Cornish style flats brought back to life in Hereford

Connexus has started a programme of retrofit works to improve the energy efficiency of over 230 properties across Shropshire and Herefordshire. Rising energy bills are a huge part of the cost-of-living crisis for Connexus tenants. 

Work has already been completed in Hereford, where flats with ‘Cornish-style’ tiled roofs had vastly improved external insulation installed (amongst other improvements). The result is a completely modern look for much more energy-efficient homes. Further funding from the Government’s Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund has been successfully secured to roll out the works to a further phase on similar blocks elsewhere in Hereford. 

Grants from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) will improve the air tightness around windows and doors, upgrade heating controls and provide new heating systems for 102 homes across the region (work on each home will vary depending on surveying). Meanwhile, funding from Local Authority Delivery Scheme 2 (LAD 2) will go towards replacing costly and inefficient oil heating systems and the fitting of thermostatic showers. 

A bid that will be submitted this week is seeking grant funding to help with the retrofit of a further 150 homes. Partnering with contractors already working with Connexus on retrofit projects has made it easier to develop solutions for hard-to-treat buildings, making them warm and comfortable.

The energy efficiency works will also aid Connexus’ contribution to the Government’s “net zero” target, which aims to decarbonise industries and hit net zero carbon emissions by 2050 while keeping tenants safe and well in their homes.