The goal of Manchester-based Carbon Co-op is to radically reduce domestic carbon emissions for people and communities using approaches such as ‘retrofit’ works (domestic upgrades or installations that improve energy efficiency). Carbon Co-op has co-ordinated an Area-Based Retrofit scheme in Levenshulme, South Manchester, making use of the efficiencies gained by working on multiple nearby properties of the same type.

The Levenshulme Area Based Retrofit Scheme is a project trialling the savings and benefits of a street-by-street approach to home retrofits, whilst providing householders with significant energy efficiency improvements. Similarities between homes in a street or neighbourhood allows for repeatable modelling of retrofit works, simplifying the design stage. Homes will be offered a set package of retrofit works, similar to the other houses in the scheme, but with small adjustments to fit the home and household’s priorities. The proximity of houses in an area of this scale also provides benefits at the construction stage, as works can be grouped for efficiency and move quickly between each home.  

The works are funded through grant money and/or 0% interest loans for property owners, providing new opportunities for householders to access retrofits that will help them reduce the heating requirements of homes and face rising instability in fuel costs.  

Harlow Consulting was commissioned to evaluate the impact of this innovative scheme. We have drawn upon evidence from the project team at Carbon Co-op, the contractor and architect leading the project and from the funders of the scheme, synthesising this with feedback from residents and review of relevant data and scheme documentation. 

A range of outputs have been produced including blogs, an insights paper and a webinar.