Our Phase 1 project, Accelerating York's Net Zero Transition identified significant non-technical barriers to consumer acceptance and uptake of retrofit and low carbon technologies. This proposal directly builds on those findings, by combining innovative approaches to place-based engagement, digital tools and data systems, tailored training and advice bespoke financing solutions, demonstrator homes and dissemination into a single end-to-end Retrofit-One-Stop-Shop for York. The project brings together partners specialising in each element of delivery into a collaboration that will greatly accelerate the development of an area based Retrofit-One-Stop-Shop, improving the householder experience of retrofit and contributing to better energy efficiency standards of all building archetypes across the city. Homes will be warmer and cheaper to heat with complimentary technologies to maximise energy efficiency and mobility options. The project directly benefits our community with financial savings and health and wellbeing benefits. It also supports growth in the local low carbon supply chain, generating opportunities for new investment and job creation. The One-Stop-Shop service will be available to all residents and tenure types, but specifically support vulnerable and disadvantaged groups by addressing issues with fuel poverty and homes that are unsafe due to cold, drafts and damp. The scheme will be supporting the ambitions of the York Climate Change Strategy, Health and Wellbeing Strategy and Economic Development Strategy, as well as contributing to regional and national targets for net zero. It will provide a replicable and scalable model for expansion into other areas of UK, offering the One-Stop-Shop-In-a-Box Toolkit, drastically reducing the time and cost associated with other area-based One-Stop-Shops.

Climate change is the greatest threat facing our planet. In York, we are committed to tackling this threat; in 2019, City of York Council declared a climate emergency and set an ambition for York to be net zero carbon by 2030\. Previous research has shown that buildings are the largest source of emissions in York, accounting for over 60% of our locally derived emissions. There are more than 80,000 homes in York, with additional commercial and public buildings. To achieve net zero, over half of these homes will need to be retrofitted (44,000) with insulation, glazing and draughtproofing improvements, as well as installing 73,000 heat pumps. Transport is another significant contributor to emissions in York (27%), with a projected requirement for 91,000 fully electric vehicles to decarbonise the transport system. York has one of the most extensive public EV charging networks outside of London, following a programme of off-street infrastructure provision. In the last 5 years, we have seen a 10-fold increase in the number of charging sessions on the public network, with reports that users are finding it increasingly difficult to access available charge-points. The increased electrification of heating and transport systems across the city will increase York's annual demand for electricity from 773 GWh to 1,273 GWh. Modelling has indicated the potential for rooftop solar PV to contribute 91 GWh per year at an estimated capital cost of £137million. By combining social, capacity, financial and structural approaches, this project creates a holistic and practical application of the outcomes from Local Area Energy Planning - providing a framework for local areas to achieve decarbonisation through local acceleration zones.

The C19 pandemic has carved a hole in the budgets of councils, leaving them with impossible decisions on what to prioritise. And it has put a significant dent in their scope to press ahead on the climate emergency which remains no less pressing. Two thirds of councils have declared a climate emergency, but even before the pandemic, they would not have reached their local NetZero targets without new sources of borrowing, non-repayable capital and the active participation of residents. The dent to their resources makes this need ever more pressing. Launched in partnership with West Berkshire, Warrington and Leeds City Council, Climate Community Municipal Bonds (CMB) are a response to this challenge. A Climate CMB is a bond issued by a council to residents (and general public) investors via a crowdfunding platform. It enables anyone to lend from £5 to help councils deliver their NetZero plans while offering a new low risk investment option. For councils, it creates a competitive source of capital which builds engagement and a collective sense of purpose within the community. CMBs were developed through research, culminating in the 2019 Financing for Society (FfS) report led by University of Leeds, 3 law firms, KPMG and BDO, working alongside us. As well as competitive capital, the research project showed that CMBs have potential to build trust and engagement between councils and the public. UK investors hold £3.89 trillion of investable wealth and a recent demographically representative survey of 2000 adults, showed that 73% of them support the idea. Councils borrow on average £5bn a year, increasingly to fund NetZero plans. **Innovation** The grant will fast track the research, design and delivery of further innovations identified through recent consumer research as offering the potential to increase CMBs attractiveness and social impact. The research was reviewed and published in a Place Climate Action Network report in June 2020 and: \* Confirmed the potential for CMBs to enhance council transparency and thereby enhance local networks of trust and engagement with council plans. As the C19 lock down demonstrated trust and engagement are essential for maintaining collective action. The grant will fund the R&D to create the additional innovations enabling CMB to deliver on this promise. \* Identified a desire by respondents to donate interest earned back to the council to support hard to fund elements of NetZero plans. The grant will fund the R&D required to optimise the delivery of this innovative way for councils to access non repayable capital. \* Identified CMB secondary markets as a barrier to scale, the grant would fund R&D to deliver an innovative scalable secondary market. Combining investment, community engagement and philanthropy within the context of local government finance is a global first, but one that transforms council resident relations and can accelerate NetZero delivery. Abundance the UK's first regulated crowdfunding platform has raised £100m to date and has a senior team with over 100 years of combined innovation and financial services expertise. University of Leeds are a project partner to assess the impact of the innovations.