Housing Industry Leaders Issue 15

Nuaire: Boosting Green Skills in the Housing Sector

Also In This Issue Meeting the Net Zero Challenge in the North

Exploring the Intricate Steps Towards Net Zero Housing

A huge retrofit operation will be required for housing to meet net zero

The housing sector is facing a pressing challenge: it must not only reach net zero by 2050 but also attain EPC C ratings for all its homes by 2030. Housing Industry Leaders explores how we can drive the housing sector towards achieving net zero.

In this issue, Housing Industry Leaders explores how the housing industry can boost green skills, how MMC is being used to amplify sustainability in construction, and how we can decarbonise heating.

With a particular emphasis on how technology plays a crucial role in supporting the housing sector on its journey to net zero, Housing Industry Leaders delves into the most topical discussions and innovations concerning the future of the housing industry.

housingindustryleaders.com

Chelsea Bailey

c.bailey@peloton-events.co.uk

Contents

P.4

Solar Together Helping Households Save on Their Energy Bills

P.6

Nuaire: Boosting Green Skills in the Housing Sector

P.8

Leeds City Council Delivering Home Energy Efficiency Upgrades

P.12

Meeting the Net Zero Challenge in the North

P.16

Exploring the Intricate Step Towards Net Zero Housing

P.20

Using MMC to Amplify Sustainability in the Construction Industry

P.24

PH Jones: Shaping the Future of Social Housing

P.28

Achieving Net Zero: Lessons Learned from Retrofitting and the Role Consortia Play in Meeting the ORP

P.30

Ideal Heating: Meeting Sustainable Heating Needs

P.32

Housing Industry Leaders Cymru In Case You Missed It

Multimedia Editor

Floyd March

Multimedia Journalist

Chelsea Bailey

Multimedia Journalist

Hannah Wintle

Graphic Designer

Edward Boustred

Solar Together Helping Households Save on Their Energy Bills

Bedford Borough Council’s Solar Together scheme is helping residents to boost local renewable energy generation, cut carbon emissions, and save on their energy bills.

Solar Together is a group-buying scheme that helps households get a reduced price on the installation of solar panels and battery storage. All residents that are living in one of the participating council areas, and those who either own their house or have permission from their landlord to install a solar PV system, can register for the scheme.

Solar Together will help boost confidence around solar panels

It is difficult to estimate the exact number of solar panels in the UK, but as of the end of June 2022, there was a total of 14.0 GW installed in UK solar capacity across 1,178,241 installations. This is an increase of 2.4% (330 MW) since June 2021

The price of a solar PV system has decreased compared to ten years ago by 82% due to an increase in international production, more efficient production methods, and developments in technology.

However, due to inflation and increased demand, purchasing a solar PV system remains expensive, which is why it is important for local authorities to understand how they can gain the best value.

In 2022, Bedford Borough Council promoted the Solar Together scheme alongside other local authorities.

Nearly 2,500 residents registered to learn more about what is possible for their homes. Of these residents, nearly 900 homeowners installed solar and/or battery storage.

The scheme has returned this year to help local homeowners feel confident that they are paying the right price for quality installation for pre-approved installers.

To date, Solar Together has delivered over 17,000 installations and over 350,000 tonnes of avoided lifetime carbon emissions.

Solar panels could save residents up to 0.9 tonnes of carbon

Housing Industry Leaders spoke to Paul Pace, Chief Officer for Environment at Bedford Borough Council about Solar Together.

Paul stated that a solar PV system will benefit residents by generating electricity for them:

By using the electricity generated by the solar PV system in a home, the resident will significantly reduce the amount of electricity that they would normally purchase from their energy supplier.

As an example of this, Paul explained: “If you have an annual electricity usage of 2,000 kWh, and you cover 1,000 kWh of that with the energy from your solar PV system, you would be saving an annual amount of £340.”

" This means you are less dependent on energy from the grid and can save money on your electricity bills by using the energy you generate.

The main reason why local councils are offering solar PV systems is to help the UK Government meet its 2050 net zero targets. As solar panels produce clean energy, they help residents prevent up to 0.9 tonnes of carbon emissions on an annual basis.

By promoting solar panel installations, councils aim to help residents save money on their energy expenses in the long-term.

Paul highlighted that solar PV systems can work efficiently with other technologies: “You can save even more by installing battery storage alongside the solar panels to store the generated electricity and use it when you need it.”

An auction will take place to determine the set price for solar systems

For residents to get involved in the Solar Together scheme, applicants must register. Once the details have been submitted, there will be an auction, with the lowest bid winning.

The results from the auction will set the price of all solar and battery systems delivered by the winning installer. A personal recommendation will be sent out to the applicant for consideration.

After this, Paul revealed that support will be provided to the applicants: “There is no obligation quote, and the customer can decide whether to accept or not. There will be a webinar with more information to help with the decision alongside the personal recommendation.”

Solar PV systems will also reduce the vulnerability to fluctuations in energy prices and disruptions in the power supply.

By installing solar panels, residents will make a long-term investment that can increase the value of their property.

If the quote is accepted, a deposit will be paid and a site survey carried out, once complete and paid, terms and conditions are signed and returned. After this, the installation can take place.

