We’re committed to becoming a more sustainable business and as part of this, we’re focused on improving the energy efficiency of our homes.

We measure the energy performance of our homes using Energy Performance Certificates (EPC) that give them a rating of A-G. And, we have a target to make sure that all of our homes have an EPC rating of C or better by 2030.

Energy Performance Certificates

Energy Performance Certificates were introduced in 2007 and are a legal requirement for a building to be sold, let or constructed. Once obtained, an EPC is valid for 10 years.  

The most efficient homes - which should have the lowest fuel bills - are in band A. The certificate will tell you on a scale of A-G, the energy efficiency of your home along with the potential scale after improvements are made, with 'A' being the most efficient home.  

Better-rated homes should have less impact through CO2 emissions. The EPC will show the amount of CO2 emissions produced by that property in tonnes and will advise on the amount this could be reduced by. The average property in the UK is in bands D-E for both ratings.  

Improving the EPC rating of our homes is one of the biggest differences we can make on the impact we have on the environment, and we’ll be funding the costs of the works required to make this happen. We hope this will also make our homes more affordable to live in by reducing the amount of energy they consume. We know that rising energy and fuel costs are having a huge impact on many of our customers which makes this work even more important.

Our priorities and next steps

We’re at the start of our journey and our immediate focus is on prioritising our lowest performing homes, taking a ‘fabric first’ approach.

This means we’re looking at aspects such as the roof, walls, windows, floors and doors of these homes and considering whether methods such as insulation improvements or installation is required. These things can make a big difference when it comes to how much heat a home can retain and therefore how much it costs to heat it.

We’ll be in touch directly to let you know if this work affects you, along with any next steps you need to be aware of and any potential disruption. We’ll be sharing regular updates on our progress as we continue on this journey over the years to come.