The Welsh Government is investing £98.75m to improve the energy
efficiency of thousands of social homes across
Wales this year.
Cabinet Secretary for Housing and Local Government, , has today
announced funding for the next round of the Optimised
Retrofit Programme (ORP), bringing the total investment
since 2020 to more than £466 million.
The programme funds improvements including insulation,
efficient heating systems and renewable energy
installations in social housing. To date, the programme has
funded more than 31,000 energy efficiency upgrades to social
homes across Wales, including insulation,
solar panels and heat pumps.
The announcement was made during a visit
to Tŷ Gwyrddfai Decarbonisation Hub in North
Wales, where the Cabinet Secretary met apprentices training for
careers in the housing decarbonisation sector.
She also toured nearby Trem yr Wyddfa, where 51 properties are
receiving energy efficiency improvements including external wall
insulation, new windows and doors, and environmental monitoring
systems. The project has received £579,000 in ORP funding, with
housing association Adra contributing a further £1.5
million.
The Cabinet Secretary said: "This Government is determined
to ensure our social housing sector offers safe, comfortable,
healthy and low carbon homes to its tenants.
"This latest investment will enable social landlords to continue
making vital improvements to homes across Wales, cutting
household bills whilst reducing greenhouse gas emissions. It was
great to meet two of the residents and hear what a difference
this work has made to their homes.
"The Optimised Retrofit Programme does more than improve housing
quality and reduce our carbon footprint - it creates
local job opportunities, strengthens low-carbon supply chains,
and builds the skills we need for the green economy.
"Meeting the apprentices at Tŷ Gwyrddfai demonstrated the real
career opportunities this sector offers communities across North
Wales. My dad was a plasterer and tiler, so I have great respect
for these skills, which are in high demand. These are good jobs,
close to home, making a real difference."
Iwan , Chief Executive of Adra,
said: "We welcome the continued commitment to improving the
energy efficiency of social homes across Wales.
"Our tenants tell us they want homes that are comfortable, secure
and affordable to heat. Investment like this makes a real
difference to their quality of life by reducing fuel poverty and
cutting energy bills.
"Through our decarbonisation hub at Tŷ Gwyrddfai, we're
also building the skilled workforce needed to deliver these
improvements for years to come.
"We look forward to continuing to work with Welsh Government to
invest in our homes and the people who live in them."
ENDS
Notes to editors
Tŷ Gwyrddfai Decarbonisation Hub
was established in 2022 to offer career opportunities
in the housing decarbonisation sector to communities
across north-west Wales. The facility has been
supported by £736,000 of Welsh Government funding
through its Transforming Towns and Circular Economy
programmes.
Working alongside MEDR and Qualifications Wales, the Welsh
Government has supported 1,366 social landlord
staff to access a range of training
opportunities linked to delivering retrofit projects.