Schemes like this are essential to make it more attractive for residents to adopt solar energy. By encouraging locals to install solar PV systems, councils can promote sustainability, support the local economy, and contribute to the transition to a more resilient energy system.

Households are now benefiting from cheaper electricity, being more independent from the grid and generating green, renewable energy contributing to the carbon neutral goal.

Nuaire: Boosting Green Skills in the Housing Sector

As countries and industries accelerate the transition to net zero, ensuring that a sufficiently skilled workforce is created is one of the most crucial actions that we can take to move towards a more sustainable economy. What is Nuaire doing to focus on amplifying green skills?

Green skills are becoming more essential for employers to meet their targets for sustainability, in addition to meeting government guidelines. Boosting green skills will help us move closer to net zero at a time when every action counts.

According to statistics included in the Global Green Skills Report 2022, 2019 saw a change towards greener recruitment. This is evidenced by an 8% increase in job postings requiring green skills annually from 2017 to 2022.

Nuaire is providing installers with support and guidance

Housing Industry Leaders spoke to Iain Jordan, Regional Sales Manager – RMI at Nuaire about the work it is doing to focus on upskilling the workforce and focus on energy efficiency.

Highlighting the importance of providing people with the right skills, Iain explained: “Within the housing sector, whether that is in a newbuild or retrofit setting, the most energy efficient fabric first construction principles and methods are utilised. In addition, green technologies supplement them to achieve decarbonisation goals and overcome environmental and sustainability challenges.”

However, to make sure that these green technologies work correctly and effectively, they need to be installed properly.

I

t is important that we endeavour to bridge the skills gap to continue to lead the way in innovation, quality, and market-leading energyefficient products.

Iain Jordan

Regional Sales Manager - RMI Nuaire

Nuaire provides support to its clients via 3D design input and accredited training courses. On this, Iain expressed that: “One of the greatest challenges the industry has to achieve its decarbonisation targets is ensuring that in-use performance matches design intent. From a ventilation perspective, historically as an industry, we have seen many poor installations which effect the performance of the ventilation system employed.”

Therefore, the courses that Nuaire has endorsed and have been accredited to offer are industry recognised and help ensure installers are provided with guidance to improve the standard of installation, set-up, commissioning, documentation and handover.

Training opportunities are needed to drive technology innovation

To guarantee that the industry has the talent available to meet the increasing demand for green skills, effective training needs to be made both available and attractive to people.

Housing Industry Leaders also spoke to Megan Bennett, Senior Marketing Executive at Nuaire.

Megan revealed that Nuaire is focusing on training and progression: “We work closely with local colleges, and we send them the availabilities that we have. We try and get as many people in as we can. 5% of the workforce are apprentices, and for example, one person started new as an apprentice and has been here for 23 years, he is now one of our main board directors.”

With over 40,000 product lines to choose from, Nuaire has plenty of solutions.

Iain added that he believes that making upskilling a key priority, will be key in tackling the loss of local talent: “One of the advantages of apprenticeships is that it helps keep talent local, rather than talented young people deciding to move away because the opportunities don’t exist locally.”

Sustainability is at the centre of Nuaire’s product development

Nuaire launched its Sustainability Strategy last year, in a bid to minimise its impact on the environment by 66% by 2025 and reach net zero by 2050.

Megan stated that concentrating on sustainability and upskilling is everything that Nuaire is about: “It is the ethos of the whole company and the company that we are part of (Genuit Group). We are trying to find the most sustainable products that we possibly can at the moment.”

Explaining this, Iain told Housing Industry Leaders that its products sit within decarbonisation schemes: “We are proud to be a specification-led manufacturer, with compliance and energy efficiency driving our product development. The systems we have selected for decarbonisation schemes, most commonly Mechanical Ventilation with Heat Recovery (MVHR), work perfectly with a fabric first approach to provide effective ventilation whilst reducing the impact on the heating load of the home.”

Amplifying green skills must be an industry priority if we are to meet our net zero targets.

If the housing sector doesn’t provide the necessary training opportunities needed, the sector’s workforce risks being future-proofed.

Sustainability is at the heart of us, from the products to the suppliers that we’re working with.

Senior Marketing Executive Nuaire

Leeds City Council Delivering Home Energy Efficiency Upgrades

Leeds City Council is working with some of the UK’s biggest firms to address barriers that prevent households from accessing energy-saving green home upgrades.

The council has been part of a major national partnership, the Local Low Carbon Accelerator (LLCA) initiative, to explore how the public and private sectors can work together to speed the uptake of insulation and other technologies that make homes healthier, more environmentally friendly, and cheaper to live in.

It was established by four members of the Prime Minister’s Business Council – Lloyds Banking Group, Octopus Energy, National Grid, and Shell.

Working with the LLCA, Leeds City Council is demonstrating a tenure-agnostic city-wide retrofit scheme, starting with 500-1,000 ableto-pay owner-occupied and private rental homes, as a case study to examine replicable delivery and policy solutions.

The city-wide retrofit programme is hoped to be scaled nationally

Housing Industry Leaders spoke to George Munson, Senior Project Manager at Leeds City Council about the council’s work with the LLCA. He said that: “We were keen to focus on something which we felt had been overlooked for a while, this was middleincome households. We wanted to create a compelling offer to middle-income households which would be relevant to Leeds but could be scaled nationally.”

