Environment chief Councillor Adam Harrison

THE Town Hall says its going big on green housing with a retrofit scheme targeting council homes, writes Dan Carrier.

The programme, approved in December, will upgrade 3,000 of Camden’s coldest, most energy-guzzling homes, and this could then be a blueprint for works elsewhere in the borough.

It costs £20.7m but is expected to be worth £70m over its lifetime.Half the money comes from a partner investor, cutting the upfront cost for the council.

Tech prototypes will be installed in different homes to fight heat loss and energy waste. Officials will monitor them closely to see how far the plan can be rolled out across Camden’s housing stock.

The first wave will fit solar panels and battery storage in 10 per cent of council homes.The second wave will upgrade insulation and building fabric in another 3,000. The partner investor will be paid back from the savings tenants make on electricity bills.

The idea is simple: homes use less energy, bills drop, and the project pays for itself.

Cllr Harrison said: “We have some properties that are well below the required level – Georgian and Victorian houses that require a deep retrofit. This is the first time ever we have been able to tackle this issue at this scale.”

Camden has already been running showcase projects to set standards across its 33,000 homes.

At Holborn’s Brookes Market estate, new cladding and interior insulation have cut heat loss.

In Belsize Grove, a 58-flat block was upgraded. Originally two Victorian houses converted in the 1950s, with a connecting block added in the 1980s, it now has insulation on all walls and the roof, plus new windows. Most residents stayed in their homes while the work was done. Inside, new double-glazed doors and extractor fans tackle damp. On top, the roof has been turned into a mini power station with solar panels.

The upgrades are also about fighting fuel poverty.

Cllr Harrison said: “You save money if you generate power on your property, from solar or heat pumps. It means people will be paying less for their energy.”

Camden is also helping homeowners and businesses go green.

The Council’s Climate Fund, set up in 2016, uses payments from developers who miss environmental standards to fund carbon-cutting projects locally. Last year, 27 projects shared £222,000. The fund now holds £930,000.

The results are real: 200 tonnes of carbon saved from homes, 210 tonnes from businesses — the same as charging 50 million smartphones or driving 2.5 million miles in a diesel car.

Funding goes to insulation, air source heat pumps, and solar. Green roofs and EV chargers no longer qualify.

Cllr Harrison said: “Research shows that green roofs do not particularly save carbon, and we have also taken electric vehicle points off the list. The money is better spent on loft and cavity insulation, for example. It makes a difference – but it is a big challenge, due to the fact our housing stock is often quite old, and on top of that, there are conservation restraints.”

For businesses, Camden has joined Brent Council on a “climate challenge”, offering energy audits and feasibility studies.

Cllr Harrison said: “We have found that businesses need better information about the buildings they use to help guide what they should be doing. We can provide funding for feasibility assessments and energy audits. It can have a real impact and be the first step to decarbonising.”

Grants range from £5,000 for smaller firms to £15,000 for larger businesses willing to match-fund. So far, 132 firms have received audits, reports, energy dashboards, and training.

Cllr Harrison added: “Armed with information, it can help focus the mind and help people make a difference.”