Key features include:
- Home upgrades: insulation, new windows and doors
- Air source heat pumps (ASHPs) replacing gas heating
- Solar panels and battery storage
- More greenery and street trees
- Better walking and cycling routes
- Electric vehicle charging points
These changes cut energy bills, tackle fuel poverty, improve health, create green jobs, and attract investment.
You can learn more and watch a short introductory video by visiting Energy Capital Net Zero Neighbourhoods.
City of Wolverhampton Council has secured £545,000 from the West Midlands Combined Authority and the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero to:
- Engage the community and co-create a neighbourhood vision
- Collect data on energy use, air quality, and health to inform detailed plans
- Explore community solutions to reduce energy costs and improve wellbeing
- Develop a business case to inform government policy and funding
Out of the first 100 homes to sign up:
Free Home Energy Efficiency Assessment (Worth £150)
Up to 80 homes with an EPC of D or below will receive a survey by our qualified retrofit assessment partner to identify energy-saving upgrades
Benefits: It will help prepare your home for home upgrade funding (subject to eligibility checks).
Share Energy Data or Install Energy Sensor
Up to 100 homes within the main pilot area will be asked to share smart meter data or have an air quality monitor installed.
Benefits: Homes will receive up to £100 of vouchers for sharing energy data*
Indoor Air Quality Monitoring
Up to 50 eligible homes will have air quality sensors installed to track indoor air quality.
Benefits: Homes will receive a £20 Voucher following installation*
Health and Occupancy Surveys
Complete three surveys throughout the project:
Benefits: up to £80 in vouchers*
- First Survey (November - December 2025): £20 Voucher
- Second Survey (around June 2026): £20 Voucher
- Third survey (around December 2026): £40
* all forming part of the “up to £200 in vouchers”
Other ways to get involved
Not eligible for assessments or sensors? You can still:
- Attend community workshops and events (click to view events and register)
- Help shape your neighbourhood vision
- Help deliver local initiatives
All eligible homes will receive a free energy advice visit through our partners at LEAP (Local Energy Advice Partnership), free energy and money saving service helping people keep warm and reduce their energy bills, including:
- Help and support through the process
- Energy-saving tips and switching advice
- Up to £150 of energy-saving products offered
- Help and support with funding applications
- Sign-posting to other financial support
Main Pilot Area: Homes here can take part and benefit from all activities, including home energy efficiency surveys (retrofit assessments), energy and air quality monitoring, and surveys.
Wider Area: Homes outside the main pilot area can still receive a free home energy advice visit and may be eligible for a retrofit assessment.
Call our Powering Penn Fields freephone helpline on 0800 107 9335 for more information, or register your interest via our online form.
Phone lines are open 9am to 5:30pm, Monday to Friday. You can leave a message out of hours for a callback.
You can also email Climateaction@wolverhampton.gov.uk to answer any questions you may have.
Groundwork West Midlands – Leading community engagement: recruiting households, running workshops to shape the neighbourhood vision, and providing extra energy support.
Agility Eco – Delivering energy efficiency advice and managing the customer journey through the Local Energy Advice Partnership (LEAP). They’ll carry out free home energy advice visits and handle consent processes.
Go-Monitor – Installing energy sensors, accessing smart meter data, and providing a secure portal for residents to view their energy information.
University of Birmingham (INHABIT Project) – Supplying air quality sensors and researching the health impacts of poor indoor air quality.
Stage 1: Community Engagement (Now – Early 2026)
- Pop-up events by Groundwork West Midlands
- Register via online form or QR code
- Call our free helpline anytime
- Details sent to Agility Eco to book your visit
Stage 2: Home Energy Advice Visit (1–2 hrs)
- Check eligibility for retrofit
- Sign consent forms
- Complete first survey and receive £20 voucher
- Offered to £150 energy-saving items (subject to needs assessment)
- Take electricity and gas meter photos for Go-Monitor
- Schedule retrofit assessment, air sensors and energy sensors installs within 1 week of visit
Stage 3: Retrofit Survey & Sensor Installs (1–2 hrs)
Note: Only 50 homes willing and eligible to move to full retrofit will have air quality sensors installed
- Retrofit assessment by qualified partner
- Install air quality sensors and receive £20 voucher
- Install energy sensors and receive £60 in Vouchers
Stage 4: Retrofit Works, follow up Surveys & Rewards
- June 2026, the 50 homes with air quality sensors complete survey 2 to receive £20 Voucher
- September onwards: 30 – 50 homes earmarked for retrofit will have works completed
- Final Survey completed within 3 months after Retrofit to receive £40.
Primary Neighbourhood Area
Following streets could be involved in data collection, retrofit assessments and energy efficiency advice (subject to eligibility):
Cardiff Street, Manlove Street, Bristol Street, Dalton Street, Bingley Street, and parts of Lime Street, Fisher Street, Burleigh Road, Norfolk Road, Owen Road and Lea Road.
Wider Neighbourhood Area
Following streets are ineligible for data collection, however, are still invited to sign up as they may be able to get a retrofit assessment and receive home energy advice by LEAP (subject to eligibility):
certain parts of Owen Road, Lime Street and Fisher Street, Merridale Street West and Ashland Street (between Lime Street and Merridale Street West).
See “Check your area” map for further details.
You can call Agility Eco for free on 0800 107 9335 to find out. Lines are open 9am to 5:30pm, Monday to Friday. You can leave a message out of hours for a callback.
The council will be administering Warm Homes funding to support households participating in this project.
Homes are eligible for funding if the property has an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) of D, E, F or G, and you (the resident of the home) meet one of the following criteria:
- Household income of £36,000 or less, OR
- Receiving a means-tested benefit (e.g., Universal Credit, Pension Credit, Housing Benefit), OR
- Living in a qualifying low-income postcode
Owner Occupiers: if you own your own home and meet the criteria above, you DO NOT have to contribute to the cost of the upgrades
Private Rented: Landlords must give permission and can get up to 70% funding for up to four properties (meaning 30% contribution from Landlords is required, per property), any subsequent properties the landlord must be willing to contribute 50% of the costs
The Net Zero Neighbourhood Project is funded until March 2026 however will deliver beyond this into the summer months.
The Inhabit Project linked to the air quality sensors is a longer programme and will continue for up to 2 years from installation.
Retrofit (if proceeding) is planned for autumn 2026.
Energy Sensors: If you need an energy sensor because you do not have a smart meter, the sensor will be in your home for up to 1 year from installation, this will help with monitoring energy consumption beyond the end of the project.
Smart Meter Data: If you have a smart meter and give your consent for us to access your data this will grant us access to 13 months of data before access and up to 12 months of data after consent is given.
Air Quality Data: the air quality sensors will be in your home for up to 2 years after installation. Only homes that are guaranteed to receive retrofit funding will have these sensors installed. They will continue to collect data after the retrofit works have been completed and will be uninstalled in 2027.
Data will be held for 5 years before archiving.
Household participation is done on a voluntary basis, and you have the right to withdraw at any point during the project. You can also request for all your data to be deleted by submitting your request in writing to climateaction@wolverhampton.gov.uk