Southcoast Building Company Ltd were contracted to deliver multi-measure, whole-house retrofit installations in occupied domestic properties under the Energy Company Obligation (ECO) scheme. The programme delivered renewable and fabric-first upgrades for low-income households and residents experiencing fuel poverty.
Our delivery team completed full resident liaison and arranged pre-installation inspections and retrofit assessments to confirm suitable measures, validate access arrangements, and confirm site requirements prior to installation.
Southcoast Building Company worked for Octopus across three years, delivering an increasing scale of works year-on-year:
- 2022–2023: 11 properties (£312k)
- 2023–2024: 22 properties (£702k)
- 2024–2025: 88 properties (£1.8m)
Works under this scheme have now closed, following government direction impacting the ECO4 programme.
Measures Delivered
During the works from 2024 to 2025 we successfully delivered 234 individual measures supporting improved comfort, reduced running costs and progress towards Net Zero objectives. These measures consisted of:
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Solar PV & Scaffold: 77 properties
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Air Source Heat Pumps (ASHP): 57 properties
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Loft Insulation: 60 properties
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Electric Storage Heaters (ESH): 20 properties
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Cavity Wall Insulation (CWI): 16 properties
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External Wall Insulation (EWI): 4 properties
Ventilation requirements were assessed for each property and appropriate Mechanical and Background ventilation was installed in line with PAS2030:2023 requirements.
Resident Liaison and Planning
Our resident liaison team communicated with households ahead of works via telephone and email, supported where required by letters and door-knocking, ensuring residents were fully engaged and any concerns were addressed prior to commencement on site.
Following surveys, retrofit assessments and pre-inspections, residents were issued with a works plan and a clear description of measures scheduled for their home (including system/design information where required, such as for Solar PV). Residents were advised of expected disruption, provided with direct contact details, and additional support was offered for vulnerable or elderly occupants.
Quality Assurance and Documentation
Pre-installation, during-works, and post-installation photographs were captured on site and issued to our administration team. The team compiled the required evidence pack and handover documentation, including (as applicable):
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Insurance Backed Guarantees (IBGs)
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Electrical certification
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MCS certificates
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Supporting technical documentation and warranty information
ECO delivery relies on robust evidence packs and certification (photos, IBGs, electrical, MCS, warranties), with the risk of delays if documentation is incomplete. We followed a structured evidence process with pre/during/post installation photography captured on site and collated centrally, enabling timely compilation of handover packs, certifications and warranties.