Hundreds of homes made warmer through Matrix Housing Partnership upgrades

At Citizen, we’ve supported the Social Housing Decarbonisation Wave 2.1 programme by upgrading 269 homes as part of the Matrix Housing Partnership.

This has helped customers stay more comfortable in their homes and reduce their energy bills. The Matrix Housing Partnership, made up of seven social housing providers, secured government funding in March 2023 to improve the energy performance of homes across the region.

Together, the partnership has completed upgrades to 906 homes as part of a £12 million programme, helping customers benefit from warmer, more efficient living spaces.

A range of measures have been installed to improve energy efficiency, including air source heat pumps, solar panels, external wall / loft insulation, new windows and doors, and upgraded ventilation.

These changes are helping customers feel more comfortable at home while reducing energy use.

Our Head of Assets and Sustainability Chris Morris said: “It’s brilliant news that we’ve completed 269 homes as part of our work with the Matrix Housing Partnership and our customers are benefitting from warmer and more energy efficient homes.

“The partnership is a great way to deliver results for people living in social housing across the West Midlands and Wiltshire across the many housing associations as part of the partnership.

One customer, Mr Hubbard, who lives in a Pioneer Group home, benefited from new windows, doors and insulation.

He said: “The flat is much nicer, cleaner and warmer, and much nicer to look at. The improvements have made a big difference to comfort, energy efficiency and the overall look and feel of my home.”

The programme builds on a collaborative approach, bringing together housing providers and expert partners to deliver improvements at scale.

Ruth Cooke, Chair of the Matrix Housing Partnership and Chief Executive of Green Square Accord (GSA), said: “With the project now complete, I am proud to say that 906 households are benefiting from lower fuel bills and more comfortable living spaces.

“This has been achieved through our pioneering consortium model, which has enabled us to pool resources and share best practice throughout the project.

“Across England, combined authorities are now leading consortia to deliver retrofit projects through the Warm Homes Fund, demonstrating the strength of our approach.”

Throughout the project, the Matrix Housing Partnership was supported by GJK Consultants, which specialises in delivering programme management services relating to net zero and retrofit projects.

Gareth Keith, Director at GJK Consultants, which provided bid and strategic programme support to the Matrix consortium throughout the programme, said: "It was a pleasure to work with an innovative consortium of seven social housing providers of varying sizes that collaborated closely throughout. The consortium submitted its bid together and jointly tendered for and procured the same contractor, achieving economies of scale and delivering value for residents across the West Midlands and Wiltshire."

The Matrix Housing Partnership comprises Green Square Accord (GSA), Black Country Housing Group, Citizen Housing Group, the Pioneer Group, Rooftop Housing Association, and Trident Housing Association.