Destination Zero energy improvements to 1,000 homes

Nottingham City Council announced today that it has completed energy improvement works to its 1,000th council home in the city.

The authority has been on a Destination Zero journey since 2018, working to deliver warmer, more energy-efficient homes for tenants. As part of this commitment, it aims to make sure that  every council home in the city achieves an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating of C or above by 2030. This work also supports the city’s CN28 targets, with a particular focus on improving the least energy-efficient homes in response to growing concerns about fuel poverty.

To deliver on its aims, the council has delivered several whole‑house retrofit pilot schemes, including Energiesprong in Sneinton,  the RemoUrban Courts project, and the Deep Retrofit Energy Model (DREeM), funded through the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).

As a result, over 100 council homes in the city now benefit from a comprehensive whole‑house retrofit designed to significantly enhance energy performance and including prefabricated external wall insulation, solar roofing systems, insulated flooring, and upgraded windows and doors to reduce heat loss and eliminate draughts. 

The success of the pilots was fed back to the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, providing an honest assessment of what is achievable, the associated costs, and the scaleability of each model.

Feedback included that the pilots were successful but costly, and could not be delivered at scale. Therefore, in 2020, the council developed its own deep retrofit model, prioritising external wall insulation to achieve the EPC C or above rating. The model was accepted as a pilot through the Whole House Retrofit and Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund Demonstrator schemes, funded by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, and allowed the council to trial a range of measures across different property types.

As a result, a further 248 properties benefited from a combination of external wall insulation (EWI), Q-Bot underfloor insulation, loft insulation, ventilation upgrades, solar panels, and new energy‑efficient windows.

Subsequent Social housing decarbonisation funding (SHDF) schemes from 2021onward were shaped in part by the insights gained through the earlier pilots, and the council continues to apply for and maximise funding opportunities using the retrofit delivery model. 

Councillor Jay Hayes, Executive Member for Housing and Planning, said, “This milestone of improving 1,000 council homes is a significant step forward in our Destination Zero journey. Every improvement we make helps our tenants enjoy homes that are warmer, more comfortable and cheaper to heat.

“By investing in energy efficiency and learning from innovative retrofit pilots, we are building a model that works for Nottingham’s housing stock while supporting the city’s CN28 climate commitments. 

“Most importantly, this work helps tackle fuel poverty by improving the homes that need it most and reducing energy costs for residents.”