Freebridge Community Housing is committed to improving the energy efficiency of its homes, with a target of achieving Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) D across all homes by 2030 and EPC C by 2035.

With that in mind, we are carrying out energy efficiency improvements (often referred to as retrofitting) at many of our homes across north and west Norfolk.

We appreciate that the thought of having extensive works done on your home can be worrying, so we’d like to shine a light on the works we’ve undertaken at the Summerwood Estate in Great Massingham to show what can be achieved.

The Summerwood Estate is one of Freebridge’s larger housing estates, comprising approximately 60 homes. All of which had EPC ratings of D or below prior to the works commencing.

Given the poor energy performance of the homes, the estate was identified as an ideal location for a programme of full-house retrofits.

The scope of works, as informed by detailed Retrofit Assessments, was an investment averaging around £25,000 per home.

Thanks to this, the Summerwood Estate has become one of Freebridge’s flagship retrofit hot-spots, with approximately 50 of the 60 properties (around 80%) now fully retrofitted.

This demonstrates how whole-house improvements can transform homes, reduce carbon emissions and help residents manage their energy costs.

The improvements are expected to save approximately 100 tonnes of CO₂ emissions every year, while also helping residents enjoy warmer, healthier homes that are cheaper to run.

The project highlights the positive impact that targeted investment and government funding can have when delivered on an estate-wide scale.

If you click here, you'll find a case study on the work we’ve done in partnership with LivGreen - which includes anonymous feedback from two customers who live on the Summerwood Estate.

An Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rates your property's energy efficiency and environmental impact on a scale from A (most efficient) to G (least efficient).

It is legally required when you buy, sell, or rent out a home, and it remains valid for 10 years.

The certificate uses a scoring system from 1 to 100 to assess your heating, lighting, and insulation costs.

Band A (92+ points): Highly efficient, very low bills.
Band B & C (69–91 points): Good to excellent efficiency.
Band D (55–68 points): Average, typically the most common rating for UK housing.
Band E (39–54 points): Below average.
Band F & G (1–38 points): Inefficient, requires improvement.

Retrofitting involves adding new technology or features to existing buildings to improve energy efficiency, reduce carbon emissions, and enhance comfort – such as upgrading insulation, heating systems, or installing solar panels.

It is crucial for lowering energy bills and achieving net-zero targets by making homes warmer and less reliant on fossil fuels.

Here's Freebridge's Retrofit and Sustainability Manager Jacob Medlock's view the Summerwood Estate programme:

“The Summerwood Estate demonstrates the transformative impact that strategic capital investment and funding obtained from central government can have on communities.

“By improving the energy performance of an entire estate, we are creating warmer, healthier and more sustainable homes for our residents while helping to reduce carbon emissions for the future.

“The positive feedback we’ve received from tenants, alongside seeing the scale of the improvements from the air, is a real testament to the success of the programme and the commitment of everyone involved.”

Please note, this is something Freebridge will contact you about if your home is eligible - we are unable to take requests.

If you have a question about this post, please do email [email protected].