Using Local Powers to Maximise Energy Efficiency Retrofit Toolkit

Energy efficiency retrofit is often thought of primarily in the context of carbon savings, of which it plays a pivotal role. However, energy retrofit offers also offer a wide range of benefits to the day-to-day lives of Londoners. Making homes cheaper to keep warm reduces fuel poverty and its health impacts. Energy efficiency projects can regenerate entire communities, increase homes’ value and engage residents in broader issues of sustainability. Retrofitting also provides an opportunity for pioneering local authorities to take advantage of the growing energy efficiency market to generate local jobs.

Despite these significant benefits, London has historically struggled to attract retrofit funding. Just 5 per cent of all measures installed under previous funding schemes CERT and CESP were installed in the capital – a loss of over £480 million when compared to the potential proportion of measures.

This toolkit has been developed to help London’s councils identify and implement solutions to help attract investment and delivery for energy efficiency measures. It focuses on three commonly cited challenges: planning, data and logistics.

The toolkit has been produced as the result of the Mayor of London’s project to work with boroughs to identify how local powers can be best used to maximise energy efficiency retrofit in London. It was produced by CAG Consultants (www.cagconsultants.co.uk) on behalf of the Greater London Authority (GLA).

Included in the toolkit:

• The business case for action: outline of the significant opportunities there are for councils who take steps to help attract delivery agents to undertake energy efficiency projects in their borough. The evidence in this section is intended to be used by council officers and Members to help make the case for action;
• Sections 3, 4 and 5 set out steps that councils can take to help ensure that their approaches to key issues including planning, data and logistics support and promote energy efficiency retrofit works. All three sections include case studies on the approaches that some council are already taking.
• Section 3 focuses on planning, particularly in relation to external wall insulation and conservation areas.
• Section 4 examines data, particularly in relation to data on housing stock and benefits claimants; and
• Section 5 looks at logistics, particularly in relation to parking and storage. It includes case studies on the approaches that some London boroughs are already taking;
• Appendix A is a briefing template that councils can adapt and use to create internal briefing papers on the issues above; and
• Appendix B sets out a data-sharing agreement provided by the London Borough of Southwark that other councils can adapt and use to help facilitate the sharing of data with third parties.