Soho Housing Association has been a cornerstone of affordable living in central London for over five decades, providing nearly 800 homes across some of the capital’s most desirable postcodes.

Strategic Asset Manager Mel Bristow discusses the organisation’s ambitious retrofit programme, recent government funding, and how sustainability and community go hand in hand in Soho Housing’s mission to keep London accessible for everyone.

Please introduce yourself to our readers and tell us a bit about your role and your organisation.

“As Strategic Asset Manager at Soho Housing Association, I am responsible for maximising our mixed-use portfolio to help deliver our mission of ensuring ordinary people have the opportunity to live and work in central London.”

“Soho Housing owns and manages nearly 800 residential properties across central London, providing social, affordable, and market-rented housing to allow people to rent and live in London, despite the rising cost of living.”

“Alongside our social homes, the association has 34 commercial properties and it is my responsibility to ensure we optimise opportunities and performance across the estate. The income from our commercial assets plays a crucial role in allowing us to deliver affordable housing in Soho.”

“At the moment, I’m supporting Soho Housing’s recent receipt of a governmental grant under the Warm Homes initiative, making decisions central to fund allocation behind the scenes to meet our goal of reducing energy costs for residents and helping reduce carbon emissions across the portfolio.”

“Our mission is to ensure ordinary people have the opportunity to live and work in central London.”

How significant is the £1 million in government funding for Soho Housing, and how will it help advance your decarbonisation goals?

“The £1 million government funding is an important step in the right direction and will contribute significantly to the decarbonisation of over 100 of our homes. Match-funding also means that we have a total of £2 million to invest into our sustainability measures, providing a real boost to the number of homes that we can upgrade.”

“Match-funding means we have a total of £2 million to invest in sustainability measures.”

Could you tell us more about the measures being implemented to improve energy efficiency and reduce emissions across your housing portfolio?

“The first stage of this ambitious retrofit programme involves individually surveying each property to establish a retrofit strategy tailored to the fabric of the building, but also the residents living there. Many of our properties are listed, presenting a unique set of challenges to ensure we protect the heritage fabric of the building and local history, whilst bringing it in line with modern energy efficiency requirements.”

“We’re working with PAS 2035 compliant contractors to ensure all upgrades are aligned with the latest regulatory framework and catered to the individual needs of each building. A one-size-fits-all approach is insufficient, so funding and time invested at this stage is focused on developing a retrofit strategy as unique as the buildings we’re upgrading.”

“Each retrofit strategy is tailored to the fabric of the building and the residents living there.”

How are residents being engaged and supported throughout the retrofit process to ensure minimal disruption and maximum benefit?

“As we improve the energy efficiency of our housing, it’s crucial to understand that these are people’s homes. We know that many of our residents have built their lives and raised their families in these properties, so it’s of great importance to us that we prioritise communication throughout the process, making sure they receive maximum benefit with minimum disruption. Their needs must be taken into account just as much as the needs of the property must be considered.”

“Our resident engagement strategy explains to tenants the ambitions behind the retrofitting process, which are of course aimed at not only benefitting the environment but reducing energy usage and bills for residents. Circling back to our fundamental mission, this will work towards making residential property in central London more accessible for everyone.”

“Our residents’ needs must be taken into account just as much as the needs of the property.”

What role does collaboration with partners such as Ksquared play in delivering these sustainability upgrades successfully?

“Ksquared provide us with bespoke support and project oversight, opening access to an established network of contractors, experts, and advisers to ensure the works are delivered to the highest standards. They have connected us with specialists in sustainable design that will maximise the effectiveness of our programme strategy, allowing us to reach our EPC goals quicker.”

“As project management partners, Ksquared facilitate a collaborative process between key stakeholders. Local authorities (City of Westminster and London Borough of Camden), the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ), and residents all contribute and enhance each stage of the project.”

“Collaboration with partners like Ksquared ensures the highest standards and faster progress toward our EPC goals.”

What exciting plans and goals do you have for the next few years?

“Going forward, we are pioneering a mixed-use approach – harnessing the benefits of our commercial portfolio to help maintain and provide affordable housing in central London. In turn, our mixed-use portfolio, coupled with Government funding, will allow us to invest more into our goal of decarbonising our estate. Considering that commercial revenue generates 25% of the association’s income, taking this approach will help to support small London-based businesses whilst increasing momentum on our retrofitting and refurbishment efforts.”

“Soho Housing’s goals ultimately stem back to tenant security, stability, and access. These retrofitting plans are a promising first step taken towards lowering energy costs for tenants, but the association will continue to be proactive in our mission to provide housing in central London, providing the opportunity to live here to as many as possible.”