Low carbon buildings
Key progress 2024 to 2025
Energy efficient council buildings
We’re building a strong pipeline of decarbonisation projects by carrying out heat decarbonisation studies across our estate. With support from the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) Public Building Retrofit Fund, 4 buildings are now moving to the design stage, making them ready for future grant-funded upgrades.
We’ve also completed studies for key buildings planned to connect to the District Heat Network (DHN), helping to make sure they’re ready for connection and identifying energy efficiency improvements.
Greener leisure centres
With the help of the Swimming Pool Support Fund, work is ongoing at Romiley Life Leisure to replace old air handling units with modern, heat pump-powered systems. This upgrade is expected to cut around 30 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions each year. As part of the project, we’re also carrying out an energy optimisation study at the centre, in partnership with Sport England. The findings will help improve energy use in leisure centres across the country.
Stockport Homes Group
Stockport Homes Group (SHG) have shown a strong commitment to energy efficiency and upgrading Stockport’s social housing as well as its operational buildings.
Since April 2024, SHG have delivered key improvements such as:
- installed over 2,000 solar panel systems across its housing stock which have saved approximately 2,100 tonnes of CO₂ emissions and delivered up to £500 in annual savings per household
- installed a range of energy efficiency measures through the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund which has improved the EPC ratings of 27 properties
- modernised the district heating system serving the York Street estate in Edgeley through funding from the Heat Network Efficiency Scheme
- supported tenants with energy advice through 1,650 emails and phone calls and 350 home visits
Greater Manchester Housing Retrofit Group
Through partnership with the Greater Manchester Housing Retrofit Group, we have supported the rollout of several national grant schemes and offers, including the:
- GMCA Retrofit Portal
- Your Home, Better programme which supported the Feel the Benefit campaign
- ECO4 grant scheme through delivery partners ImprovEasy
As a result, in the last year 364 households in Stockport received funded home improvements through the ECO 4 grant scheme, saving residents £573.92 a year on average and saving over 1,500 tonnes emissions.