysis
Selected site
Project: Communicare Boom Flats
Location: Brooklyn, Cape Town
Units: 20
Typology: 1 bedroom, 1 bathroom
Built: 1960S
Tenants: Mix of low income households including pensioner & working people (income <R10k)
Rentals: Pensioner median: R1 150
Employed median: R1 500
17 November

8. Challenges Boom Flats Retrofit Need for on-going adaptive management
New built component of project fell away
Delays in roll-out
Retrofit options determined by existing structures
Managing expectations and separation of roles vis-à-vis tenants
Retrofitting with tenants in situ
Ensuring maximum utility of new technologies – learning by doing
17 November

9. Proposed questions for discussion
Boom Flats Retrofit
Financial analysis
Q & A, Feedback and way forward
Proposed questions for discussion
Unlocking finance
Benefit to or certification of buildings – yes or no
Changes required in Policy
Role of local government .
17 November

10. Links to relevant reports
Boom Flats Retrofit
Financial analysis
Links to relevant reports
Baseline Studies on Policy, Finance, Technologies, and Tenant Engagement Praxis
Policy Brief: Walking a Tightrope: Environmental Sustainability and South African Social Housing Institutions
Policy Brief: The Case for Retrofits in Social Housing
Scoping Report of Tenant Engagement Practices in Greening of Social Housing
Social Housing Green Demonstration Projects: Boom Flats Capital Products Assessment
Tenant Engagement Proces
The Greening of Social Housing Community Engagement Report
Review of retrofit benefits
Energy and Water Efficiency Retrofits for Low Income Households: A Case Study
Forthcoming
Comprehensive evaluation Report
17 November

11. Thank you
© 2010, WWF. All photographs used in this presentation are copyright protected and courtesy of the WWF-Canon Global Photo Network and the respective photographers.