I’ve worked on hundreds of energy efficiency projects over the years, but in 2023 a request came through that was a bit different.

Four social landlords - Argyll Community Housing Association, West Highland Housing Association, Tiree Community Council and Dunbritton Housing Association - were working together to retrofit 400 properties. So far, so normal.

What was unusual about this programme was the location. The homes were spread across 20 tiny islands off the West coast of Scotland, which presented some unique challenges.

Firstly, geography. The project stretched across Argyll and Bute, a rural, isolated region in the western Scottish Highlands with lots of tiny, scattered villages, accessible only by boat.

The distribution of houses also made the process tricky – there weren’t large volumes of homes located together.

Severe weather conditions restricted progress. Boats needed to carry workers and materials just couldn’t run when the weather was poor. Heavy rain and wind also constrained the type of eco measures that would work.

And the clock was ticking. The original contractor had pulled out and all four housing organisations needed to decarbonise their homes within the funding window.

Retrofit projects are never easy, but usually, challenges come up that I’ve seen before. This project was different. Everyone, including the housing organisations involved, the contractor and my procurement team all had to learn from scratch – there was no precedent for retrofitting so many disparate, isolated homes.

We began the project by finding the right contractor through PfH Scotland’s EESSH2 framework. Hamilton-based Procast have experience of delivering building works in hard-to-reach areas and they were appointed to undertake this £20m retrofit project.

The results have been significant. Over 3,000 tonnes of C02 savings were made in the first 12 months, and in some areas, insulation has more than halved property heat loss.

Tenants report that their homes feel much warmer and more comfortable, and that their bills have gone down significantly.

But the benefits don’t end there. Procuring eco-improvements has delivered a lasting economic uplift to many of the islands including Tiree where local tradespeople were employed to help deliver the works. They’ve also been trained to service and maintain the retrofit technology, and this has led to a long term income, retaining skilled tradespeople on the islands.

In Tiree, like other islands, equipment and storage was hired locally, and fuel, accommodation and food were also bought for the workers. In total, the economic uplift for this one island was nearly £260,000.

Careful consideration was also given to engaging local residents. Community meetings were hosted, questions answered, and demonstration properties set up. The decant process was sensitively planned with suitable temporary accommodation sourced on each island and regular updates given to tenants on the progress of their homes.

Little touches like giving tenants choice around kitchen cabinets, worktops and sinks and sending someone round to talk them through the new heating controls were well received.

This all helped to build trust, understanding and acceptance amongst people on the islands and their feedback has been overwhelmingly positive.

I believe that thoughtful and collaborative procurement has been the keystone to this project. In social housing, procurement is so often seen as the function with the red tape and rules – the ‘spend controllers’. But this retrofit programme shows how it is so much more.

When it’s carefully planned, the strategic position that procurement occupies (connecting social landlords, contractors, suppliers, staff and tenants) can be harnessed to deliver significant good for the community.

Speaking to local people, housing officers and tradespeople on the islands of Argyll and Bute, I know this ripple effect is exactly what they’ve seen.

• Chris McGinn is commercial manager at PfH Scotland

The images show retrofitted homes on the Isle of Tiree