We’re committed to ensuring all of our homes are energy efficient and as warm and affordable for our customers to live in as possible. 

Over the past year we have handed over the keys to customers of some of the most energy efficient homes we have ever built. But at the same time as building new homes with high EPC ratings, we have also been continuing work to improve the energy efficiency of some of our older properties. Among the worst rated properties we own were our pre-cast reinforced concrete (PRC) homes.  

These homes were built using non-traditional construction methods in the post-war period as a quick solution to the housing shortage at the time. There were several different types of PRC homes but over time they have all become notorious for suffering from poor insulation and allowing heat to easily escape, making them expensive to keep warm. 

We own 1,200 of these properties in South Gloucestershire and over the past ten years have had an improvement programme in place to make them warmer, cheaper to heat and generally improve their external appearance. Now work on the final few blocks of flats is getting underway, which will bring the long-running programme to a successful conclusion. Of the 1,200 properties, 790 have had external wall insulation fitted to them, transforming their thermal efficiency and increasing energy performance ratings to a C. And with homes more energy efficient, customers have had to use far less energy to keep them warm. Those living in the most common type of PRC home that we own, are now using two thirds of the energy it was previously. 

In addition to fitting external wall insulation, the 1,200 homes in the programme have also benefited from other improvements including new windows, doors and roofs, loft insulation, fascias and soffits. Homes have been redecorated externally, while footpath, gates and fences have also been repaired or replaced. 

Investment delivery manager Fay Gorick said: “This has been a long-running programme and we’re incredibly proud of the improvements we have made to people’s homes through this project over the years. Making these homes more energy efficient has improved the homes and lives of our customers; the new insulation means homes stay warmer for longer, which means customers are potentially using less energy than they did before, and potentially seeing savings on their energy bills. 

Ms Manca a customer who recently had work completed to their home said: "It's very good, and a lot warmer than before, before it was really drafty, I do feel the benefit and I don’t have the heating on as much as used to."

Completing the work on these properties has helped to increase the total number of Bromford homes with an EPC rating of C or above to 88.67% and we are committed to bringing all homes up to this level by 2030.