HAMILTON-based contractor Procast Group is continuing to expand its presence south of the border after starting work on the second wave of a £12.5 million retrofitting project in Cumbria.
After securing a further funding award from the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund (SHDF) following the success of the first phase, the firm is rolling out the next phase of a partnership project with Home Group Housing Association. The project will also see the company working in partnership with Cumberland Council.
After retrofitting 96 properties since January 2023, a further 102 homes across Cumbria are due to be complete by March 2025.
With the aim of lifting tenants out of fuel poverty, properties will be fully upgraded to the latest PAS2035 standard and fitted with an External Wall Insulation (EWI) system, new tripled-glazed windows, insulated external doors, roof renewals, air-source heat pumps, new loft insulation, cavity wall insulation and underfloor insulation, upgraded ventilation systems, battery storage, and photovoltaic (PV) solar panels.
Procast explained that these old solid fuel properties are currently being powered by coal, oil or electric storage heaters, but new installations should improve energy efficiency, providing tenants with savings and better insulated homes.
The improvements have taken the properties from an EPC D to an EPC B rating.
Derek Innes, owner and MD of Procast Group, said, “As always with the work we do, it was a quality over quantity approach with the Home Group retrofit project, always looking at the whole home and fabric first to maximise the output of the collective measures installed. We are delighted with the end product as residents enjoy warmer and more energy efficient homes, thanks to the work of our brilliant team. We are anticipating the same outcome for wave two and can’t wait to continue our work in the Cumbria area over the next year.”
