Trust Electric Heating joins £2.4m Let Zero project to revolutionise private rented housing market

Yorkshire manufacturer Trust Electric Heating has announced its involvement in a £2.4 million government-backed initiative to transform the private rented housing sector in South Yorkshire.

The Let Zero project, part of Innovate UK’s #NetZeroHeat programme, was one of three projects unveiled at the Futurebuild exhibition in London this week.

Let Zero, spearheaded by the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority (SYMCA) and supported by a £2.4 million grant, seeks to enhance living conditions for tenants in the private rental sector.

The 18-month project will develop an innovative “one-stop shop” service, leveraging AI technology to guide landlords through the retrofit process, ensuring that heating solutions are tailored to the needs of occupants. Initially focusing on 200 homes in South Yorkshire, the project holds promise for scalability across the UK.

Trust Electric Heating will play a pivotal role in the project alongside BRE, Sheffield Hallam University, and Wrapt Homes. Trust Founder Scott Conor said: “By collaborating with landlords, Let Zero will facilitate informed decision making on property renovations and upgrades, particularly in homes housing vulnerable people.

“There is substantial government investment for housing associations, yet there’s a noticeable lack of funding allocated to private landlords. This disparity leaves them unable to undertake the necessary transitions towards achieving net-zero carbon emissions in their properties. A reluctance to burden tenants with additional expenses further exacerbates the challenge. This situation underscores the pressing need for equitable support to help with the transition to Net Zero within the private rented sector.

“We’re excited to contribute our heating technology expertise to help elevate housing standards in this important sector. Our aspiration is for initiatives such as Let Zero to serve as a blueprint for nationwide adoption, ushering in a new era of environmentally conscious and cost-effective heating solutions for the UK housing stock.”

Dr. Ceri Batchelder, South Yorkshire Retrofit Development Programme Lead at SYMCA, expressed delight at securing funding for Let Zero. “Our aim is to create warmer, healthier, and more cost-effective homes, setting a precedent for decarbonisation in the private rented sector,” she stated.

Mike Pitts, Deputy Challenge Director, Innovate UK said: “Innovate UK’s Net Zero Heat programme seeks to overcome barriers to innovation to enable the UK to prosper from moving quickly away from gas for heat in buildings.

“The three projects announced today are the biggest investment to date from the programme. The participants involved are from all stages across the process of Net Zero Heat renovations of buildings, and they all seek to improve the process for different types of building, with the aim of bringing down cost and speeding up retrofit work.”

Established in 2014, Trust Electric Heating is a market leader in the design, creation and installation of sustainable heating products, including the innovative NEOS electric radiator.

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