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Procure Plus Partnership Delivers 150 Warmer
Retrofit programmes are not always straightforward. The sector faces labour shortages, a fragmented supply chain can scale up delivery, and even just the practicalities of upgrading homes can be complex.
For Fairhive, the experience of the Warm Homes: Social Housing Fund( WH: SHF) Wave 3 programme – previously known as the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund – has demonstrated that some of the biggest gains come before work even begins, through early market engagement and building the right delivery team around the programme.
Managing approximately 9,000 homes across Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire, Berkshire and surrounding areas, Fairhive set out to deliver retrofit improvements to 550 properties across its stock through WH: SHF Wave 3. Following additional funding, that target increased to 800 properties.
The programme covered a broad range of measures, including insulation, air source heat pumps, solar PV, energy storage, and ventilation upgrades. Delivering these across Aylesbury and several rural villages brought another layer of logistical challenges.
Going to market early
Building on lessons from Wave 2, Fairhive entered Wave 3 with a clear understanding of what needed to be delivered and where, shaping both delivery strategy and procurement approach from the outset.
One of Fairhive’ s biggest strategic decisions was going to market before exact funding had been confirmed.
Using the Procure Plus Retrofit Dynamic Purchasing System, contractors were given greater visibility of the opportunity and more time to prepare for delivery ahead of funding confirmation, while Fairhive was protected with the proviso that no work was guaranteed until funding was in place – this helped avoid losing valuable delivery time.
Detailed tender documentation also gave contractors the confidence to price and plan accurately, resulting in a strong market response of 14 bids from a mix of national installers and local SMEs.
A staggered but parallel tender for the Retrofit Assessor, Retrofit Designer and Health and Safety Consultant roles meant all appointments landed within a similar timeframe, putting the programme in a strong position from day one: a fully procured project team, clear visibility of Year 1 properties and measures, and residents prepared for installation.
A team built for delivery
Fairhive’ s in-house Sustainability Team has grown alongside the programme, now including two Retrofit Coordinators, a Project Manager, a Contract Manager, two Resident Liaison Officers and administrative support.
Rather than seeking a turnkey solution, Fairhive chose to work with Tier 2 contractors and build internal capacity which helped to support SMEs, control cost, and improve pace and quality of delivery.
This investment extends beyond the retrofit programme itself, as new roles and training within the Direct Labour Organisation mean ongoing maintenance of new kit can now be managed in-house too. This has helped build organisational capacity that will continue to deliver long after the programme ends.
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