Like many other UK cities, Leeds is aiming to deliver home energy efficiency improvements at scale. It has designed an area retrofit scheme but was struggling to identify suitable financing options to attract private capital, until this partnership.

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e see housing retrofit as being absolutely essential to get the UK to net zero.

George Munson Project Manager Leeds City Council

The collaboration is supporting Leeds to accelerate its delivery of a city-wide retrofit programme. Enhancing retrofit efforts in the city provides many benefits to locals, highlighting this, George explained: “Some of the benefits of this project include a warmer and more liveable home, and that this work can be done without it being a lot of hassle upfront.”

The Net Zero Homes Plan will identify current housing challenges

To retrofit the 306,000 homes in Leeds, George revealed that the bottleneck is persuading the households who don’t live in council housing that retrofit is something that can be made personal to them.

He expressed that to have a real impact on reaching the UK’s net zero targets and benefitting the local community, retrofitting must be a consistent focus: “The challenge in retrofitting is that you must do it to every home, and we don’t directly control a lot of housing in Leeds. We need to cross the threshold and persuade families that retrofit is something that is relevant to them.”

On how Leeds City Council is persuading these households to consider housing retrofit, George stated that it is crucial to provide them with a case: “We’ve learned over time that there is no point in trying to persuade people unless you have got something to offer them to deliver it. Therefore, our communications have focused on projects that we’re running, and how we can make retrofitting for example more relevant to people in their lives.”

Leeds City Council’s involvement in the LLCA initiative supports the aims of its Net Zero Homes Plan, unveiled earlier this year, which set out blueprints for how the council could work with partners to install low-carbon heating and tackle heat loss from the city’s residential buildings.

George said that the Net Zero Homes Plan is helping Leeds to decide what the priorities are for the city: “The Net Zero Homes Plan was something that we’ve had in our work programme for a while, and it’s a chance for us to be clear about what the situation is in Leeds, in terms of the current work going on and what the gaps are. Therefore, we can figure out what challenges and opportunities there are.”

Leeds City Council is using sustainable technologies to decarbonise its housing stock

In addition to the LLCA initiative, Leeds has other programmes in place to tackle the housing crisis, focus on decarbonisation, and benefit its residents.

One of these is its Council Housing Building Programme, which sees the council working to deliver 1,500 high-quality, new build council homes across the city over the next five years.

The council declared a climate emergency in 2019, and as part of this commitment, it has decided to reduce its carbon emissions by making these homes more energy-efficient.

These homes feature energy-efficient hot water and heating systems, high levels of insulation such as double glazing, water-saving devices, and solar panels where possible.

On this, George highlighted the way that the council is focusing on decarbonising its housing stock by explaining how homes built through the Council Housing Building Programme are built without gas: “We decarbonise the homes from day one by using heat pumps rather than gas heating. Initially, they cost more to build but they become cheap for tenants to run in the future.”

Partnerships like this one are crucial in ensuring that homes are being built for the future rather than just for today, and meeting not only the UK’s net zero targets but meeting current housing demand.

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e decarbonise the homes from day one by using heat pumps rather than gas heating. Initially, they cost more to build but they become cheap for tenants to run in the future.

George Munson

Project Manager

Leeds City Council

Meeting the Net Zero Challenge in the North

The Northern Housing Consortium has released its ‘Real Homes, Real Change, Meeting the Net Zero Challenge in the North’ report, showcasing how the North of the UK is leading the way in delivering green home upgrades.

There are around 7 million homes across the North of the UK, with one-quarter of emissions in the North being attributable to its homes.

Over half of its homes will require energy efficiency upgrades within the next 10 years.

Without upgrading the North’s existing homes, the UK will not be able to meet its net zero targets. However, the North’s social housing sector is leading the way when it comes to its sustainable home upgrades.

Improving energy efficiency could save around £400 annually on energy bills

The Northern Housing Consortium’s report provides examples of the work currently being undertaken by its members.

One of these is First Choice Homes Oldham (FCHO) which through its Sustainability Strategy 2021-26, is working to create real change in the homes that need it the most.

FCHO delivered a whole house retrofit project from October 2021 to September 2022 on six of its least energy-efficient properties across Oldham, to help reduce energy bills for residents.

The aim was to create a scalable blueprint of how it would improve the energy efficiency of many more of its homes and achieve its sustainability goals.

It worked with residents to install measures such as solar panels, triple-glazed windows, and cavity wall insulation.

Each year, the North’s homes are responsible for carbon emissions equivalent to over 46 m illi on passengers’ roundtrip air flights.

This investment has led to a significant improvement in the energy efficiency of all the properties, and FCHO has predicted that the modifications will save each home around £400 annually on their energy bills.

On this, Chief Executive at FCHO, Dr Delroy Beverley, explained that the learning from this project is helping to inform: “How we deliver important improvements to more of our customers’ homes, ultimately providing properties that are more energy efficient, warmer, and with lower energy bills for customers and benefitting the environment.”

Going forward, the housing association will be monitoring energy consumption through smart thermostats over the coming years and will work with residents to minimise their energy use and increase cost savings.

Karbon Homes is working to decarbonise heat through air-source heat pumps

In Durham and Northumberland, Karbon Homes has delivered two projects. One was a retrofit

programme which saw it install energy improvement works in 97 homes.

