News
3Ci and London Borough of Hounslow announce collaboration to progress Hounslow’s Net Zero Neighbourhood Programme
By the 3Ci Team
Net Zero collaboration facilitator 3Ci and the London Borough of Hounslow are set to embark on further development work of Hounslow’s Net Zero Neighbourhood programme.
The joint project aims to further Hounslow’s mission of creating an actionable investment case for their Net Zero Neighbourhood which can be used to engage with investors to secure private funding to enable a reduction in borough-wide emissions.
About Net Zero Neighbourhoods
3Ci (Cities Commission for Climate Investment) developed the Net Zero Neighbourhood model to integrate local Net Zero projects into attractive investment propositions, creating scale and long-term certainty for investors by joining up the different types of assets that are important to decarbonisation.
This includes transforming transportation, energy, housing and waste services in a coordinated way, using a blended finance model capable of attracting capital from banks, pension funds and other institutional investors. Importantly, 3Ci’s remit includes a programme of technical assistance and capacity building to ensure projects are of investment grade.
3Ci published the UK’s Net Zero Neighbourhood Prospectus featuring 40 locations in December 2023.
Hounslow’s Net Zero Neighbourhood programme
Hounslow has been involved in the Net Zero Neighbourhood model since its inception. The London Borough of Hounslow has submitted three areas of potential development for the Net Zero Neighbourhoods approach – Cranford & Heston, Feltham, and Hanworth. These areas were featured in 3Ci’s 2023 Net Zero Neighbourhood prospectus.
Since then, 3Ci and Hounslow have continued to collaborate on opportunities, including a Net Zero Neighbourhood site visit in November 2024 to showcase the Council’s proposed plans to private investors.
The site visit was an opportunity to share the plans and opportunities in Hounslow to transform housing estates and included a guided walk around the Feltham and Cranford areas as potential Net Zero Neighbourhoods.
Within these neighbourhoods, there will be a focus on improving energy efficiency for homes and public buildings through retrofit, and using retrofit as a catalyst for undertaking improvements in the public spaces, diversifying the functions and uses of existing green spaces, and promoting access to sustainable travel options.
Advancing the Net Zero Neighbourhood programme in Hounslow
Hounslow and 3Ci are entering the next phase of the programme to build the investment case for their Net Zero Neighbourhood.
This phase includes taking into account all the innovations required to transform the prospective area into a Net Zero Neighbourhood, from domestic retrofitting to electric vehicle infrastructure and district heating networks.
The objective is to create a comprehensive outline of the necessary interventions which can be easily presented to private investors for consideration.
Councillor Katherine Dunne, Lead Member for Climate, Environment and Transport Strategy at Hounslow Council, said:
“Our Net Zero Neighbourhood programme will help us make significant steps towards retrofitting homes to make them warmer and cheaper to run as well as reducing carbon emissions. We are delighted to be collaborating with 3Ci on this next phase of work.”
Steve Turner, Director of 3Ci commented:
“It is fantastic to see the London Borough of Hounslow continue to remain at the forefront of local Net Zero innovation. Their commitment to this project with 3Ci showcases the strength of the borough’s passion and determination to create a scalable investment opportunity to reduce its emissions.”
Find out more about Hounslow Council’s Net Zero Neighbourhood programme.
Find out more about 3Ci’s Net Zero Neighbourhood programme in our published reports.