Net-Zero Carbon by 2030

NGH Energy

Our Energy Efficiency Journey

Our journey has only just begun in the race to eradicate fuel poverty and reduce carbon emissions, but it’s a race we are leading – and committed to winning – for our tenants, for Scotland and for the planet.

Four residential tower blocks in Glasgow

Asset Management

In 2016 we began carrying out Stock Condition Surveys to ascertain the condition of our homes, to allow us to develop robust investment plans for the next 30 years. That work led to the identification of two sites (Balgrayhill Tower Block and the Carron Estate), which were significantly energy inefficient and also appeared very high on The Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation Scotland.

Feasibility Study

We developed feasibility studies to identify the best possible solution to improving energy efficiency, reducing energy inequality and reducing greenhouse gases. Several Energy Conservation Measures were assessed and scored as part of the feasibility study with Air Source Heating Pumps.

Fuel Poverty

We sought to understand the levels of fuel poverty across the two sites by using a hybrid of the NHS Health & Wellbeing toolkit to survey tenants. The result made grim reading. For the Balgrayhill Tower Blocks 63% of tenants reported as living in fuel poverty, with 28% living in extreme fuel poverty. On the Carron Estate, 80% of tenants freported as living in fuel poverty, with 36% living in extreme fuel poverty.

The Carron Estate project will see carbon emissions reduced by 71% and energy consumption by 66%.

Flagship Projects

Both projects are been supported by the Scottish Government and Glasgow City Council. Balgrayhill Tower Block Project has received funding from the European Union and The Scottish Government, through the Low Carbon Infrastructure Transition Programme (LCITP); and the Carron Estate Project has submitted an application to The Scottish Government’s Social Housing Net-Zero Decarbonisation Fund. The support on both projects has been essential to accelerate invest programmes and achieve our targets.

Balgrayhill Tower Block Project

The Balgrayhill Tower Block project will see carbon emissions reduced by 35% and energy consumption by 74%. Six hundred families will benefit from the new communal district heating systems – a huge improvement in energy performance compared to old storage heating systems. Tenant engagement and collaboration has been at the heart of this project, and we’ve formed a committee of residents to assist vulnerable tenants in need of help and support.

Carron Estate Project

The Carron Estate project will see carbon emissions reduced by 71% and energy consumption by 66%. This project is currently in the mobilisation stage, with works due to start on site next month. This project has been designated as a rapid investment project with key works due to be completed in November 2021.

Measurement & Verification

We are committed to our targets and to evidence this, we have deployed IoT measuring devices into homes on both sites. The purpose is to measure key metrics, such as: Temp, Humidity & Co2 before and after the ECM installations. This date will then be used to model, scientifically, the effect the new systems haveon health and wellbeing.