Purpose

This report seeks approval for the procurement and the award
of a new contract(s) to support the continued delivery of the Council’s housing
energy efficiency (retrofit) programme, which contributes to achieving the
objectives set out in the Council’s Climate Change Strategy 2021– 2 2026. The
strategy outlines a vision for Cambridge to become a net zero carbon city by
2030, subject to the necessary enabling actions from central government,
regulators, and industry.

 

The Council’s Housing Asset Management Strategy includes a
commitment to improve the energy efficiency of its existing housing stock, in
turn reducing carbon emissions. A key target is to upgrade all Council homes
currently rated EPC ‘D’ or below to a minimum of EPC ‘C’. To support this, a
capital budget allocation of £3.8 million per annum has been made within the
Housing Capital Plan through to 2035. This has been supplemented by government
grant funding secured since 2023 onwards. The programme is also aligned with
the national target for all social housing to achieve at least EPC ‘C’ by 2035.

 

Under the current External Wall Insulation (EWI) contract,
which commenced in December 2023, approx. 225 council homes have been
retrofitted from EPC ‘D’ and below to EPC ‘C’. Measures delivered include
external wall insulation, enhanced ventilation, replacement of external doors
and windows where required, top-up loft insulation and associated maintenance
and repairs. This phase was supported by £2.26 million from the Social Housing
Decarbonisation Fund (Wave 2.1).

 

Following a successful bid to the Wave 3 round of the
Government’s Warm Homes: Social Housing Fund, the Council has been awarded £3.8
million to upgrade a further 370 Council homes between 2025/26 and 2027/28.
This will include a similar suite of energy efficiency measures, together with
replacement of gas boilers with air source heat pumps in 37 homes. The current
EWI contract is due to expire in March 2026, however the above demonstrates
that there is an ongoing demand for the works and services. This report
proposes the procurement and award of a new contract(s) to ensure continuity in
the delivery of the energy efficiency programme once the current contract
expires.

Content

Cabinet resolved to approve the issue of tenders and,
following the evaluation of tenders, authorise the Director of Economy and
Place to award a contract(s) to a contractor(s) to deliver energy efficiency
(retrofit) and associated maintenance works to Council Housing for three years
from 2026-29, with an option to extend for one or more periods up to a maximum
of two years.