As the government continues to push social housing towards sustainability, many registered social landlords are looking towards solutions for their housing stock. Social housing stock is in specific need of that. This is because social housing stock faces higher expectations.
With improvements needing to be balanced against costs, many have turned towards window-focused solutions. Including systems that make use of energy efficient blinds, making use of the social housing windows systems from Liverpool, Manchester and elsewhere. Where technology hubs are developing energy saving blinds that pair with effective window systems.
In this blog, we’ll discuss the nature of EPCs and social housing, and how energy efficient blinds can improve energy efficiency.
What is Social Housing?
Socialised housing, or social housing, is a form of housing stock primarily managed by a central authority. This can be through local government, such as a council, or through a housing estate. Non-profit organisations typically hold social housing stock.
What makes it social housing is the concept of affordability. While it can be argued that this varies, social housing, in theory, is meant to base rents on local wages. That way, the cost of living in social housing matches the incomes of residents in the area.
Thereby ensuring that social housing stock is available to residents and that families are not being priced out.
What is an EPC Rating?
An EPC rating (energy performance certificate) is a measure of a building’s energy efficiency. They have a similar format to energy ratings, which are applied to home appliances and installations.
An EPC rating ranges from G to A. Current targets for housing are for all housing to reach a rating of C. This means that many current homes, which can range from D to lower, need energy-efficiency improvements.
How Are EPC Ratings Changing?
While many homes need to push to meet a rating of D, the current government plan is for all housing to reach a rating of C by 2030. Doing so would reduce energy consumption across the UK, both in social housing and private housing stock.
The way in which ratings are measured is also being adjusted. This isn’t entirely clear about how it will affect the result, but there is a suggestion that the ratings will become tighter.
Our more detailed coverage of the changes can be found in this blog, where we discussed the planned changes to MEES.
Now is a critical time to push for the implementation of energy-efficient measures, such as energy saving blinds and insulation. So that all housing stock can reach these targets.
Using Energy Efficient Blinds to Improve an EPC Rating
As a business that works with registered social landlords and uses our own system of energy saving blinds in Liverpool, we can personally attest to their effectiveness in improving EPC ratings.
For how these blinds can help homeowners reduce bills, check out our previous blog on how a window system can cut energy bills.
Improved Thermal Envelope
One of the most significant impacts of these energy efficient blinds as part of a window system is that they improve a building’s overall thermal envelope.
This means that overall thermal energy use is reduced. This affects an EPC rating because it is one of the primary metrics used to measure it. So, improvements found here through energy saving blinds are highly desired.
Reduced Thermal Bleed
By improving the building’s thermal envelope, the rate of thermal bleed is reduced. This is where thermal energy leaks through a building’s walls, with windows being one of the biggest sources of this bleed, reducing the building’s energy usage. Thus, this reduces energy inefficiency.
U-Values
U-values are a vital part of EPC ratings. A U-value is the rate of transfer of heat through a structure, divided by the difference in temperature across that structure. In effect, the better insulated a structure is, the lower the U-value will be.
Energy-saving window blinds can be an effective part of the system that improves these U-values. In turn, this reduces the U-values of social housing stock.
Flutter Shutter Offering Improvements to an EPC Rating
Our own system pairs energy efficient window blinds with beautiful bespoke shutters. When installed, we have proven benefits to EPC ratings across a range of buildings. Meaning that Flutter Shutter, our technology, can offer registered social landlords a cost-effective measure to help bring their properties up to the incoming rating standard of C or higher.
With U-values parallel to those of triple glazing at a fraction of the cost, our technology is a fantastic option for these improvements.
Need An Installation for Your Social Housing Stock?
If you’re in need of improvements to your EPC ratings, then let us help!
We work with registered social landlords, heritage estates, local councils and larger building estates to help bring energy efficiency to more buildings within the UK. Based in Liverpool, our technology has proven very effective. For further details, check out our brochure or blog section.
You can get in touch via our contact form, by telephone at 0151 245 4691 or by email at contact@fluttershutter.org.
Through our energy saving blinds, we’re building energy efficiency into every bit of social housing across the country!
