Oxford City Council has initiated a £7 million retrofit project aiming to enhance energy efficiency in over 300 social homes within the city. The project is the council's largest to date and includes contributions from VINCI Facilities and Oxford Direct Services (ODS). VINCI Facilities will retrofit 216 homes, while ODS will handle the remaining 100.
Partially funded by the government's Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund (SHDF), the project focuses on improving homes with an energy performance certificate (EPC) rating of D or below. Upgrades will include loft and wall insulation, draught-proofing, and window improvements. The council expects these efforts to yield warmer, healthier, and more sustainable homes, leading to lower energy consumption and reduced carbon footprints.
This initiative addresses the council's broader goal of bringing 95% of its 8,000 council homes to an EPC rating of C or above by 2030. Currently, about 2,000 homes have an EPC rating of D or below, and achieving the target could necessitate up to £152 million in total investments.
Councillor Linda Smith, cabinet member for housing and communities, expressed optimism about the project's milestones and its contributions to a sustainable Oxford. However, she emphasized the need for continued government funding to meet the 2030 targets fully. Oxford City Council serves approximately 152,000 residents and offers various services, including planning, housing, community centers, parks, and waste collection.