This included fitting external walls, cavities, loft and underfloor insulation, new roofs and PV panels. The other was a renewable heat project where 350 airsource heat pumps were fitted into rural, off-grid homes that were previously powered by solid fuel.

As well as lowering emissions produced by the homes, these measures could help residents save up to 40% on their energy bills.

Over 70,000 jobs could be created by installing energy efficiency measures

Since the project has progressed, Karbon has discovered the level of support that residents need to ensure that they can make the most of the change.

Over the next two years, it will be investing a further £3.6 million in improving the energy efficiency of 218 more homes in the areas.

Manchester to retrofit its whole housing stock by 2038

Focusing on creating change through green heating, Manchester City Council replaced an inefficient communal gas boiler with a shared loop ground source heat pump (GSHP) system at Liverton Court in Blackley.

The project is part of the council’s wider ambitions to retrofit its 16,000 properties zero carbon housing stock by 2038.

It is essential that Manchester focuses on retrofitting its homes as around a quarter of its emissions come from housing.

Benefits from the project included emissions savings of 63 TCO 2 e annually and cost savings of £10,000 for the council.

This project reflected the importance of collaboration, as the council worked with residents, academia, installers, and technology suppliers.

Over 70,000 jobs could be created by installing energy efficiency measures

Seeing projects like these take place across the North of the UK is essential to help tackle the cost of living.

Energy efficiency upgrades create thousands of green jobs, with analysis by IPPR North for the Northern Housing Consortium discovering that there is a potential for 77,000 green jobs across the North by the 2030s.

Insulating homes doesn’t just improve efficiency and provide green jobs, but it makes these homes warmer and more comfortable for the people living in them.

Among the 1.3 million homes in the North that don’t meet the government’s current decent homes standard, around half of these are home to someone aged over 60 or with a longterm illness or disability.

Retrofit schemes around the UK have saved the NHS 42p for every £1 invested.

As the above examples highlight, the North’s social housing sector has made good progress, but more is needed to make real change, tackle the housing crisis, and combat the cost of living crisis.

Focusing on creating change through green heating, Manchester City Council replaced an inefficient communal gas boiler with a shared loop ground source heat pump (GSHP) system at Liverton Court in Blackley.

Energy efficiency upgrades create thousands of green jobs, with analysis by IPPR North for the Northern Housing Consortium discovering that there is a potential for 77,000 green jobs across the North by the 2030s.

Exploring the Intricate Steps Towards Net Zero Housing

The clock is ticking for the housing sector to not only meet net zero carbon by 2050 but also to achieve EPC C across all homes by 2030. How can we drive the housing sector to net zero?

Currently, housing accounts for around a fifth of all UK GHG emissions. A considerable amount is from the oil and gas used for heating and hot water, with around 10% of these emissions coming from the housing sector.

Housing associations own and manage around 2.7 million homes across England. To achieve the EPC C rating and to meet zero carbon, significant bottlenecks which are limiting the ability of housing associations to retrofit at scale and quickly, must be overcome.

The housing sector and the finance sector must come together

At the Housing Industry Leaders Cymru Conference, a panel discussed the drive to net zero and what it means for decarbonising the housing sector.

On the panel was Jack Wilkinson-Dix, Policy Manager at Energy Saving Trust, Lynne Sullivan OBE from the Net Zero Performance Hub, and Jackie Leonard, Head of Projects (Wales) at CHIC.

The current efficiency of the UK’s housing stock means a huge retrofit operation will be required to meet net zero.

The National Retrofit Hub is addressing the complex challenges of retrofit, by engaging with and bringing together stakeholders across the UK to support local retrofit delivery.

Lynne explained that the objective of the Hub is to bring initiatives together: “We wanted to create a knowledge hub which streamlines processes and feeds these into initiatives from the finance sector as well as all the initiatives that exist on skills and training.”

Working with the finance sector is crucial to see the housing sector improve its current housing stock.

In recent years, the financial pressures for social landlords have increased as they face the demands of building new homes, retrofitting existing stock to improve energy efficiency, and tackling health and safety issues.

On this, Jackie highlighted that to see the finance sector work with the housing sector, a clear roadmap must be in place: “Financers need to at least see the next 3 to 5 years, they need to know what is coming through, what type of work that is, and what skills are needed to deliver that work.”

Continuing, Jackie stated this collaboration is needed to ensure that skills are a priority: “We need to have a long debate that links to the developing of the skills that are needed the most. This links with some of the other conversations that we're having about how we build up those skills.”

The private sector must increase the energy efficiency of its housing stock

Lynne added that the National Retrofit Hub lets sectors see the future vision, incentivising them to explore net zero technologies.

She said: “Through the Hub, we can get the knowledge out there and we can really finetune the processes and generate confidence in the market. This is what is needed to generate and leverage more finance, private finance as well as public finance.”

Incentivising the private housing sector is a huge challenge. According to Citizen’s Advice, 2 in 5 renters say their homes retain heat badly and renters are 2 times more likely to say their homes are very expensive to heat than homeowners.

Things could be changing for the better as Parliament is currently debating the Energy Bill which could increase minimum energy efficiency standards for renters and help to deliver warmer and greener homes that are cheaper to run.

