Local Authority Building & Maintenance January/February 2021

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JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021

LOCAL AUTHORITY BUILDING & MAINTENANCE

HOUSING & REGENERATION HEATING & RENEWABLE ENERGY

INTERNATIONAL PERSPECTIVE Richard Hyams, Founder and Director of astudio, discusses how people and the planet can benefit from new approaches to architecture

OFFSITE INSIGHTS Debansu Das, Business Development Director at ZED PODS, talks to LABM about ‘Hope Rise’, the first MMC housing development of its kind to be completed in the UK

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CONTENTS

January/February 2021 Vol.37 No.1

REGULARS 5 COMMENT Resilience in the Face of Adversity 6 NEWS Housing Forum guide on closing the older peoples’ housing gap — £11m affordable housing projects in Yorkshire — National Housing Summit 2021 8 LEGAL UPDATE Winckworth Sherwood’s Ruby Giblin puts forward seven factors that will drive MMC uptake in 2021 10 INTERNATIONAL PERSPECTIVE Richard Hyams, Founder and Director of astudio, discusses architecture as social and environmental activism 12 OFFSITE INSIGHTS ZED PODS and Bristol City Council’s ‘Hope Rise’ modular housing scheme

HOUSING & REGENERATION

The importance of delivering multi-tenure housing schemes and advice on increasing shared ownership

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HEATING & RENEWABLE ENERGY

14 A Question of Tenures Why RPs should consider a range of tenure options on developments

26 Aiming High Carbon emission targets and advice on greener ways to heat tall buildings

16 Why Local Authorities Should Root for Timber Time for Timber campaign and using structural timber to deliver volume housing

28 Question Time: The Future of Heat Baxi Heating answer questions on low carbon heating and the transition to net zero for social housing

18 Advertisement Feature How INCA has supported the EWI industry for almost 40 years

30 Solar Gains The latest innovations in solar PV that could help local authorities tackle fuel poverty

32 Holistic Approach to Energy Efficiency Advice on specifying the right solutions to ‘green’ existing social housing stock 34 Hydrogen for Housing The potential for hydrogen heating technology in social housing and a look at the latest domestic field trials 35 Round-up

20 Cutting the Noise Acoustic floor coverings and minimising noise transmission between apartments 23 Dual Certification Q&A with Door-Stop International and Warringtonfire covering the importance of third-party duel certification when specifying fire doorsets 25 Round-up

The Time for Timber Campaign

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Government’s ambitious carbon emission targets and advice on low carbon heating solutions for tall buildings

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Resilience in the face of adversity It’s certainly not the start to 2021 anyone would have wished for. We’re in a third national lockdown, as a new far more infectious variant of the virus takes its toll across the country and rates of infections still high. However, Government’s accelerating vaccine rollout programme is cause for genuine optimism. It offers hope that at some point this year the UK will be able to return to some semblance of normality and potentially everyone in the country will receive the first vaccine before the end of September.

The pandemic has brought into sharp focus the importance of taking into consideration the needs of other people and putting them first. It’s hugely positive that a light has been shone on mental health and wellbeing, and that light continues to shine bright. A number of brave people in housing and property services have come forward to share their experiences of COVID-19, isolation and depression, for example — from vulnerable residents to those working in the sector — which have been met with empathy, widespread support and understanding, as more people recognise the importance of mental health.

In partnership with mental health charity Mind, the Chartered Institute of Housing President and Chief Executive of Grand Union Housing Group, Aileen Evans, launched the #shinealight campaign to help housing organisations deal with mental health better. In January, Aileen wrote a blog entitled, ‘Wellbeing at work in housing — tackling the disconnect between CEOs and frontline workers’, which you can find on the Chartered Institute of Housing’s website: www.cih.org. In the piece, Aileen reminds us that we need to learn from last year’s experiences, particularly as there could be more national lockdowns or tough tier based restrictions ahead. Aileen says: “At the end of January, we’ll be bringing together some of the research participants to consider how we could do better.”

The pandemic has also made people more aware of climate change and the need to protect our natural environment and biodiversity. The Prime Minister's 10 Point Plan, for example, aims to ‘help kickstart the nation’s green recovery’ and includes an £80m fund for green jobs and new national parks. ‘Point 7: Greener buildings’ specifically addresses the need to future-proof new buildings and make existing ones more

energy-efficient. The plan also places emphasis on making use of technologies such as offshore wind, low carbon hydrogen and carbon capture.

An increasing number of councils and housing associations are leading the drive towards low carbon and net zero on new and existing housing schemes, as well as across their organisations. In January, for example,

Over the last 10 to 12 months “people across the UK have shown great resilience in the face of extreme adversity.

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Diana Lock, Head of Energy and Environment at Optivo — one of the largest housing providers in the UK and a member of the G15 group of London’s largest housing associations — was named on the Homes UK Climate Champions Power List, which celebrates those in the housing sector for their achievements in tackling climate change.

Over the last 10 to 12 months people across the UK have shown great resilience in the face of extreme adversity. This was highlighted in a recent Sky News report about a former Theatre Technician who lost his job due to the pandemic and set up an eco friendly housing retrofit project in Greater Manchester, employing a group of workers from the arts industry. Former Theatre Technician, Andrew Glassford commented: “For me it was a common sense idea, people with the skills, who are out of work and we’ve got millions of homes that need to be retrofitted so we can tackle the climate crisis, so why not get these people into jobs.”

Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham was full of praise for the initiative, saying: “I just think it’s ingenious, it’s inspiring and it deserves our support.”

It’s stories like this that give us hope for better times ahead in 2021.

LABMONLINE.CO.UK

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021

LOCAL AUTHOR ITY BUILDING & MAINTENANCE

HOUSING & REGENE RATION

HEATING & RENEWA BLE ENERGY

INTERNATIONAL PERSPECTIVE Richard Hyams, Founder and Director of astudio, discusses the planet can benefithow people and from new approaches to architectur e

COVER STORY: The Hope Rise project, delivered by Bristol City Council, Bristol Housing Festival, ZED PODS Ltd, YMCA, and Bristol and Bath Regional Capital.

Turn to page 12 to find out more about the project.

JAN UARY/FEBRUARY

OFFSITE INSIGHTS Debansu Das, Business Development Director at ZED PODS, talks to Rise’, the first MMC LABM about ‘Hope housing developme of its kind to be nt completed in the UK

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NEWS CONTRACT UPDATE Keeping residents connected Thousands of Southampton City Council tenants now have access to gigabit broadband, which is over 12 times faster than the UK average. Hyperoptic, a leading full fibre broadband provider, has provided the service.

