Riverside is committed to improving the energy efficiency of our homes.

We’ve invested in a dedicated team and specialist contractor support to make this happen for you, our customers.

It will take many years to do this across our whole network of tens of thousands of homes.

However, we’ve already secured funding for a range of improvements and upgrades which will make a huge difference and we’re working to deliver these now.

We’ll do this by improving our properties through a range of ways known as retrofit measures.

Put simply, this means we’ll fit your home with the measures it needs to become more energy efficient.

Check out our guide to retrofit below.

Retrofit measures in focus

External wall insulation
External wall insulation involves the installation of an insulating layer to the external fabric of a building and is usually finished with a render coat. That means it could transform the look as well as the energy performance of your home. It’s almost like putting your coat on!

Cavity wall insultation
Like external wall insultation, cavity wall insulation focuses on reducing the amount of heat lost through the walls of your home. Rather than focusing on outside though, cavity wall insulation though we focus on injecting insultation materials inside the walls. It’s almost like putting some thermals on under your clothes! This is a two-part process with minimum disruption.

Getting the basics right
It may seem obvious to say but, for some homes, the most effective way of transforming your energy performance may be through several small steps. This could include things like replacing windows and doors that aren’t airtight to something as simple as installing energy saving lighting systems. Sometimes, the simplest fixes are the best.

Mechanical ventilation
Making your home airtight through draughtproofing and well-fitting windows and doors is one of the most effective energy saving measures. Coupled with mechanical ventilation it ensures effective airflow around your home with minimal energy use, preventing condensation and damp and improving air quality. It’s like a set of magic lungs for your home which makes it breathe effectively and therefore save energy. Ventilation points are generally fitted in the kitchen and bathroom.

Loft insultation
We may also fit additional loft insultation in properties where necessary and beneficial.

Our pledge to you

When we do retrofit works in a home, it’s important you know exactly what you can expect.

So, our pledge to you is really simple:

• Totally free of charge
• It will reduce your energy usage.
• Fully guaranteed work, done by experts.
• Make your home look better and feel warmer.

The process

In less than a year, we could transform your home’s energy performance.

Here’s a summary of the process you can expect.

1. The first step in the process is to carry out a survey. During that survey, we’ll look at the energy performance of your home and figure out how we could help boost it. It won’t take long – all we need from you is to let us in for the appointment.
2. The next step is for us to design a solution that works for you. This could be one measure or a range of measures. We’ll plan how we do that at a time and in a way that works for you. That may include the need to apply for planning permission for some measures.
3. Once we’ve identified the suitable measures that work for you and your home, we and our contractors will talk you through the process and timescales before any works begin. With this project, we’re moving at pace – the funding is only available for a limited period – so you won’t be waiting for long.
4. How long the work in your home could take depends on what measures are agreed. What we can guarantee is the work will be done by an approved contractor, experienced in energy efficiency technology, and fully checked.
5. We want you to be happy with the result and familiar with how to use any new energy saving measures in your home effectively. So, we’ll communicate with you to ensure you’re happy with everything and you’re getting the most out of your new, more energy efficient home.

Identifying suitable properties

With each new project, we need to identify the properties most in need of energy efficiency upgrades.

If your property is identified as one of those that could potentially benefit from retrofit work, we’ll write to you to notify you we would like to do a survey.

We’ll then give you a call to arrange an appointment at a mutually convenient time and one of our helpful Retrofit Advisors will explain the process.

Downloads

• Example survey invite letter “Great news! Your home has been shortlisted for improvements”
• Retrofit leaflet