News

Flagship Group has been working in partnership with five Suffolk local authorities to deliver energy saving measures to 22 homes, helping to make living costs more affordable for tenants whilst reducing the Groups environmental impact.

The Group has been awarded a total of £775,000 from the Government’s Green Homes Grant Local Authority Delivery Scheme, thanks to the Suffolk Consortium’s successful bid for funding to improve the energy efficiency of low-income households across the county.

Morley Avenue and Station Road in Woodbridge, Suffolk, were identified as ideal locations to retrofit 22 bungalows, providing £242,000 worth of energy efficiency improvements. Tenants were previously paying significant amounts to heat their homes and due to the lack of insulation, were struggling to keep them warm.

Work on the homes began in October 2020 and took place over 17 weeks, taking the 22 bungalows from an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating of an E to a C. The new measures should save 27 tons of Co2 annually and save tenants £295 on their yearly fuel bill.

Megan Gonsalves, Energy and Sustainability Manager for Flagship Group said: “This project is a great example of how working together we can achieve significant carbon reduction and improve the lives of our tenants, whilst also protecting the planet. It’s an especially challenging time for people right now, so we want to do our bit to make our homes more affordable and tackle fuel poverty.

“We will continue to work with local authorities and installers on more projects, to ensure we can further reduce our carbon footprint, working towards our goal of net zero carbon by 2050.”

Three different types of insulation have been installed in the homes, including double layered pitched roof insulation, new cavity wall and timber frame insulation, helping to reduce heat loss and make everyday living more environmentally friendly.

When asked about the difference since the completion of the insulation works, 88% of tenants said they found their homes to be much warmer. One resident was quick to praise the work saying: “It is noticeably warmer in the mornings before the heating comes on. I am very pleased with the job and the workers were very polite and courteous”.

Flagship is one of five organisations across the county which has received the funding from the Department of Business Energy and Industrial Strategy, helping to create a carbon neutral Suffolk by 2030.

Tackling fuel poverty and making homes more efficient and affordable for tenants is now more important than ever. The Group intends to embrace a greener, cleaner approach to its thinking – improving the future of Flagship’s tenants and communities, as well as the future of the planet.