Hyperoptic expanded its network to Southampton in 2016. Since then, it has steadily grown its footprint across the city via connecting private sector properties.

By agreeing with Southampton Council to allow the installation of its network into council-owned properties, the full fibre broadband provider is now able to connect social housing properties in the area as well.

It has extended its network to 4,000 Southampton City Council homes, with another 2,000 set to be added soon, and also connected 14 community centres, where it will offer the general public free access to its gigabit-enabled broadband service.

Boost for community support fund A charity established by one of the leading housing providers across Shropshire and Staffordshire has received a welcome boost from a construction partner. The Housing Plus Group Community Fund supports a range of initiatives that benefit communities served by the housing association, and it recently welcomed a £250 donation from Barnfield Construction, the company building a landmark project in Stafford.

Barnfield Construction is currently on site at a development located on the corner of Riverway and Lammascote Road, which will provide 80 one- and two-bedroomed apartments. The scheme is being built on behalf of Stafford and Rural Homes, which is now part of Housing Plus Group.

Practical model Housing Forum guide aims to close the older peoples’ housing gap.

A new guide published by The Housing Forum, Older and Wiser, looks to address society’s failure to provide suitable homes for the ageing population by setting out a range of practical suggestions with 16 case studies demonstrating diverse solutions and inspired thinking.

Based on the experience and knowledge of Housing Forum members, Older and Wiser shows how housing associations, local councils and private developers who may be looking to develop specialist housing for the first time, can deliver greater numbers and a wider range of accommodation to meet the needs of older people. Providing better and more suitable housing provision will enable people to live more independently for longer.

The guide is published at a critical stage in the demographic cycle, with the number of people aged 85 and over forecast to double to 3.2 million by 2041.

Yet there are just 730,000 retirement housing units across the UK, according to the Elderly Accommodation Counsel (EAC).

To address the shortages and the varied requirements of this diverse demographic, the authors are calling for a greater focus

on the problem by government, housing providers and local authorities.

Tom Titherington, Executive Director – Development and Commercial, Sovereign and Chair of the Housing Forum Working Group which produced the report comments: “Housing for older people in our society is seriously under-catered-for and half of what there is was last renovated more than 30 years ago.”

Mike Turner, Executive Director, Ian Williams, and Deputy Chair of the Working Group, adds: “In this guide we examine the challenges, look at solutions, and going one step further, have devised a practical model that every housing provider can use today.”

The guide is available to download here www.rdr.link/lt001

New MMC report Prefabricated homes have been long-heralded as the future of housebuilding; but if the arguments for homes to be manufactured like cars are so compelling, why is factory-built housing not more common?

That’s the question the NHBC Foundation’s ‘Modern methods of construction: building on experience’ report examines, by scrutinising notable periods of transformation in the industry and exploring the elements of design, as well as the social and economic influences, that fuel change.

The report also looks at the history of non-traditional housing through a range of different technologies and advancements since the 19th Century and how technological advances can be harnessed

to respond to the increasing demand for new homes. NHBC’s Head of Standards, Innovation and Research, Richard Smith, says: “As we navigate the COVID-19 pandemic and come out of the EU, there is an opportunity to innovate. This new report looks at the best features of homes from the past to inform the homes of the future.”

To download a copy of the report please visit www.rdr.link/lt002

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DIARY DATES

£11m affordable housing projects in Yorkshire

National Housing Summit 2021

Esh Construction has worked in partnership with Yorkshire Housing to deliver more than 80 affordable homes across two developments totalling £11.4m in Yorkshire.

The first to complete was Bodmin Road, marking the first land-led development Esh Construction has delivered The Bodmin Road development in Middleton in Yorkshire. The £3.7m development in Middleton, Construction was appointed as the design Leeds, was officially handed over at the and build contractor working with start of November and provides 32 new Acanthus WSM Architects, BWA (Europe) homes which will help address the Ltd and WSP. shortfall of affordable housing in the Stuart Leslie, Divisional Director at Esh south west of Leeds.

Construction, says: “The project delivery Bodmin Road provides 28 houses and teams and our partners have worked in four apartments with a mix of two- and collaboration to overcome the difficulties three-bedroom homes, for shared faced as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak ownership and affordable rent tenures. The to deliver two high-quality developments houses are arranged in semi-detached for Yorkshire Housing.” terraces and the apartments are in a twoSian Grindley, Head of Development at storey block, all with parking facilities.

Yorkshire Housing, adds: “Delivering two Work at Bodmin Road commenced in great affordable housing projects during April 2019 in partnership with SSA Architects what has been a testing year is testament and Clancy Consulting when Leeds City to our partnership and the hard work the Council approved the plans to transform the teams at Yorkshire Housing and Esh have site of two former care homes. put into getting both Bodmin Road, The second development to complete Middleton and Barnsdale Road, Allerton is Barnsdale Road, located two miles north Bywater, over the line. of Castleford in Allerton Bywater. Esh’s “We are passionate about creating affordable housing division transformed new communities and delivering quality 4.6 acres of land formerly used as a affordable homes across Yorkshire that colliery station yard into 12 two-bedroom, our customers are proud to live in and 38 three-bedroom, and five four-bedroom call home. The completion of Bodmin houses, again for a mix of shared Road and Barnsdale Road contributes to ownership and affordable rent tenures. our strategic priority of delivering 8,000 Contemporary in design and in new homes by 2030.” keeping with a neighbouring urban village, the 55 new homes are arranged in small terraces and semi-detached units, each with their own landscaped garden area and parking facilities.

Construction work on the £7.6m Barnsdale Road development started in The Barnsdale Road housing scheme in Allerton Bywater February 2018 when Esh

This four day virtual event will run from the 22nd to the 25th March and will debate some of the biggest challenges facing the housing association sector, from the climate crisis and examining the early impacts of Brexit on communities, to how to boost diversity and inclusion across the sector.

The summit will also address affordable housing’s role in driving economic recovery and new ways of working, emerging housing needs, urban developments and future cities.

Speakers include Helen Barnard, Director at the Joseph Rowntree Foundation and Lord Richard Best, Chair of the Affordable Housing Commission.

For more details and to register visit https://summit.housing.org.uk/

RIBA approved heat pump CPD The Grant eLearning Academy, which launched in July 2020, has welcomed hundreds of heating engineers, installers and merchants who have completed the on-demand, instructorled and free product training courses available on the platform. Now, the eLearning Academy has a new area created specifically for architects and specifiers, who can log on and access online training materials to support their understanding of renewable heating, as well furthering their continued personal development training.

One of the training materials exclusively available in this zone is the online course of Grant’s RIBA approved Air Source Heat Pump CPD seminar. To access this new online training area from Grant all specifiers and architects need to do is visit www.grantelearning.com, sign-up with the enrolment key GUKSPEC21 and create an account.

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LEGAL UPDATE

Ruby Giblin is a Partner in the Housing Finance and Social Housing team at Winckworth Sherwood. Ruby can be reached by email: rgiblin@wslaw.co.uk. Visit www.wslaw.co.uk.

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s we move into 2021 in the wake of a year of unprecedented uncertainty, the local authority sector, through partnering, joint ventures, or otherwise, seek to play their part in reaching the 300,000 annual social housing target, which in recent times has become even more imperative.

Modular methods of construction, or MMC, with component parts manufactured in a factory and assembled elsewhere, have been talked about for a number of years. With its speed, precision quality and green credentials, it ticks all the boxes, but the cost, largely due to small scale production, the ‘cottage industry’ nature of the manufacturing process and the failure of any mass rollout, despite government support, has held back deployment on any significant level.

A lack of funding by banks and investors due to insufficient security has added further to this malaise. Traditional funders are anxious about issues such as sufficient and appropriate valuations, which are not available at the present time, the cost of lifecycle replacement and maintenance, saleability on enforcement, and whether there is a market for these units for funders to offload upon default? However, help is at hand, with 2021 finally seeing solutions to develop the requisite charging model.

So why now?

There are seven factors driving change: One. 2021 has seen the two predominant valuers in the housing sector join together (JLL and Savills) to move matters forward with the launch of the MMC Information Standard (a list of valuers’ requirements) which will allow the valuers to issue reliable, consistent valuations for funders,

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Modern Methods of Construction Winckworth Sherwood’s Ruby Giblin puts forward seven reasons why MMC is coming to you in 2021. a sample with the co-operation of UK Finance representing the major funders in the sector is underway.

Two. In addition, the valuers have agreed on particular MMC conditions precedent including assurance schemes and warranties. Mark Farmer, the UK Housing Czar, has listed three approved new-build insurance warranty providers (BLP, NHBC and MD Warranty Inspection Services) in a Memorandum of Understanding. At last, some clarity on the issue of warranties has been provided.

Three. NHBC has issued a bespoke MMC warranty, tracking the lifespan of a MMC building in its new NHBC Accepts product. If this is obtained from inception, funders have been positive about accepting this and will consider whether an assurance product, such as BOPAS, which is a fundamental MMC requirement, will also still be required.

Four. The MHCLG have heralded the arrival of the new Affordable Housing Guarantee scheme, where £3bn of funds is available for new-build schemes, actively encouraging the charging of MMC properties as acceptable security.

Strategic Partnerships also require 25% of properties built with government monies to be MMC products, providing opportunities for local authorities to join with Registered Providers and/or developers to accelerate social housing development.

Five. Groups such as Building Better, sponsored by the National Housing Federation and Offsite Alliance, which promotes SME manufacturers (both groups are supported by Mark Farmer), are striving towards consistency for MMC manufacturers. Building Better consists of RPs and local authorities that exchange

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Alliance is working “withOffsite Homes England to record MMC data and form consortiums of SME manufacturers so if one fails others can step in…

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their common MMC experiences to work out best practices. They recently held a roundtable for funders that raised awareness of MMC products for funders.

Offsite Alliance is working with Homes England to record MMC data and form consortiums of SME manufacturers, so if one fails others can step in, and will form a prototype of social housing units so there will be categorisation and consistency so funders will be comfortable.

Six. New funders have entered the market, for example THFC who are setting aside funding specifically for MMC units.

Seven. The environmental, social and governance movement has gained traction amongst investors, with a space at the table for eco-friendly, low carbonisation MMC methods.

As the year unfolds, has MMC finally come of age?

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INTERNATIONAL PERSPECTIVE: ARCHITECTURE AS SOCIAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL ACTIVISM

BUILDING A BETTER FUTURE RICHARD HYAMS, FOUNDER AND DIRECTOR OF ASTUDIO, ESPOUSES THE IMPORTANCE OF FUTURE-PROOFING OUR BUILT ENVIRONMENT AND HIGHLIGHTS HOW PEOPLE AND THE PLANET CAN BENEFIT FROM NEW APPROACHES TO ARCHITECTURE.

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s England is in another national lockdown, initiatives that prioritise wellbeing, community and sustainability are high on the agenda for urban planners looking ahead in 2021. Our built environment reflects our values as a society — and in that sense, the design, quality, and distribution of our buildings are more than aesthetic considerations, but social and even political ones too.

Architecture that reflects a social and environmental conscience will help build a better future for our communities and our planet. Innovative construction methods, for instance, will better equip school buildings to provide for our younger generations, while public realm design projects will benefit from communities’ collaboration. Moreover, new approaches to space will improve access to housing, and cutting-edge technologies will breathe sustainability into our built environment.

Building better education Schools have had to adapt to a fluctuating situation throughout the pandemic, and with the latest lockdown seeing doors close, governing bodies are exploring new ways to

Kingston Academy in Kingston upon Thames. It’s important to ensure spaces are inclusive and meet the needs of the community

evolve estates. Modular construction is one solution being explored to deliver timely long-term solutions to curriculum disruption.

Embracing modular construction is able to make schools more resilient against future closures, for example, as temporary classrooms can be erected quickly to keep capacity high and disruption low. astudio’s modular building programme saves more than 75% of building time by delivering prefabricated structures directly to site1. Moreover, these structures can then be disassembled and relocated, enabling local authorities to adopt a flexible approach to varying demand.

Furthermore, factory construction of modular buildings is more efficient, costeffective, and environmentally friendly than astudio’s Sugden Way housing project in Barking

traditional processes through reduction of waste. A factory setting, where supply chains can be more closely controlled, facilitates easier procurement of sustainable materials. Also, reducing building time by three quarters minimises air and noise pollution onsite, protecting the health of pupils and the planet.

With communities, for communities A finished building is not the end of the story — it should serve the needs of the communities for whom they are built for the long-term. With this in mind, urban planners are recognising the benefit of public opinion to inform the design of spaces, ensuring spaces are inclusive and meet the needs of the community.

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Innovative construction methods will better equip school buildings to provide for our younger generations

“When the pandemic eventually recedes, we can build on this opportunity to limit our environmental damage by prioritising sustainability in our urban schemes.”

Last year’s lockdowns, for example, highlighted the new premium placed on outdoor space, with 59% of people going for walks to help cope with the stress of the pandemic2. With COVID-19 expected to have a long-term impact on our mental health3, improved access to outside amenity through design is immensely beneficial for public wellbeing.

Also, community building projects should involve communities themselves before foundations have even been laid. By leveraging emerging technology. such as virtual reality tools. at the consultation stage, architects can empower buildings’ future residents to provide valuable input on how their needs can best be served. This was astudio’s approach to the redevelopment of Kingston Academy, where pupils, teachers and parents used VR headsets to explore their future learning environment.

Home is where the space is While the pandemic has necessitated an urgent rethink of how we relate to our urban spaces, this has provided a welcome opportunity to bring our built environment up to speed with modern demands. In particular, new approaches to space can deliver a much-needed boost in our housing capacity.

With the UK consistently falling behind its housebuilding targets, there are opportunities for local authorities to invest in redevelopments that address the gap. astudio’s Sugden Way project in Barking, for instance, helps redress London’s affordable housing shortage with costefficient socially rented apartments. Their flexibility of arrangement and façade treatment enables schemes such as these to fit in within various building contexts.

Technology assists us in improving the quality of space for residents, which will become increasingly important in light of another national lockdown. As well as accommodating social distancing in public areas, social housing projects should ensure that living spaces are not just easy on the eye, but also good quality in use for people who call them home.

environmental damage by prioritising sustainability in our urban schemes.

Innovating is happening at breathtaking pace — ‘algae living walls’ may sound like science fiction, but they provide a very real means of helping buildings become self-sufficient. These layers of algae compounds can be grown wastefree and integrated within exterior walls systems, where they sequester carbon from the air and convert it into biofuel.

These new technologies can be paired with simple sustainable strategies for greater impact. For the redevelopment of St Paul’s Way Trust School, for example, astudio used natural ventilation and high thermal mass to reduce emissions by 60% compared to a typical school4. Indeed, a range of solutions will be needed to bring buildings of all types up to new sustainability standards.

People and the planet can both benefit from new approaches to architecture, from the modular construction of school buildings to the shift of sustainability to centre-stage.

Meanwhile, satisfying communities’ wants and needs, both indoors and out, will help future-proof our urban environments.

Architecture is well-placed to facilitate social and environmental change — let’s hope we seize the opportunity in 2021.

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https://www.astudio.co.uk/modular

2 https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/ourwork/research/coronavirus-mental-health-pande mic/key-statistics-wave-7

Living alongside our environment A rare silver lining of lockdowns across the world has been the subsequent improvement in the planet’s health. When the pandemic eventually recedes, we can build on this opportunity to limit our

3 https://www.bbc.com/worklife/article/ 20201021coronavirus-the-possible-long-term-mental-healt h-impacts 4 https://www.astudio.co.uk/st-pauls-way

www.astudio.co.uk

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OFFSITE INSIGHTS: ZERO CARBON AFFORDABLE HOMES FROM ZED PODS Debansu Das explains how the ‘Hope Rise’ modular home scheme in Bristol combines an innovative development above a car park with an environmental conscience.

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esidents and community builders in the St George area of Bristol are moving into their new homes at a landmark development, which provides young people at risk of homelessness somewhere to feel safe and comfortable. A successful partnership between London based ZED PODS and Bristol City Council, supported by the Bristol Housing Festival and YMCA, has boosted the council’s social housing provision, providing 11 new, zero-carbon, modern design apartments as a permanent living space for vulnerable young people working towards independent living.

‘Hope Rise’ is the first Modern Methods of Construction (MMC) development of its kind to be completed in the UK. Built on the council-owned car park, on Chalks Road in the St. George district of Bristol, ZED PODS used volumetric manufacturing technology to build the homes in the least disruptive way without much noise, pollution or onsite waste.

This multiple award-winning project gives all local authorities some food for thought. At a time when maintaining revenues, as well as increasing housing stock, is paramount, councils can build these zero carbon affordable houses above their car park portfolio using the clean MMC construction.

‘Hope Rise’ showcases something truly innovative, rethinking land use to

help solve the housing crisis with the provision of attractive and modern housing. These are low-rent, but highquality homes with aspirational design and build quality, and their low running costs enhance their affordability.

“We wanted to address key worker and affordable housing issues without compromising on our values of sustainability and quality,” says ZED PODS’ Operations ZED PODS being installed on site

Director, Dr. Rehan Khodabuccus. “We are very pleased that Bristol City Council had the foresight to partner with us directly and are so enthusiastic about the potential for more developments like this. With momentum, quality modular housing can play a leading role in city centre provision.”

Education, collaboration and community The MMC sector has very few demonstrable examples of delivered schemes on the ground, so, back in 2018, ZED PODS embarked on a process to focus on the challenges and to overcome barriers to the project, including awareness. To get this development off the ground has proved to be increasingly important, working through the COVID-19 pandemic while much of the construction sector slowed down.

Developed and tested at the Building Research Establishment, ZED PODS is the only product suited to be built above car parks and, with attention to fire, quality, noise, air quality and utilities, the buildings have earned accreditations from The Buildoffsite Property Assurance Scheme for the entire built system, which includes the steel podium.

A partnership and joint exhibition with the Bristol Housing Festival launched the project, with an offer to provide 11 houses for young people making a start in life, which include two properties being offered

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to ‘community builders’, inviting applications from young, local tenants of Bristol City Council under the age of 35.

ZED PODS worked with BHF and the council to progress the project, following the completion of a detailed analysis of the challenges and potential barriers. The company identified site constraints and satisfied local planning implications, and demonstrated speed of construction, permanency and sustainability of the product. Thomas Northway, Chairman, says ZED PODS is delighted to complete the innovative project despite the challenges of the pandemic: “Collaborating with the council, BHF and the Bristol YMCA on this pioneering scheme, we have demonstrated how good quality, affordable homes can be built quickly on constrained sites like car parks using off-site construction.”

The driving ambition was to find innovative ways to create a community and, in consultation with the YMCA, the development was designed to ensure that support networks are in place for tenants, with ease of tenant interaction and an increase in neighbourliness.

Energy and cost-efficiency The ‘Hope Rise’ development uses the latest low carbon technologies, ensuring low energy consumption and cheaper running costs, using volumetric offsite manufacturing technology. Built on the principle of the fabric-first approach combined with renewable technologies, each self-contained home uses solar panels to generate renewable electricity in the day, quiet running heat pumps, controlled ventilation to recover usable heat, triple glazing and LED lighting.

The ‘Hope Rise’ “development uses the latest low carbon technologies.

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There are no toxic materials, no ureabased insulation systems, low VOC paints and adhesives, vapour permeable and breathing wall construction, and the product is suited to be built over steel frames, especially above car parks, with a fully structured engineered system and foundations, with minimal onsite disruption.

Growing social housing crisis A recent report published by the National Housing Federation (NHF) has revealed that the real social housing waiting list could be as many as 500,000 households bigger than official figures suggest.

The NHF’s People in Housing Need analysis is the most comprehensive study to date on the state of the UK’s housing stock crisis, and it states that the true number of people in need of social

housing in England has now hit 3.8m, which equates to 1.6m households, half a million more than the number recorded on official waiting lists.

Providing affordable housing remains a huge headache for local authorities, and we can no longer rely on traditional methods of construction, on environmental grounds as well as to solve a problem, which is in danger of escalating out of control. The cost of housing vulnerable tenants in temporary accommodation continues to rise and the UK is in desperate need of long-term solutions. We must continue to think outside the box and develop our understanding of the options available.

As the energy market cannot be serviced by one source alone (the world still needs a combination of green energies, nuclear and a reducing reliance on fossil fuels); so the construction sector, particularly in social housing, must use new but tried technology to tackle the challenge.

ZED PODS is playing its part. The company has developed a unique solution, which offers highly energy-efficient, superior quality modular homes to enhance the lives of the new residents in Bristol, but this is by no means where the story ends.

With wide acclaim and awards won, including the South West Insider magazine Social Housing Award 2020, ZED PODS is ready and geared up to produce more developments which can make a real impact, and inroads into the national social housing crisis; by building in a different way to shift the landscape of the industry and strengthen communities the length and breadth of the country.

Debansu Das is Business Development Director at ZED PODS The modular homes at Hope Rise are finished to a high standard

■ For more information on ZED PODS visit www.rdr.link/lt003

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A question of tenures With house prices predicted to increase by as much as 20% over the next five years, there is growing concern for the prospects of young people and first-time buyers to enter the property market. It is therefore more important than ever that Registered Providers consider a range of tenure options in their developments to not only provide the opportunity for lower income households to get on the property ladder, but also to create more stable communities for tenants, writes Jonathan Pearson. hared Ownership is currently a hot topic of discussion following the announcement of the new Affordable Homes Programme for 2021-26, the launch of the Government’s consultation on its new shared ownership model and the BBC Panorama investigation about the costs and legal fees incurred by shared homeowners, which aired just days after the consultation was announced.

Despite this mixed bag of talking points, the fact remains that Shared Ownership is still an accessible and affordable way for people to own a home of their own and it is increasingly important to today’s generation of first-time buyers.

Rapidly rising house values are pricing more and more people out of the property market, especially those from lower income households. The UK is already experiencing a huge jump in property prices — the biggest since 2016 — which has been caused in part by pent up

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demand accumulated during lockdown and partly due to the Government’s stamp duty holiday. The trend is likely to continue beyond 2020 and research by a leading national estate agent suggests that in the next five years, UK property prices could soar by a staggering 20.4%.

The economic conditions created by COVID-19 and Brexit are unlikely to help put starter properties within reach of firsttime buyers either, as redundancies and unemployment rates continue to surge.

ONS figures in November 2020 showed that unemployment rates are disproportionately high for young people, with more than 14% of 16-24 year olds out of work, compared to the overall unemployment picture of 4.8% for the whole of the UK. All these factors compound an existing problem, aptly demonstrated by the fact that there has been a 46% increase in the number of young people aged 20-34 living with their parents in the past 20

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years. Over the same period, average house prices have tripled.

Shared ownership model So how do we get young people and firsttime buyers on to the ladder? Part of the solution undoubtedly lies in affordable housing provision, and its ability to deliver shared ownership options to more people.

To get the ball rolling, the Government has stated that half of all homes funded through the new £12bn Affordable Homes Programme will have to be of a shared ownership tenure.

The Government has also proposed a new shared ownership model, whereby tenants can buy shares in smaller increments (1% every year) to make it quicker and more affordable for them to build up their equity. Previously, these shares could only be bought in 10% increments. The new model also promises to reduce the fees required to acquire more shares in a property, and to reduce the

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minimum threshold to get a tenant started from 25% to 10% of the property’s value.

While the raft of new Government initiatives to encourage us to become a nation of homeowners, regardless of income or status, sound great on paper; the optimistic proposals will certainly be met with some trepidation.

Enforcing a 50/50 split of shared ownership and rental properties may not be a viable benchmark for every future development and while it may work in some areas, many housing associations and local authorities will be reluctant to offer up such a high percentage of their stock to shared ownership — instead, favouring the regular income from social and affordable rents. Yet, the notable inclusion of shared ownership in a scheme can deliver wider benefits, which are difficult to quantify or measure, particularly in financial terms.

Stable communities Shared ownership encourages tenants to take pride in their property and its surroundings, helping Registered Providers to keep their stock in a condition which encourages more people to do the same.

Shared ownership encourages the growth of stable communities and neighbourhoods where people start a life, get involved in their local area, make friends, start families and generally help to foster a sense of community. COVID-19 has highlighted the importance of having communities where people look out for each other so the timing really could not be better to get more people into secure, affordable housing.

Ultimately though, each Registered Provider or local authority will have its own views on the ideal mix of tenures which will work for their area. A healthy blend of tenures creates a diverse breadth of residents, which is a key ingredient to creating a happy and self-reliant neighbourhood or development. Whether we can legislate what that magic formula looks like in practice will remain to be seen.

Jonathan Pearson is Director at Residentially Chartered Surveyors, specialising in Affordable Housing valuations https://residentially.co.uk/

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HOUSING & REGENERATION The Time for Timber campaign aims to ensure social housing providers feel confident in specifying and installing structural timber solutions into new homes

Why local authorities should root for timber Versatile, renewable and highly sustainable, structural timber offers a rapid solution to the UK’s ongoing housing crisis — yet misconceptions still exist regarding its suitability for large-scale construction. In this article, Andrew Orriss discusses how social housing providers can use structural timber to swiftly deliver volume housing, while also meeting their carbon reduction obligations. n the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, the housing crisis is once again in the spotlight — with the UK lagging behind housing demand in terms of both supply and quality. Most notably, the lockdowns of 2020 have highlighted the urgent need to improve the availability of social housing — particularly for the millions of families living in substandard private rented homes or temporary accommodation.[1] Certainly, the sector must follow the Prime Minister’s instruction to “Build, build, build”, but priority must be given to delivering genuinely affordable social homes — and this must be achieved at pace, while also keeping environmental obligations in mind.

With the industry targeted to achieve net zero carbon by 2050, widespread use of structural timber would make this lofty goal more attainable. In many ways, structural timber can be seen as the ‘net zero hero’ for the sector, allowing it to meet these overarching targets effectively.

For one, the material is particularly suited to modern methods of construction, such as offsite and modular design, as it is clean

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and easy to process within factories.

What’s more, the timber industry has robust and mature supply chains, meaning a steady flow of materials can be ensured.

These innovative approaches to longstanding construction challenges are enabling the rapid delivery of homes,

particularly for social housing providers and local authorities.

Reducing carbon emissions In addition to these benefits, structural timber has a key role to play in reducing the overall carbon emissions of the

The timber industry has robust and mature supply chains to ensure a steady flow of materials

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…the material is “particularly suited to modern methods of construction, such as offsite and modular design, as it is clean and easy to process within factories.

construction industry. As trees grow, they naturally absorb carbon, which continues to be stored when the material is transformed into structural timber products. Importantly, timber absorbs and stores more carbon than it emits during processing and installation — so these engineered solutions act as an effective carbon store when used as part of a building. When the building has reached the end of its use, this stored carbon can either be re-used as fuel, or will naturally filter back into the soil.

By comparison, the use of concrete and steel within construction leads to considerably more energy and carbon usage. To this end, a report published by Chatham House (Making Concrete Change: June 2018) shows that cement is the source of 4-8% of total global carbon dioxide emissions. In fact, when used instead of other building materials, a single cubic metre of timber will save around 0.8 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions.

With such strong green credentials, it’s clear to see why so many organisations are embracing timber. Not only does the material provide strength and aesthetic

beauty, it offers an effective solution in battling climate change. In fact, as far back as 2012 the London Borough of Hackney was forging ahead, by adopting a planning policy that favours wood, where feasible, as the primary construction material.[2] Similarly, the French government recently announced new sustainability legislation to help make the country carbon-neutral by 2050. The new law, which becomes enforceable in 2022, will mandate that all new public buildings in France are built from at least 50% timber, or other natural materials.

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harm than good, with local authorities missing out on the benefits that this versatile material can offer.

Therefore, when setting forth plans to overcome the extensive challenges that they currently face, social housing providers and local authorities are urged to consider incorporating more structural timber designs into their operations. As well as offering a more sustainable construction option, the material is helping organisations to build quality homes faster. As such, not only does the material represent an obvious, sustainable and environmentally positive solution, which can help to drive down total carbon emissions, but an avenue to accelerate social housing delivery at a time of considerable strife.

The Time for Timber campaign aims to further amplify this important message and ensure that all levels of the social housing sector feel confident in designing, specifying and installing structural timber solutions into new homes. In doing so, we believe we can help to usher in a new era of responsive, environmentally friendly construction, which will benefit all parties.

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Challenging misconceptions Despite all this, efforts to expand the use of timber within the UK are being held back to some extent by misconceptions regarding its suitability for certain construction purposes. Most notably, there remains a long-held, incorrect assumption about the fire risk of structural timber — meaning some social housing providers and local authorities may be put off using the material. Whilst this approach is well intentioned, it’s undoubtedly doing more

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With thanks to Andrew Orriss from the Time for Timber campaign for preparing this article ■ For more information about the Time for Timber campaign, please visit www.rdr.link/lt004

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ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE

StoTherm Mineral EWI system was installed at The Cedars Development in Glasgow. The project was awarded a Highly Commended in the Architectural Merit category at the INCA Awards

For almost 40 years, External Wall Insulation (EWI) in the UK has been represented by industry trade association INCA, which is now a flourishing organisation with its membership comprising the industry’s premier system designers, component suppliers and installers. Technical standards and excellent workmanship are the mantras of INCA and the highlight of the organisation’s calendar is always the annual INCA awards, showcasing the best in EWI.

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he 2020 awards were presented in an online ceremony to members and the winning projects demonstrate the tremendous variety of schemes carried out in both new-build and refurbishment sectors and for residential, commercial and educational buildings.

External Wall Insulation is a technology employing insulation boards fixed to either masonry walls in a refurbishment setting, or to the sheathing layer of new-build schemes built with steel framing or with a concrete frame with SFS infill. Beyond these common construction types, other less prominent building methods such as timber frame, ICF and offsite construction can also benefit from the use of EWI.

System designers of EWI systems provide project-specific specifications outlining the adhesive and mechanical fixings of the insulation boards and the systems are finished with either high-grade decorative coatings or brick finishes.

External Wall Insulation is an energysaving, fabric-first measure targeted in various central and devolved government schemes, the most recent being the Green Homes Grant Scheme, particularly the local authority delivery model for lowincome homes. With the existing UK housing stock requiring far more penetration of solid wall energy upgrades than has been achieved to date, the opportunity to find suitable communities to benefit is high for social landlords, and the

positive outcomes extend well beyond purely energy efficiency for landlords, residents and the wider community.

Building refurbishment The INCA Refurbishment Award recognises the use of EWI in the upgrading of existing buildings and throughout INCA’s history there have been tremendous examples of traditional masonry as well as the myriad of nontraditional properties being thermally improved and aesthetically transformed.

The winner of the 2020 Award perfectly demonstrates this — the refurbishment of seven ‘crosswall’ homes in Stoke on Trent by system designer Structherm and contractor Westdale Services.

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Seven ‘crosswall’ homes in Stoke on Trent before the installation of EWI

The seven ‘crosswall’ homes in Stoke on Trent after a hybrid External Wall Insulation (EWI) design created by Structherm was installed by contractor Westdale Services

A non-traditional construction type popular in the 1960s and ‘70s, Crosswall is unusual as the gable ends and separating party walls are block and brick construction with front and rear elevations formed from a timber frame covered with sheathing and exterior panelling. Structherm was able to specify their unique hybrid offer of structural EWI panels to strengthen and stiffen the front and rear elevations alongside their standard EWI system for the structurally sound masonry walls.

Different insulation thicknesses for each system brought all elements of the completed properties to below 0.30W/m2K u-value. In order to provide the most visually appealing finishes, Westdale replicated the original brick finishes with their Artbrick resin brick finish. This brought colour back to the brickwork and a cream render complemented the brick façades on the first floors. The client is delighted with the result as the properties are now warmer and more airtight and of

course more energy-efficient. The street housing the pilot properties has been rejuvenated, adding to their value and pleasing the residents of the area.

Bringing properties back to life In the same Refurbishment category, Romorantin Place in Long Eaton was Highly Commended, a derelict, boardedup residential block brought back to life

by Westville Insulation using the EWI system provided by SPS Envirowall.

Once the extensive refurbishment of the blocks began, Westville utilised SPS Envirowall’s Wall System 2 and included 130-180mm mineral wool insulation to achieve 0.3 u-values and the robust nature of the system was ideal for this type of refurbishment. It provided the client with a cost-effective solution that will protect the fabric of the building and extend its life way beyond the original design expectations. Alongside the high quality products used on the scheme, Westville also actively became part of

SPS Westville Insulation used SPS Envirowall’s EWI System 2 to bring Romorantin Place back to life and was Highly Commended in the Refurbishment Category

the joint management of the scheme to ensure that the programme ran to maximum efficiency.

The programme was extremely complex due to the differences in wall build-ups and a lot of technical expertise was employed to overcome the detailing challenges, the shadow lines present and the attractive colour blending. The project was delivered on-time and on-budget and with significant resident satisfaction, ensuring more comfortable and attractive properties and lower fuel bills.

High-rise housing In keeping with high-rise schemes that have featured in previous years of the awards, The Cedars Development in Glasgow are three significantly sized 1960s residential blocks refurbished to ultra-low energy standards with the Sto StoTherm Mineral EWI system and awarded a Highly Commended in the Architectural Merit category.

The aim of this complex project was to transform outdated properties into high quality, warm and comfortable city homes.

Through seeking to improve the thermal performance of the buildings well beyond UK building standards, the design team were able to reduce space heating by as much as 80%. Designed for longevity, minimal cleaning and ensuring critical fire performance, the mineral wool insulation with render and the StoLotusan surface coating will provide excellent protection against algae growth and staining. These blocks are now a striking feature on the Glasgow skyline.

This year marks the 40th year of INCA and entries to the 2021 Awards promise to be just as varied, bold and innovative as the 2020 winners have proved to be.

■ For more information on these schemes and a full list of INCA members, visit www.inca-ltd.org.uk

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Forbo’s Allura Decibel flooring delivers excellent performance in dimensional stability and impact sound reduction

Cutting the noise The potential for nuisance noise within multi-occupancy buildings where residents live above, below and adjacent to one another, is understandably high, as sound can easily travel from floor to floor and room to room. Here, Karen Wilding explains the importance of minimising noise within these settings and how this can be achieved with acoustic floor coverings. he UK’s population continues to rise, which is putting greater demand on the housing market than ever before. With the nation still struggling to build the requisite number of new homes, there is now an increased demand on local authorities to provide multi-occupancy buildings, such as flats and house-shares, to local people [1].

In the modern era, such properties represent a more affordable option for those looking to buy or rent, particularly in areas like London, where property prices continue to boom. Despite their advantages, multi-occupancy buildings do have their design challenges. Most notably, such buildings can fall victim to excess noise problems, which transfer easily from room to room and from floor to

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floor. Fortunately, developments in the acoustic floor covering market now offer an effective way to help handle the issue.

The primary concern when looking to ensure effective acoustic performance in multi-occupancy housing relates to the spread of noise between floors and rooms. Without the proper precautions, residents in multi-occupancy properties can be affected by unwanted noise from their neighbours. In turn, this can become a particularly problematic issue when it starts to affect individual’s ability to sleep, and often ends up manifesting in physical and mental health ailments.

Similarly, exposure to excess noise levels has been linked to increases in the risk of developing serious cardiovascular diseases, as well as contributing to a

The Modul’up Decibel acoustic vinyl flooring is part of Forbo’s Fast Fit range

greater likelihood of hearing loss [2] [3].

As such, there’s a strong onus for local authorities to design multi-occupancy buildings in ways that limit the amount of noise transfer between rooms.

Impact noise In this endeavour, it is often best to look towards acoustic flooring solutions, which help to limit excess noise levels, particularly between floors. Across the market, there are now a number of highperforming acoustic flooring solutions capable of the task. In general, these solutions are used primarily to help local authorities to tackle impact noise.

Managing impact sound is underpinned by standard EN ISO 717-2, which relates to impact sound reduction. When evaluating

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A number of acoustic “textile floor coverings have been developed that deliver even greater acoustic

The Surestep Wood Decibel range provides R10 slip resistance underfoot and offers 17dB impact sound reduction

performance, some of which potential floor coverings, local authorities can compare acoustic performance against this standard to find the most effective solutions.

Indeed, there are a great variety of solutions to choose from, which range in their ability to reduce impact sound within multi-occupancy properties. Historically, acoustic vinyl solutions have tended to offer one of the highest levels of noise-reduction performance. As well as contributing to sound-controlled environments, acoustic vinyl solutions are also heralded for their exceptional durability, providing an ideal solution in areas of heavy foot traffic.

There are also solutions available which have been designed to offer best in class indentation resistance, making them ideal for rooms where heavy furniture may be placed, or moved around frequently. More recently, a number of acoustic textile floor coverings have been developed that deliver even greater acoustic performance, some of which are able to reduce sound by up-to 30 dB. Additionally, textile floor coverings are also able to deliver a softer look and feel in corridors or communal areas.

Adhesive free solutions For local authorities, it is also important to find acoustic floor covering solutions that are cost-effective, easy-to fit and simple to clean. With regards to installation, local authorities can now look towards adhesive free vinyl solutions, which can be installed quickly and walked on immediately after installation. As the name suggests, adhesive free vinyl requires no adhesive, tackifier or double-sided tape to fit, helping local authorities to reduce downtime and minimise impact on day-to-day operations.