Jack revealed that the recent findings by Citizen’s Advice show that the private sector wants to implement sustainable housing.

He said: “The private sector was always going to be a challenge, especially around the private rented sector. This is where we need to think about different incentives. There was a recent Citizen’s Advice which revealed that a majority of members do feel that it’s their responsibility to increase the energy efficiency of their housing stock. We need to work out how we can enable that to happen.”

Resident engagement will boost the adoption of greener housing

While the housing crisis means that the focus needs to be on affordability, energy efficiency and funding, what must become clear is that the housing sector needs to address the challenges and importance of resident choice in delivering these.

On how it is pivotal to recognise resident choice, Jackie shared that it begins with engaging with residents at the beginning of the process: “Residents should be in some shape or form involved in the planning and the conversations that social landlords are having when they are looking at a particular area that they want to be doing works in.”

Continuing, Jackie explained that is about utilising the relationships that already exist: “In many cases, engaging with residents is already taking place. There are already those channels, it is just about how to make the most use of those channels. Perhaps, that is having conversations about understanding the works taking place, why they are needed, and what difference they will make.”

Lynne confirmed that this communication with residents is one of the things that will help us to see more sustainable housing: “It is important for smaller communities to have the best communication about the journey they need to go on. It is all about having the understanding, it is about the part each of us plays in the big picture of climate change.”

Residents will play an important role in the delivery and adoption of greener housing, and their engagement must be part of the delivery strategy. Communication and shared learning are needed to set out expectations and a more developed supply chain.

If we don’t engage with residents and help them to take part in the transition, then there is a real chance that we will get left behind.

Jack Wilkinson-Dix Policy Manager Energy Saving Trust

The UK needs to implement sustainable technologies today to see the benefits

As well as resident engagement, another way in which the housing sector can make the transition to net zero is by adopting changes now, rather than later.

Jack revealed that people are committed to decarbonisation but to go forward with decarbonisation plans, they need to know how they are going to benefit from it.

He said: “People want to feel that they have a stake in decarbonisation, and we’ve seen that those who adopt technology earlier on or at the start of the peak are the ones who tend to have the benefits. We are talking about flexibility, decarbonisation, electric vehicles, and the way that they will interact with each other. There are powerful benefits to adopting those.”

The First Minister of Wales, Rt Hon Mark Drakeford MS delivered a keynote speech at Housing Industry Leaders Cymru and highlighted what the Welsh Government is doing to tackle climate change, with housing being a major player.

He explained that to make sure that we don’t get left behind, it is essential that housing is a key priority for everyone.

The First Minister expressed: “If we are to work together towards net zero then that means taking housing as a really serious contributor, both to the solution and the right to the ongoing problem that we face.”

To ensure this, the First Minister stated that the Welsh Government will be exploring how to be more energy-efficient: “We have to cut the carbon cost of constructing new homes and even more considering we have to take radical action to make existing properties more energy-efficient and to play a part in the pathway to net zero.”

Reaching net zero in the housing sector is crucial to tackling climate change, promoting sustainable development, enhancing the well-being of residents, and ensuring a more resilient future for communities.

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hat makes a big difference is when people understand why projects are taking place and the benefits.

Jackie Leonard Head of Projects (Wales) CHIC

Using MMC to Amplify Sustainability in the Construction Industry

North Somerset Council has moved a step closer to delivering 425 new highquality, sustainable, and affordable homes on land it owns in Weston-super-Mare. How is the council using MMC to deliver sustainability in the construction industry?

The council and its chosen developer Keepmoat signed a build lease agreement recently to deliver the homes near Locking. Part of the Parklands Village development, the scheme will be called ‘Winterstoke Gate’. This project will focus on quality, sustainability, and the use of modern technologies using MMC. It will deliver 30% affordable housing, 85 adaptable or accessible homes, and 139 homes (around one-third) will be zero-carbon buildings with the remainder achieving a 75-80% reduction in carbon output.

Renewable energy technologies will be used to ensure the homes are well insulated

Housing Industry Leaders spoke to Jenny Ford, Head of Placemaking and Development at North Somerset Council, and Amanda Bishop, Regional MD at Keepmoat about the project.

Jenny began by explaining that through the procurement process to select a developer, sustainability was at the forefront of the council’s mind.

She said: “We asked bidders to demonstrate how they could maximise both sustainability and affordability. The competitive nature of the process led to a raising of the standards overall.”

Bidders were required to show how they would demonstrate sustainability and climate change readiness throughout the design and the delivery of their bid.

From a Keepmoat’s perspective, Amanda expressed that: “We will meet the requirements set by the council through a ‘fabric first’ approach to the construction of homes at Winterstoke Gate, ensuring they are well insulated and require low levels of energy to heat and cool. This will be supplemented through renewable energy in the form of air-source heat pumps and photovoltaic panels.”

The development is also zero gas, meaning that we are incorporating the latest thermal insulation to keep energy bills to a minimum while also promoting environmentally friendly living.

Amanda Bishop Regional MD Keepmoat

Local people will be educated on MMC benefits

On the benefits to local communities, Amanda highlighted that Keepmoat is always looking for ways to invest in and support local communities: “Working with North Somerset Council, we have implemented a number of social value initiatives at Winterstoke Gate that will support local people throughout the stages of this development.”

