Meet the delivery team
Castle Vale is one of seven areas chosen by the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) to take part in its Net Zero Neighbourhoods programme. The work is funded by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, Horizon, and the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government. It brings together trusted partners with deep experience in community engagement, home energy, and housing research — all working together to help make local homes warmer, healthier, and more affordable.
Birmingham City Council is supporting this work as part of its wider ambition to create warmer homes, lower energy bills and a greener city - where no one is left behind. They’re one of the Local Authorities working with the West Midlands Combined Authority on the Net Zero Neighbourhoods programme. In Castle Vale, the Council is helping test new, more community-led ways of planning improvements - starting with what local people say they want and need.
The University of Birmingham is leading important research into how home conditions affect people’s health, comfort and energy use. In Castle Vale, they’re providing small, discreet indoor sensors as part of the INHABIT Healthy Homes Study — helping monitor things like temperature, air quality and humidity. The aim is to build a clearer picture of how local homes are really performing, especially over the colder months, so that any future changes are grounded in evidence — not assumptions.
Places in Common works with communities to shape change in ways that feel fair, inclusive and meaningful. From design to decision-making, they help make sure local voices are not just heard, but actually shape what happens. In Castle Vale, they’re leading the engagement — creating welcoming spaces for people to share their views, ask questions, and help shape the neighbourhood’s future around their own priorities, not anyone else's. They’re also working with local people to turn those ideas into a practical plan that can attract investment and bring lasting benefits back into the community.
SHAP is a not-for-profit organisation that brings together housing associations, local councils, community groups, and industry experts to lead the way on low-carbon, sustainable housing; delivering practical, long-term improvements to homes and neighbourhoods. In Castle Vale, SHAP is keeping the project on track by coordinating delivery partners and making sure key timelines and deliverables are met. They are also leading the communications plans that help ensure residents stay informed, understand the opportunities, and can get involved on their own terms.
Red Co-operative is a specialist retrofit organisation with over a decade of experience improving homes; making them warmer, more energy efficient and more affordable to run. They’ve worked across the UK with councils, housing providers and communities to understand how homes are really performing, and to design practical, long-term solutions that work for the people who live in them. In Castle Vale, Red.coop is carrying out the home energy assessments - helping build an honest, detailed picture of local homes, so that future improvements are based on real evidence, not guesswork. They’re independent, highly experienced, and here to help Castle Vale shape its own energy future.
