Wates to retrofit 410 Orbit homes

Wates have been appointed to retrofit 410 homes over two years to help decarbonise homes for partners Orbit.

Appointed by not-for-profit housing group Orbit, Wates’ specialist teams aim to deliver energy efficiency improvements to 160 homes through the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund’s (SHDF) Wave 2.1.

The remaining 250 properties will be funded by Orbit and the Government’s ECO4 programme.

The PAS3025-compliant contract will include external, internal, cavity wall and loft insulation as well as traditional capital works such as roof, window and door replacements

The partnership is also set to make use of use digital and renewable solutions, including:

• Smart thermostats
• Ventilation upgrades
• Air and ground source heat pump
• Night storage heating systems
• Photovoltaic panels

The scheme is set to finish in September 2025 with an option to extend the contract for a further four years.

The work forms part of Orbit’s long-term Decarbonisation Retrofit strategy, working towards the Government’s target for all social housing to reach Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) ratings of C by 2030.

This adds to Wates’ current profit which includes PAS2035-compliant energy efficiency improvements to over 8,000 properties across the UK through a mixture of Government and self-funded programmes. 

In June, Wates partnered with South Derbyshire District Council to deliver maintenance works to the local authority’s 3,000 properties.

David Morgan, executive managing director of Wates Property Services. Said: “Our work in social housing retrofit to date has given us a wealth of experience and best practice to support our customers in delivering vital energy efficiency improvements while also planning ahead for their long-term decarbonisation targets.”

“Our collective journey towards net zero is reliant on working in partnership in this way, and enables us to efficiently design and deliver the best possible measures for each property, improving efficiency, supporting Orbit in its Net Zero strategy and helping to address fuel poverty for residents.”

Orbit strategic asset management director Jeanette Hodges said: “We have already been working at pace, but look forward to working with Wates to further deliver on our commitments and provide our customers with more energy efficient homes.”

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