To educate local people about the project and its benefits, they will be coordinating regular site visits and work experience opportunities with local schools and colleges to assist with learning about the construction industry and MMC.

The use of MMC in this project was a requirement of grant funding from Homes England, that supported the development. However, Jenny stated that MMC is a major focus for the council: “North Somerset Council is supportive of MMC in any case, as it’s a way of boosting the quality control and sustainability of the construction industry.”

MMC is also a massive focus for Keepmoat, as it is outlined in its ‘Using Modern Methods of Construction’ case study, that it believes MMC helps to increase productivity in homebuilding and the reducing of environmental impacts of building.

Adding to this, Amanda explained that: “So far, we have delivered 9% of our homes across the UK using MMC, including premanufactured floors, large format walling solutions, panelised roof systems and closed panel timber frame.”

These methods are allowing Keepmoat to “enhance the incorporation of off-site manufactured components and increase levels of pre-manufactured value as we develop on-site assembly techniques to improve productivity, safety in build, quality and to reduce waste with scalable and affordable solutions.”

North Somerset Council will continue to deliver affordable housing

As well as educating local young people about MMC, Keepmoat is also sponsoring two industry placements per year for students based in North Somerset who are currently studying for their T-levels.

On this, Amanda added: “Our commitment to supporting education and career development will see us support 20 local people through apprenticeships on-site or within the local supply chain, and 10 internships for residents of North Somerset offering commercial and construction experience.”

Going forward, the council will be focusing on delivering more sustainable and affordable housing.

The council is hoping to launch procurement exercises for the delivery of residential-led development on sites in the Western-superMare town centre, and in Clevedon. This together will have the potential to deliver around 750 homes.

Projects like this one which incorporates sustainable modern technologies such as MMC, will be crucial in delivering the homes that local communities are desperately needing and ensures that they are being educated along the way too.

B y working with Registered Providers and Homes England, we’ve helped deliver over 400 new affordable homes in 2022-23. This is double our original target of 200.

PH Jones: Shaping the Future of Social Housing

The social housing sector is focusing on advancing digital services and investing in technologies, so residents who need the most support will be at the heart of what they do. How is PH Jones, part of British Gas, shaping the future of social housing?

PH Jones supports the move towards net zero, using lowcarbon solutions across its entire services, including specification, procurement, servicing and repair.

Technology can tell if someone is struggling to pay their energy bills

Housing Industry Leaders spoke to Ian Mather, National Renewables Strategic BDM at PH Jones about how he is focusing on supporting social housing providers and their residents on the journey to net zero.

“Technology can provide all sorts of data points and information. That could be something as simple as how efficient a heating system is or how much energy is generated by a generation system.” It is these technologies, Ian explained, that will help benefit the social housing sector.

In addition to this, technology can flag up the efficiency of a property and how well it is performing. This insight will help further understand the state of the property, such as the living conditions.

Giving an example, Ian expressed that you could install two properties identically, and from real-time data, you can identify signs: “If the heating utilisation is very low, and relative humidity is higher, it could indicate a welfare issue. Someone may be struggling to afford their energy bills.”

Though this may not necessarily mean that there is anything wrong with the system or the property, it could trigger a welfare check from the social housing provider, to go and have a conversation with the resident and see if any additional support is needed.

There is not one silver bullet technology to decarbonising housing

Another major benefit that technology can bring to the social housing sector is helping to tackle the difficult road to decarbonisation.

The UK has an aim to reach net zero by 2050. A report by the National Housing Federation has stated that the elimination of carbon emissions across all social housing has the potential to deliver “enormous benefits for residents, communities, the economy, and the environment”.

Focusing on one technology is not practical and won’t deliver the results that we need for the residents of the country as a whole, we must explore multiple technologies.

Ian revealed that sustainable technology isn’t a new thing to PH Jones: “We installed around 1800 heat pumps about 15 years ago, so we’ve been doing this for some time. British Gas has got the largest energy company obligation of any of the energy companies. Therefore, we have been funding renewable measures for some time in the social housing sector.”

Through its work on renewable technologies, it has discovered that a technologyagnostic viewpoint is needed.

Ian stated that multiple technologies must be explored to meet net zero: “We recognise that there are lots of measures out there that support the transition to net zero. We’re fully supportive of the fabricfirst approach and believe it is absolutely the way to go. However, it is not a case of trying to shoehorn one technology into every archetype.”

To ensure that residents are provided with the necessary knowledge of what is needed to transition to net zero, PH Jones operate a consultative approach.

This helps it to understand its clients' needs, for clients to understand their residents’ needs, and presents the client with options and solutions to support the transition to net zero.

Ian said that providing this knowledge is crucial in planning for the future: “Meeting net zero is not something that we’re going to do overnight.

It is important that our clients not only understand what is available to them and how we can transition today, but we need to ensure they have a sight of the future, are able to plan, and make sure that their strategic approach to net zero can reflect the future.”

DSR can help to stagger energy demand

With the focus on renewable generation increasing, there is a need for increased system flexibility to balance the system.

The grid has a part to play in the decarbonisation journey.

DSR means demand side response or flexibility as it is also known. DSR enables certain household technologies to smooth the load on the grid by automatically adjusting their power demand.

