The Greater South East Net Zero Hub has awarded transformational funding to the South London Partnership to create a retrofit skills action plan for South London. This sub-regional collaboration of six London Boroughs estimates that over 635,000 properties in South London require decarbonisation. The Partnership aims to retrofit these buildings by developing interventions such as insulation, double-glazing, solar panels, and heat pumps. In order to achieve London’s 2030 Net Zero targets, the Partnership plans to identify the skills and interventions required to rapidly decarbonise South London’s homes at scale.
In the initial phase of the project, the Partnership aims to create a retrofit skills action plan, which will identify the skills required for retrofitting to achieve rapid decarbonisation. The second phase will focus on developing the higher education curriculum to upskill people for green jobs and implementing retrofit skills innovation pilots, resulting in greater engagement with the supply chain. The project’s initial phase has already identified nearly 14,000 businesses across the region through mapping the retrofit supply chain in South London.
As identified by Polly Persechino, Head of Economy, Skills and Employment and Retrofit Skills Project Lead for the South London Partnership, this challenge presents significant opportunities for our construction businesses and for South Londoners. Achieving this will require a joined-up plan of action to address any skill deficits, and to ensure a talent pipeline is ready to decarbonise our buildings. The Partnership aims to create high-value jobs that support the South London economy. The action plan and subsequent implementation will involve all stakeholders and parts of the supply chain needed to make this happen.
The initiative has been supported by key players in the field, and Ashden, in its recent report, Retrofit: Solving the Skills Crisis, describes mass retrofitting as a ‘triple win’ of lowering bills, reducing emissions, and creating a skilled workforce. Additionally, the Partnership has brought together a South London Retrofit Taskforce comprising contractors, social landlords, local authorities, further education providers, universities, urban planners, and policymakers to ensure the action plan meets ambitious national and local Net Zero targets.
In conclusion, the South London Partnership seeks to create a retrofit skills action plan and interventions needed to decarbonise over 635,000 properties in South London. The initiative will involve creating high-value jobs, supporting the economy of South London, and serving as a significant opportunity for construction businesses in the area. The South London Retrofit Taskforce aims to ensure that the action plan meets national and local Net Zero targets.
