Inclusive Community Retrofitting for Oxfordshire

Aspire is facilitating access to NEA (National Energy Action) energy efficiency training for frontline workers across Oxfordshire, as part of the first set of recommendations we are actioning following a recent feasibility study exploring Inclusive Community Retrofit.

If you are supporting individuals as a frontline worker, in Oxfordshire, please complete the following form to register for this training opportunity:

Aspire was commissioned to conduct a feasibility study exploring the potential of, and barriers to realising an inclusive, community approach to domestic property retrofit in Oxfordshire, via grant funding from the National Lottery ‘Together for Our Planet’ Fund and Soha Housing, a local housing association partner. By engaging local and national organisations, we explored how a community response to help meet the growing demand for residential property retrofitting could be realised in Oxfordshire.

Retrofitting of residential property offers a unique opportunity of significant multiple benefits. It is an opportunity to not only realise Oxfordshire’s energy and climate goals by improving its existing housing stock, whether on an owner/occupier, private rental sector or social and community housing basis, but to do so while building sustained community wealth through the creation of well-paid local jobs, the development of skills pathways for young and under-employed people into retrofit careers and importantly, a reduction in fuel poverty and energy expenditure of those currently experiencing a real cost of living crisis, while also improving access to local energy advice, guidance and resources.

Aspire are implementing the first set of recommendations from the above report. This marks a shift from the feasibility study phase, to a period of pilot actions: