Decarbonisation isn't just technical

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Subject: Decarbonisation isn't just technical — it’s social!

Hi Friend,

We hope you had a restful break. As we kick off the year, we are focusing our attention on the most critical piece of the decarbonisation puzzle: people.

This month we dive into the final insights from Project Heat Pump. We explore the reality of retrofit from two distinct angles: the “lived experience” of tenants using the technology, and the systemic challenges facing the housing professionals delivering it.

Turning insights from our work into action, we are also launching two practical toolkits for housing providers. Whether you are looking to strengthen your Resident Liaison Officer model or innovate your tenant recruitment strategies, these resources are designed to help you build trust and put residents at the heart of delivery.

Let's hope that this marks the beginning of a big year for Carbon Co-op and decarbonisation!

Talking heat decarbonisation and flexibility with housing professionals

Dan Curran uses his phone whilst connected to a heat pump system at home in Surbiton, Greater London, UK, 18th August 2025. ..<br>..<br>..Dan Curran, a supply chain and logistics consultant, lives in a 1930’s, solid brick detached family home in Surbiton, South West London. Interested in sustainable living and improving his environmental footprint, Dan installed a heat pump, a Samsung 12kW R290 Monobloc, in 2024, along with solar panels and a battery. ..<br>..<br>..Since its installation, the heat pump has “created a more consistent and nice temperature” than the familiar hot and cold cycle of gas heating. How has living with a heat pump affected his life? “In a sense it hasn’t because it just works” he says, “it shouldn’t be seen as a life-changing decision” before adding “on the other hand I'm a bit obsessed with it!”...<br>..<br>..These photographs are part of a new resource, produced by Climate Visuals and Nesta, of compelling, engaging and accessible images of heat pumps across the UK. All too often, photographs of heat pumps show the object but don’t tell the story. They depict a box at the side of a building, often with awkwardly posed models standing beside it. They don’t show the real world potential of heat pumps that audiences can relate to and see themselves as a part of, or the diversity of installers and users. These new images highlight the real lives that heat pumps are a part of now, helping to normalise the technology and demonstrate the benefits being felt by the households using them across different houses and lifestyles around the country.

Towards the end of our Project Heat Pump (Socialising Flexibility) project, we brought together a cross-sector professional workshop online, collaboratively facilitated by Shortwork and Carbon Co-op. The session included 17 participants, encompassing the wider Carbon Co-op team as well as representatives from local authorities (and combined authorities), housing associations, retrofit professionals, sustainability managers, software engineers, technical officers, researchers, and energy system specialists.

This blog, written by Dr. Rowena Hay and Sabina Dewfield from Shortwork, examines the process and findings of that workshop, highlighting the key issues that arose during this event.

Read about the workshop and Project Heat Pump

Bringing the People to Project Heat Pump

A photo of people's hands and torsos at a table taking part in a collaborative workshop as part of project heat pump. The participants are gluing pictures of 'desert islands' and 'sea monsters' to pieces of flipchart paper as part of a collaborative exercise.

Decarbonisation isn't just technical - it’s social.

That’s the core lesson from Project Heat Pump, a collaborative project by Carbon Co-op and Shortwork. By placing social housing tenants at the heart of the process, we explored how heat pumps actually function in daily life.

Crucially, the project moved beyond standard feedback by offering fair remuneration for tenants' time and expertise. The result? A co-designed, practical Heat Pump User Guide tailored to real-world needs, from cost-saving tips to accessible instructions. It’s a powerful reminder for the sector: if we want retrofit projects to succeed, we must design with residents, not just for them.

Read the full blog to see how lived experience is shaping better energy outcomes

Resident Liaison Officer Retrofit Toolkit

How Broadacres’ In-House Resident Liaison Officers Improve Social Housing Retrofit Delivery

Social housing retrofit projects often face refusals, access issues, scheduling challenges, and customer concerns.

At Broadacres Housing Association, these challenges are being tackled head-on with an in-house Resident Liaison Officer (RLO) model that puts residents at the heart of delivery — and it’s making a real difference.

🎥 Curious how it works in practice?

Watch this short video to hear directly from a senior manager, an RLO, and a resident as they share the Broadacres approach and what it’s achieved.

👉 Want to apply these lessons in your own work?

Download the full Resident Liaison Officer Toolkit from Carbon Co-op and start strengthening engagement on your retrofit projects.

Big thanks to our partners Shortwork and The London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) Housing and Communities.

What retrofit engagement challenges are you facing right now?

Let us know what challenges you are facing

Tenant Recruitment Retrofit Toolkit

The Tenant-Recruitment Model Boosting Social Housing Retrofit at Lancaster West

In social housing, retrofit works well when residents lead the way.

At Lancaster West Neighbourhood Team, their innovative tenant recruitment model has built trust, boosted services, and delivered retrofit success.

📽️ Watch our short case study video to hear senior managers and resident employees share how it works—and the real impact it’s had on people and the organisation.

💡 Want to try it yourself? Download the toolkit to learn how to create people-centred retrofit strategies that really work.

Thanks to Shortwork and LSE Housing and Communities for making this possible.

Let us know your biggest retrofit engagement challenge right now?

Registered under the Industrial and Provident Societies Act 1965, registration number 31342R.

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Subject: Decarbonisation isn't just technical — it’s social!