Collaboration of the year – retrofit projects

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South Yorkshire charity ASSIST Sheffield supports refugees and people seeking sanctuary. In late 2023, the charity secured funding through the government’s Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund to explore retrofitting five of its properties.

 

Following a cost-benefit analysis, four homes were selected for retrofit to reach Energy Performance Certificate Band C. ASSIST wanted to collaborate with a skilled provider that could provide a local pipeline, and appointed SY Ecofit – a great example of local organisation collaboration. Each property presented unique challenges, with some requiring significant renovation in addition to energy efficiency upgrades. This ruled out the one-size-fits-all approach taken by some large contractors, favouring instead a tailored approach.

 

SY Ecofit managed a team of mostly local contractors, and works were completed just one year after the initial conversation – an impressive turnaround made possible by strong teamwork, the use of a local workforce, and flexibility on all sides.

 

This project delivered warm, efficient homes, while supporting local businesses and proving a replicable model for community-based retrofit.

 

The judges said:

“A great example of how collaboration can enable smaller and specialist organisations to deliver impact. There is great potential for this to set a pathway for others to follow”