This is the third time a combined report has been produced for the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) which covers all ten GM local authorities. 

This report is commonly known as the HECA report. The HECA contains a statutory obligation requiring all 326 English local authorities to report to the Secretary of State on progress in their area to improve energy efficiency in residential accommodation.

The HECA report is a great way to review progress in Greater Manchester over the last two years and to project a planned pathway for the next two years which aligns with the Climate Change and Low Emissions Implementation Plan 2016-2020 and includes continued support for domestic smart energy generation and efficiency

GM’s targets can only happen with a combination of sustained proactive national policy and aligned priorities and resources from GM.

New mechanisms to balance up-front investments in energy efficiency with the rewards of lower long term bills are needed in both new build and existing home and building refurbishment activities if the ill health, poverty and productivity impacts of inefficient stock are to be addressed. 

Strategic actions that will enable and deliver include:

• Replacement of poorly performing domestic and commercial stock with low carbon development 
• Developing previously used and brownfield land to deliver resilient, resource efficient building stock and infrastructure;
• A financial, regulatory and framework to support value for money building retrofit activity;
• Energy and resource efficiency and smart heating in social and private housing, public and commercial buildings; 
• Interventions across Health, Local Government and key partners to reduce home and energy-related poverty and poor health outcomes; and reduced emissions from all new development.

A summary of achievements within GM over the last two years includes over 1300 measures delivered through the Green Deal Communities programme and the successful completion in February of the Greater Manchester Smart Communities project, which aims to support the shift from gas to electric heating with air source heat pumps and trial demand side response.

The final report was approved by Salford City Mayor and Chair of the GM Low Carbon Hub Board, Paul Dennett. 

You can view the Greater Manchester Home Energy Conservation Act Report online here.