Glen Housing Association (Glen HA) is committed to affordably warm, low-carbon homes for its tenants.
To deliver on this, Glen HA asked Changeworks to help them explore potential retrofit projects. This exploration included working out which energy efficiency improvements best suited their housing stock, as well as possible funding options.
By working with Changeworks, Glen HA gained a detailed understanding of their current housing stock’s energy efficiency, as well as the pathways to improvement. Together, they ran a pilot project on 30 homes to test the benefits of a deep retrofit approach.
Understand Glen HA’s housing stock
To ensure a successful retrofit project, Changeworks and Glen HA first needed to understand the housing stock’s current energy efficiency. Changeworks analysed all 482 properties and Glen sent a survey sent to their tenants.
The results from the tenant survey revealed the real-life impact of poor home energy efficiency:
The majority of tenants reported turning their heating off, even when their home was still cold.
Following the analysis and survey results, Changeworks undertook deeper evaluation of Glen HA’s six archetypes, including detailed property assessments, temperature and relative humidity monitoring, air pressure testing, thermography and detailed energy modelling.
From this data, Changeworks produced a comprehensive Net-Zero Pathways report.
The Net Zero Pathways report
The Changeworks Net Zero Pathways report found that homes would need significant fabric upgrades to make low-carbon heating affordable. Measures included triple glazing and External Wall Insulation (EWI), as well as draught-proofing. To ensure healthy homes, ventilation measures were also required.
Glen HA and their board decided to trial this deep retrofit approach as part of a pilot project.
Rockfield Gardens pilot project
Changeworks identified Rockfield Gardens, Glenrothes as the best location for the pilot project.
Rockfield Gardens is a cul-de-sac of 30 properties, built in 1993. The majority are two-storey and semi-detached. At the start of the project, each home had a gas combi boiler, original double-glazed windows and cavity wall insulation.
The average Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating of the properties was C71.
As recommended by the Net Zero Pathways report, all properties in Rockfield Gardens received:
- External Wall Insulation (EWI)
- An Air Source Heat Pump (ASHP) and radiator upgrades
- A Sunamp thermal battery for hot water
- Triple glazing and insulated doors
- Decentralised Mechanical Extract Ventilation (dMEV)
Each of these measures was installed by Sureserve.
Funding the Rockwell Gardens project
Changeworks helped Glen HA apply for the Scottish Government’s Social Housing Net Zero Heat Fund (SHNZHF). This grant supports Scottish social housing providers to install clean heating and energy efficiency measures across their existing housing stock.
Glen HA was awarded almost £800,000 for the Rockfield Gardens project.
Outcome of the project
Upgrading the properties from mains gas to a heat pump means tenants now rely less on fossil fuels for their heating and hot water needs. Fabric upgrades (EWI, triple glazing, and insulated doors) mean that heat pumps can run at a relatively low flow temperature of 50 degrees. This reduces electricity consumption, offsetting some of the higher cost of electricity (relative to gas).
In addition, the new 2.7kw Solar PV systems mean Rockwell Gardens’ residents can generate their own electricity. The Duracell solar batteries give tenants more control over when they use their free electricity, further reducing the home’s reliance on the grid.
The various upgrades increased the average EPC rating from C71 to B84.
Estimated annual energy savings are 331,176 kWh.
Estimated annual C0z savings are 56.17 tCO2e.
Crucially, given Glen HA’s commitment to both low-carbon heating and affordable energy bills, tenants are expected to make annual energy cost savings of £179 per household. As a result, households stand a much better chance of staying warm and comfortable without falling into fuel poverty.
Mrs Stewart shared how the project has improved her home comfort:
“It was a big upheaval but in the long run it’s going to be worth it. The new windows and doors have helped drastically as the ones we had before were over 30 years’ old. The heating doesn’t get as hot but coming in from outside the heat hits you even though it’s not up too high. Heat also gets circulated throughout the house more. Before, there was a room above the porch which was always cold but now it maintains the heat well.”
Mrs Sands said:
“My home looks more pleasing. It was nice before, but I’m very pleased with the new wall bits. It’s also warmer. I keep the heating on all the time, as I was advised, at around 20 degrees.”