In turn, this can actively save the residents money by taking advantage of lower rates when surplus energy is available and reducing usage when rates are higher. This technology also has the potential to generate revenue.

Examples of technologies that can be compatible with this system are house batteries, heat pumps, intelligent hot water cylinders, EV charging points, and storage heaters.

Explaining the importance of DSR, Ian expressed that: “The grid needs to remain at around 50 hertz in frequency. If it increases too much, they need to get rid of energy. If it decreases, they need to add additional generation. This can be costly and carbon-intensive.”

Continuing, Ian told Housing Industry Leaders that DSR plays an important role in the transition to a low-carbon energy system.

He said: “When it comes to charging, we can stagger the demand through the off-peak periods to make sure that we’re not having a massive peak of demand and then suddenly everything clicks off and there is a huge surplus of supply again.”

Going forward, Ian highlighted that PH Jones will continue to support the use of technology in social housing to ensure the sector is futureproofed: “The beauty of our business is that it is part of Centrica, so we can speak to our energy teams, our demand side response team, and HIVE, and through this we can share experiences, share knowledge, and make sure that we are ready for the future.”

To keep informed of future technologies, PH Jones has a research and development lab in Leicester attached to its academy. Its role is to test products, ensure that they do what manufacturers promise they do, but also look to the future to become more efficient.

The social housing sector must focus on advancing a variety of technologies to guarantee that providers truly fulfil their residents’ needs.

By sharing knowledge, supporting conferences, and talking about what we do, that is where I think we can make a real difference.

PH Jones

Achieving Net Zero: Lessons Learned from Retrofitting and the Role Consortia Play in Meeting the ORP

In our race against climate change, achieving net zero emissions has become imperative. One area where we can make a significant difference is in retrofitting existing homes to improve energy efficiency and reduce carbon footprints.

The UK Government has a target to bring all rented homes up to EPC C by 2030 whilst the Welsh Government has consulted on the Welsh Housing Quality Standards 2023, where it is proposing that social housing in Wales is brought up to an EPC A (or SAP 92/ EIR 92) by 2033.

In the UK, residential buildings alone account for a staggering 25% of the country's carbon emissions. Aside from the high associated costs there are challenges in collecting and analysing the data to determine the right solution for each property, finding the right resources to complete the work and the need to comply with regulations to name but a few.

The challenge of retrofitting existing homes

The cost of retrofitting is estimated by the government at £9,000 per property, however, the housing sector believes the actual cost falls within a higher range of £19,000 to £25,000. The sheer scale of the task means that retrofitting UK social homes could cost anywhere between £100 - £250 billion.

Social Housing Landlords are operating in a turbulent and challenging environment with rising interest rates, impacting both the Landlord directly but also their residents alongside the cost of living crisis.

There is currently a national shortage of the skilled and qualified people to carry out works. Entrants, including SMEs face barriers due to funding limitations and untested models.

Compliance with the Public Contracts

Regulations is both time consuming and costly and achieving value for money while ensuring quality and performance during the procurement process adds complexity. However, this is also a huge long-term opportunity to build up a highly skilled retrofit sector starting from raising awareness in the classroom right through to retraining and reskilling older workers and those re-entering the labour market.

One significant challenge is the need for accurate data management, including the importance of having correct EPC, SAP ratings, as well as accurate, detailed asset information.

From a supply chain perspective we need to see the future pipeline so they have the confidence to make the long term investment in developing their infrastructure and skilled resources.

Future considerations for successful retrofitting

It is essential to undertake PAS2035 surveys early and without waiting for funding, as this will provide valuable insights and accurate data with which to formulate long term strategic Asset Management plans. Additionally, aligning the asset management strategy, internal operating practices and business models is crucial to ensure a cohesive and effective approach.

Considering the route to market and commencing the procurement process early will help streamline the retrofitting efforts. Consideration of commissioning protocols, working practices and forms of contract is necessary to ensure efficient execution and accountability.

Engaging tenants from the outset is vital to gain their support and involvement throughout the retrofitting journey. This can be achieved by actively involving them in decision making processes and keeping them informed about the project's progress.

While it may be tempting to rush into the construction phase, taking sufficient time in the planning stage is crucial. Thorough planning reduces the likelihood of errors and allows for a more efficient use of resources. By fostering collaboration, knowledge sharing and effective communication, the retrofitting process can be optimised and contribute to a sustainable future.

The role of consortia in achieving success

In the pursuit of successful retrofitting programs, consortia and the utilisation of routes to market such as frameworks or Dynamic Purchasing Systems (DPS) play a vital role.

Early engagement is critical as highlighted in the Constructing the Gold Standard Recommendations to ensure the developed solutions are fit for purpose and flexible to adhere to an ever changing market.

CHIC recently brought together social landlords and supply chain partners to consider how they can advise effective delivery of the ORP, by ensuring that the sector has the right tools and solutions in place.

Some of the key insights concluded that we need to get better at data sharing to inform best practice, sophistication of understanding overall asset performance needs to develop and we need to work closely with residents to inform and educate the benefits of retrofit.

CHIC has 23 members in Wales and works closely with Welsh Government to deliver a suite of Dynamic Purchasing Systems to deliver the ORP and Building Safety Works in Wales, all available for its members. Any RSL of local authority can join CHIC – there is no charge to join.

