LivGreen and Rooftop Housing: Delivering Energy-Efficient Homes through WH:SHF Wave 3 Retrofit Programme

• Client name: Rooftop Housing 
• Value of works: £25 million  
• Timeline: January 2025-September 2028  

Description of works 

The WH:SHF Wave 3 programme encompasses the retrofit of 645 properties, with LivGreen delivering a comprehensive turnkey solution covering assessment, coordination, design and full installation. The scope of works includes ventilation upgrades across all homes, alongside solar PV, loft insulation, cavity wall insulation, and replacement windows and doors. In addition, 350 properties will receive new heating systems, with 90% benefitting from air source heat pumps and the remaining 10% fitted with high-heat-retention storage heaters.

Phase breakdown: 

Phase One – 1 July 2025 to 30 November 2025 (100 properties)

• Works are progressing 100% on schedule, with all TrustMark lodgements to be completed by end-December 2025.
• Measure installation profile across the phase includes:
  • Solar PV: 70 properties
  • Windows and doors: 40 properties
  • Cavity wall insulation: 50 properties
  • Loft insulation: 69 properties
  • Decentralised Mechanical Extract Ventilation (dMEV): 72 properties
• Six properties required priority heating upgrades due to Decent Homes Standard failures, resulting in:
  • Air source heat pumps (ASHPs): 3 installations
  • High-heat-retention storage heaters: 3 installations

November 2025 to February 2026 (93 properties)

• TrustMark lodgement for this tranche is scheduled for the end of the 2025/26 financial year.
• Measures follow the same mix as Phase One, excluding heating installations.
• As of 14 November:
  • 10 properties are fully completed.
  • 30 properties are scheduled to complete by year end 2025.
  • The remaining properties will complete by end-February 2026.

Phase Two – 2026/27 Financial Year (151 properties)

• All properties will receive heating replacements, the majority of which will be ASHPs.

Phase Three – 2027/28 Financial Year (187 properties)

• Approximately 85% of properties in this phase will receive heating replacements.

Phase Four – April to September 2028 (114 properties)

• Final programme phase, completing the remaining properties.

Added Value

LivGreen has maximised solar PV installations by fitting the largest possible system each roof can accommodate often exceeding EPC Band C requirements. This approach eliminates the need for future panel additions, avoiding repeat scaffolding costs and further disruption to residents. In parallel, new windows and doors are being installed in alignment with Rooftop Housing’s planned replacement schedule. This allows the client to secure external funding for improvements that would otherwise have been fully self-financed. As a result, every home will achieve at least an EPC Band C rating, with approximately 45% reaching Band B or even Band A, an uplift from original ratings predominantly in Bands D, E and F. This coordinated approach reduces the client’s financial exposure from 100% to just 50% of maintenance costs due to the funded support model.

Outcomes

EPC Improvements:
Across the first 100 Phase One properties, 94 began at EPC Band D, four at Band E and two at Band F. Post-installation SAP assessments demonstrate significant uplift, with 50 properties achieving Band C, 28 reaching Band B and 22 improving to Band A. This represents a substantial enhancement in energy performance across the entire cohort.

Installation Efficiency:
To minimise disruption to residents, LivGreen agreed a maximum two-week installation period for each property, covering all measures including scaffolding removal. This batch-based delivery model has proved highly effective in maintaining programme momentum while ensuring resident satisfaction. The approach will continue into Year Two, with the installation window extended to three weeks to account for the additional time required for heating system replacements.

Challenges and Lessons Learned

Site Compound Management:
At the start of Phase One, a site compound comprising storage containers, a welfare unit and waste facilities was established in a location that provided the operational space required for delivery. Although the site was functionally well-suited, it was situated within a mixed residential area of private homeowners and Rooftop tenants. As works progressed, concerns arose regarding the compound’s impact on the surrounding community.

While originally intended to remain in place for the full duration of Phase One, the compound was removed after five months following consultations with residents. In response, LivGreen revised its approach and now relocates the compound every three months, four times per year. This change has significantly improved community relations and strengthened the programme’s integration within the neighbourhood.