Everwarm Group have been awarded the works via direct award through the Procurement for Housing (PfH) framework (see accompanying award notice).

The project, to install Air Source Heat Pumps (ASHP), Solid Wall Insulation (SWI) and insulated doors and windows across fuel poor homes in Herefordshire & Shropshire uses GHG LAD funding from the Department for Business Energy & Industral Strategy (BEIS).

The contract was awarded directly to Everwarm through the PfH framework due to their capacity to deliver on the project as a single contractor, thus reducing the complexity of the project in light of upcoming project delivery timescales.

This approach is permitted by the council’s contract procedure rules (CPR’s) as the supplier has provided evidence to demonstrate value for money and compliance in line with the framework requirements.

100 household installations are targeted across Herefordshire & Shropshire, with 50 in each to completed in principle by the end of June 2021, when funding will theoretically be withdrawn.

The fund, administered by the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) is allocating funding to be used to improve the energy efficiency of low-income houses living in Herefordshire and Shropshire.

Housing accounts for around a quarter of the County’s carbon dioxide emissions and therefore by helping to improve the energy efficiency of heating systems in properties, the GHG LAD project will contribute to climate change reduction targets.

The fund also aims to support the green recovery in response to the economic impacts of Covid-19 and to help take low-income families out of fuel poverty.

Fuel Poverty affects around 10,862 households in the county (12.9%). This figure is higher than the national level and reflects the challenges that the county faces in relation to the energy efficiency of properties including a large proportion of older, hard to treat properties and restricted access to mains gas due to the rural nature of the county.

Decreasing fuel poverty can be linked to increasing housing
standards as well as health and wellbeing.