For more information about CHIC, please visit their website at www.chicltd.co.uk

Ideal Heating: Meeting Sustainable Heating Needs

According to the government’s Heat and Building strategy, 17% of the UK’s carbon emissions are attributed to domestic heating. Therefore, it is crucial that the housing sector finds more sustainable solutions. How is Ideal Heating meeting the UK’s sustainable housing needs through its air source heat pumps?

Ideal Heating is at the forefront of the domestic and commercial heating markets, leading the industry in setting new standards and challenging technological boundaries.

The Logic Air heat pump range is its new range of monobloc heat pumps. It has been designed to deliver efficient, simple, and reliable low-carbon heating in homes throughout the UK.

The Logic Air heat pump has been designed to be quiet while running

Housing Industry Leaders spoke to Lizzie Wilkinson, Product Director –Domestic at Ideal Heating about the Logic Air heat pump.

Lizzie began by explaining that when Ideal Heating designed the heat pump, one of the main focuses was on efficiency.

She revealed: “When we talk about ensuring high efficiency, we talk about the coefficient of performance. This is the amount of energy you put in, combined with the amount of free energy that the heat pump extracts from the air, and how much heat energy that produces.”

To meet sustainable heating needs by using heat pumps, it is essential that people choose to have them installed.

Key Features

In addition to it being highly efficient with a SCOP up to 5.19*, other key features of the heat pump include:

• Quiet operation

• Compatible with radiator and underfloor heating systems

• Smart weather compensating controls

• Low-carbon refrigerant

• Smart grid and solar PV compatible

• Easily installed and serviced

• Hot, efficient, and fast re-heat times with the Ideal heat pump cylinder range

*Performance data for Logic Air 10kW in accordance with EN 14825:2016 (A7/W35).

Lizzie highlighted that when designing the Logic Air heat pump, it being quiet was a must: “The British public aren’t used to having a box on the outside of the house, so we need to make sure the heat pumps are really quiet when they run, and we did this with Logic Air.”

Showing how quiet the Logic Air heat pump is, Ideal Heating has recently been awarded the Quiet Mark certification, a global rating that rewards the quietest central heating products.

A variety of technologies must be explored to decarbonise heat

Air source heat pumps are an attractive technology for people who are looking for a highly efficient and low-carbon heating system.

From our perspective we know that the decarbonisation of domestic heating and hot water is important in the transition towards net zero.

Domestic

However, Lizzie expressed that air source heat pumps are just one part of the net zero puzzle: “There has to be a shift to different types of technologies to reach net zero. It might be hydrogen for heating, it might be heat pumps, it might be electric. We need a real mix of technology.”

To make sure Ideal Heating is focusing on a variety of technologies, it is diversifying its product portfolio so that it can support its customers in the transition to decarbonisation.

Putting its customers first is key for Ideal Heating, Lizzie explained that it is aiming to provide full support to those who need it.

She said: “Right from pre-sales, we offer support to the customer in terms of specification. For the new build, we have a full design team who do new build designs and they’ll do that with any heating system. We also have a dedicated customer service team specifically trained on air source heat pumps.”

Training is a huge investment for Ideal Heating

Investing in training is something that Ideal Heating is making a priority.

It offers training at 19 locations throughout the UK. Its full-time expert training managers are offering a wide range of comprehensive courses, which can be customised to individual installation and service companies.

Lizzie explained that as well as these training opportunities, it has taken advantage of the recent UK Government funding announcement: “We’re accredited to offer government-funded training and we also back that up with subsidising costs as well.”

Continuing, she said that going forward, training will continue to be prioritised: “Our training schemes are constantly expanding. We see training as important and we’re putting installers through heat pump training weekly.”

Technologies like Ideal Heating’s Logic Air heat pump are crucial in seeing the housing sector meet its net zero targets.

In Case You Missed It

If you couldn’t attend Housing Industry Leaders Cymru, be sure to check the highlight reel that captures the day’s key moments. This includes keynote speeches, engaging panel discussions, and valuable networking sessions in the exhibition zone.

We heard from notable speakers at the event including the First Minister of Wales, Rt Hon Mark Drakeford MS, as well as Ian Mather from PH Jones, and Carl Raison from Ideal Heating, who shared their insights.

First Minister of Wales, Rt Hon Mark Drakeford MS

Don’t miss the opportunity to catch up on the highlights and gain beneficial industry knowledge!

“We have good reason to be hopeful here in Wales.”

“We feel we have a really important responsibility and important to play to help the country transition to net zero carbon.”

Ian Mather, National Renewables Strategic BDM at PH Jones

“On the route to decarbonisation, we look to lead the way with our Monobloc system and our Split systems as well.”

Carl Raison, Technical Sales Manager at Ideal Heating

Scotland

Radisson Blu, Glasgow

29 November 2023

Building on the initial phases of the Affordable Housing Supply Programme, this one-day conference will explore how funding mechanisms for housing providers help to deliver homes across Scotland.

With a commitment to delivering 110,000 affordable homes by 2032, the Scottish Government has allocated £752m for 2023-2024 to help support their plans.

The event will highlight how Scotland will Deliver Affordable Housing, why Retrofit is essential for decarbonising existing housing stock and how low-carbon technologies will support this. This will be done through keynote speeches, panel discussions and technical seminars.

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