Social Housing Net Zero Heat Fund - development funding invitation

Overview

Reducing emissions from our homes and buildings is one of the most important things we can do to help end Scotland’s contribution to climate change. The type of heating used in over two million homes and 100,000 non-domestic buildings must be changed by 2045 and we estimate that around 50% of homes (or over one million households) will need to convert to low or zero emissions heating systems by 2030.

Development funding invitation 2022

The Social Housing Net Zero Heat Development fund will target up to £500,000 of development support. This funding will support small/medium social housing providers (registered social landlords, local authorities and energy service companies (ESCs)) to undertake development work to deliver an investment grade multi-year business plan, which reviews the organisations existing housing stock and clearly sets out how they will reach net zero emissions across existing dwellings.

Other forms of development activities can be considered, such as specialist advice and/or professional fees including the preparation of feasibility studies, cost analysis and technical surveys, as well as some costs towards relevant tenant engagement. The application must demonstrate how the development funding activities will allow the organisation to plan for its obligations to reach net zero emissions across its housing portfolio.

This fair and open funding invitation has been designed to support the social housing sector to carry out a deep dive analysis of existing stock, with a view to utilising the information gathered to support and strengthen a future capital funding application to the Social Housing Net Zero Fund.

This funding is a catalyst for social housing providers to develop plans to retrofit their existing stock to meet zero emission targets and is aimed at small/medium social housing providers. Successful applications are encouraged to use plans and findings to apply for Social Housing Net Zero Heat capital funding.

Project deadlines

This development funding call will be open from 21 February 2022 to 30 May 2022. Applications for support submitted after this date will not be considered.

All development work should be fully completed by 31 October 2022, with possible extension depending on the scale of the work undertaken.

Intervention rates

Intervention rates will be on a sliding scale of between 50% to 100% match funding, depending on applicants' specific circumstances. The maximum grant funding for a single project is capped at £100,000.

Who can apply

Applications will be accepted from registered social landlords, local authorities and ESCs. They must be for social housing projects delivering zero emission heating systems

Projects will only be considered if they fulfil the mandatory criteria.