After securing £1.006M of government funding for the Green Homes Grant, South Tyneside Home’s mission was to retrofit and decarbonise their stock of social housing by raising the building’s EPC rating to C. Modern green technologies are improving the energy efficiency of buildings, helping residents tackle fuel poverty and have a warmer, better heat retaining home.
The Green Homes Grant was introduced to retrofit existing buildings enabling them to become more energy efficient and tackle the growing need for decarbonisation in existing homes. Commitment to this project also marks clear progression towards South Tyneside Council’s net zero aspirations set for 2030.
South Tyneside Council required the procurement of a “Retrofit Coordinator” to manage the project’s delivery in compliance with PAS2035 standards. This included supporting the project through each of its key stages – assessment, strategy, design & specification, installation, and handover. Procuring the right supplier was imperative to the success of this project as PAS2035 was also essential in meeting government funding requirements. The supplier was appointed by direct award based on their technical excellence and pre- existing working relationship with South Tyneside Council.
The project’s scope covered over 246 homes, owned by the council. This posed a unique challenge in both its rapid deployment and multiple short delivery timescales. The Council were looking for a fast compliant route to market to secure delivery via a supplier who has a good working background and pre-existing relationship. Retrofit and decarbonisation surveys have been done on more properties within the client’s estate in preparation for any future funding.
“Retrofit and decarbonisation projects play a leading role in reaching our Net Zero Carbon aspirations. Delivering projects that uplift our community and provide residents with a higher quality of life is of the upmost importance to us. We are delighted to work with an organisation like Bloom that shares our values and helps us deliver on our commitments.” - Ashley Hankinson, Environmental Manager – South Tyneside Homes
By procuring their Retrofit Coordinator through NEPRO³, South Tyneside Council were able to get into contract rapidly with a direct award. It was awarded quickly, with the process only taking 11 days from CRF submission to contract start date. Time savings like this are crucial in ensuring that the project stays within its strict time constraints and keep to its agreed budget. Using Bloom guarantees that the council only paid for the work that was delivered based on project specific milestones and linked to a payment profile.
The supplier went above and beyond the original scope of the project by supporting South Tyneside Council and its contractors with training and advice for their PAS2035 accreditations. Without their support and training, the project would not have been able to meet its delivery targets.
Recognised as one of the fastest growing marketplaces for buying services in the UK, Bloom specialise in bringing together a community of buyers and suppliers to help the public sector buy and manage services in a compliant, efficient and effective way.