- Airbnb and the Energy Saving Trust are launching the latest version of their platform which supports Airbnb hosts to improve the sustainability of their homes.
- The existing journey provides a personalised energy efficiency assessment of the host’s home and supplier marketplace to connect hosts to retrofit contractors. The new version of the tool –will now also offer hosts financing options from NatWest.
- The latest Greener Homes Attitude Tracker from NatWest found the cost of having work done was by far the greatest barrier to energy efficiency home improvements – although one in four millennials see a high EPC rating as essential when buying a home.
NatWest is announcing a new partnership with Airbnb and the Energy Saving Trust, to help UK hosts improve the energy efficiency of their homes. Launching today (Thursday 16 November 2023) NatWest and Airbnb are introducing an end-to-end journey that will support hosts to retrofit their homes.
The existing journey provides a personalised home energy efficiency assessment and action plan for hosts, offering information about potential steps they could take to improve the energy efficiency of their home. The brand-new partnership will now offer the surfacing of financing options from NatWest, and Airbnb grants as part of a 500k extension to the £1M fund launched last year.
The latest data from NatWest found that for UK homeowners the cost of having work done was by far the greatest barrier to energy efficiency home improvements – although one in four millennials see a high EPC rating as essential when buying a home.*
The tool will provide a marketplace with government accredited installers and contractors in the local area. A dashboard will enable Airbnb hosts to track the progress of the works through to completion.
Tanvi Gokhale, Head of Strategy, Retail Banking at NatWest Group said: “Our partnership with Airbnb brings together two organisations proudly committed to support people to navigate this acute squeeze on their finances.
“By surfacing our innovative financing options in the Airbnb journey, we will empower hosts to take proactive steps to improve the sustainability of their properties. This will enable them to make their homes more comfortable whilst also saving money on bills. Through this collaboration with Airbnb and by bringing together our respective areas of expertise, we hope to have a greater impact on the communities that we serve.”
Amanda Cupples, General Manager for Northern Europe at Airbnb said: “Last year, our Sustainable Hosting Plan saw us take the first step in helping our Hosts make energy-efficient changes to their homes, and vital savings on bills in the process. As living costs continue to rise, we look forward to collaborating with NatWest on these innovative solutions and exciting initiatives that will bolster the UK’s stock of energy-efficient homes, helping to build sustainable communities across the country.”
*NatWest Greener Homes Attitude Tracker Q2 2023
