Let Zero
A data-driven approach to address fuel poverty and the use of new technologies to create a trusted path for retrofit in the private rented sector.
Project
Let Zero
Lead Organisation
South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority
URL
southyorkshire-ca.gov.uk/letzero
Location
South Yorkshire
Funding
£2,424,157
About the project
Let Zero will support tenants in the private rented sector by working with landlords to improve decision-making on renovations and improvements in their properties, especially those housing the vulnerable. The aim is to find the best way to engage with the sector, reduce uncertainty during various phases in the retrofit journey, and where possible reduce cost through improved technologies.
The project is developing an end-to-end solution, powered by AI, to give landlords a trusted path for upgrading their properties, tailored to the needs of occupants, taking account of building geometries, space standards, accessibility requirements and other design constraints.
The project will provide a One Stop Shop service for landlords and tenants, which can provide an initial selection of possible retrofit options derived using machine learning technology. These options are then turned into more accurate cost and savings estimates following a detailed assessment process.
The project is also testing innovations in the manufacture of retrofit components, assessing the potential for off-site production of a ‘kit of parts’ for rapid installation on site, aiming to improve cost and time efficiency, thereby reducing disruption to landlord and tenants. The project will also trial different scanning technologies to accelerate the initial retrofit planning and assessment process.
What has the project successfully delivered?
Data gathering is well underway to build a stock model of the private rented sector. This includes collection of data from publicly available sources as well as contributions from unique sources such as local authorities and tenancy deposit schemes.
Drone survey work has been undertaken in several target areas, to build a data model for machine learning on building archetypes. Additional data on space standards and other design constraints have been gathered and initial tests using sample data have been conducted.
Research into One Stop Models and governance has begun, with initial scoping work and literature review completed, with tenant and landlord interviews being planned for the autumn.
Initial market research to map and stratify the market of landlords and tenants in the South Yorkshire region, informing OSS service development and engagement strategies.
What has the project achieved?
A trade study on scanning technologies has highlighted that several commercially available alternatives exist, however there is no ideal solution which meets all the requirements of the project.
Initial engagement activity with landlords is helping to refine the service offer for the One Stop Shop. The project’s novel positive approach to helping landlords overcome problems of accessing energy efficiency advice will produce learning which can be fed back into policy makers as the administration’s manifesto pledges are translated into new legislation and regulations.
Key lessons learned
One aspect of the project which has been difficult to achieve progress with is the identification of a property to use as a show home. For a variety of reasons, several candidate properties have been considered unsuitable and the search for suitable base for demonstrating retrofit components and technologies is continuing. The delay prevents a number of our solution provider partners from participating in the project for the time being, however it does not jeopardise the main project objectives.
Next steps
The project will move into trialling different forms of engagement strategies, more research on governance models, and workshops with landlords and tenants.