For those looking for an environmentally conscious solution, acoustic linoleum options offer those managing multioccupancy properties, as well as tenants, a low maintenance solution, which can be cleaned easily, without the need for specialist tools or chemicals.

Forbo Flooring Systems is proud to offer a portfolio of effective acoustic floor covering solutions across all of the aforementioned categories, which have been specially engineered to help property owners and local authorities create more harmonious and sound-

are able to reduce sound by up-to 30 dB.

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controlled environments that limit the risks to mental and physical health in occupants.

The range includes its industry-leading Sarlon collection, which has been developed and tested to maximise impact sound reduction, whilst also meeting the needs of heavy traffic environments, and Modul’up Decibel, an acoustic vinyl flooring that is part of its Fast Fit range.

Also included is Allura Decibel luxury vinyl tiles and Surestep Decibel, which offers sustainable, HSE compliant enhanced slip resistance, as well as an acoustically enhanced version of its popular flocked flooring option, Flotex, called Flotex Acoustic Plus, which offers acoustic protection of up-to 22 dB. Therefore, for local authorities looking to tackle this pressing issue, this range of products offers a reliable and effective solution.

[1] Timan, J., 2020. Rise In Homelessness Drives Social Housing Demand As Over 200 Apply For Each One. [online] Manchester Evening News.

Available at:

Forbo’s Allura Decibel flooring in Dune Smooth Oak

<https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/ greater-manchester-news/homelessness-socialhousing-demand-200-19178062> [2] Dtsch Arztebl Int. 2019 Apr; 116(14): 245–250.

Published online 2019 Apr 5. doi: 10.3238/arztebl.2019.0245 [3] HSE.Gov. 2020. Noise Induced Hearing Loss. [online] Available at: <https://www.hse.gov.uk/food/noise.htm>

Karen Wilding is Segment Marketing Manager for Housing at Forbo Flooring Systems ■ For more information on Forbo Flooring System’s acoustic solutions visit www.rdr.link/lt005

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Social landlords can reassure tenants of the fire safety and security performance of doorsets by specifying products that have achieved independent, third-party dual certification.

Door-Stop International and Warringtonfire, explain the benefits of choosing fire doorsets with this additional layer of testing.

Door-Stop’s new Doorset range is thirdparty dual-certificated by Warringtonfire

Dual certification What is the difference between a fire door and a fire doorset?

A fire door usually only refers to the fire door leaf. The door leaf is installed into a compatible frame, complete with its compatible essential ironmongery. A fire doorset is supplied pre-assembled in the frame, manufactured to the required size and includes all of the correct components such as ironmongery and seals.

Fire doorsets should be third-party tested and certificated using an independent UKAS accredited test house and certification body such as Warringtonfire and BM TRADA. This provides assurances on the doorsets

performance and the manufacturer’s integrity.

What is dual certification?

“Dual scope certification is where fire and security performance is certified under the responsibility of a single certification body,” explains Mark West, Technical Development Engineer at Warringtonfire.

“All the testing and assessments are carried out to carefully ensure both performances are maintained, the scope of certification and specification is identical and any security features do not affect the fire performance and vice versa.”

How does it compare to other fire door testing?

“Dual scope certification provides confidence that the product meets its required performance for both fire and security, and that any changes to the product are developed with fire, security and all other relevant performances in mind,” says Mark.

“Any future product enhancements will be rigorously assessed in all applicable areas. This ensures that neither fire nor security performance is compromised at any point, a position that cannot necessarily be achieved when the certification is not linked in this way.”

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Dual scope certification “provides confidence that the product meets its required performance for both fire and security, and that any changes to the product are developed with fire, security and all other relevant performances in mind.

The new Door-Stop International Fire and Security Duel-Certificated Doorset is a timber core product with GRP facings

Warringtonfire and BM TRADA, which are both part of the Element Group, are one of the few certification bodies in the UK with the technical competence to offer this dual certification through their Certisecure, Certifire and Q-Mark certification schemes.

Certisecure, a scheme recognised by Secured by Design (SBD), is used by Warringtonfire to demonstrate a fire doorsets security credentials.

How does dual certification fit in to wider fire safety legislation?

Dual certification provides all the information required for the golden thread; one of the recommendations of the Hackitt Review.

In MHCLG’s response to the Building a Safer Future consultation, it announced that all 53 of the recommendations from the Hackitt review were going to be implemented. The response gave more clarity on the new regulatory regime and defined the duty-holders for the design, construction and refurbishment phases of a building. The client, principal designer and principal contractor have a vital role in creating and maintaining the golden thread.

At the third and final gateway, the client must submit information on the final

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building, which will form part of the golden thread data. When the building has been approved, the golden thread will be handed over to the accountable person who, alongside the Building Safety Manager, will keep the golden thread updated with the latest building information. This includes any future refurbishment works.

What can social landlords do to improve fire safety in their buildings?

“Fire safety is about hundreds, if not thousands, of different factors, that need to work together as a complete system if an emergency happens. Refusing to take a holistic view of fire safety is shortsighted, and as we know, deadly,” says Hannah Mansell, Group Technical Director of Premdor Crosby.

The new Door-Stop International Fire and Security Dual-Certificated Doorset aims to be the product of choice for those wanting to improve existing buildings or specify new developments.Designed by Door-Stop, a subsidiary of Premdor Crosby, the timber core product with GRP facings is third-party certificated by Warringtonfire. A robust base of primary

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test evidence has been used as the foundation for certification.

“Do not be complacent. Even a perfectly produced fire door with third party certification will not perform to expectations if installed incorrectly,” warns Hannah.

“Installation of fire doorsets needs to be considered hand in hand with the product itself, as a complete system. This is why we have also tested our doorset with a range of lineal gap sealing systems to provide this assurance of the ‘system’ working.

“Installation must also be carried out in accordance with certification and the manufacturer’s guidance, using approved material and methods. This must be supported by regular maintenance to ensure that the product will perform in an emergency. If it isn’t installed correctly, certification is invalid and the required level of safety and protection may not be provided to the building’s occupants.”

Regular, open communication with residents is also key. Every doorset that Door-Stop supplies is shipped with detailed installation instructions and a Resident Guide. The guide includes an easy to follow check list that will help residents avoid the common pitfalls that prevent fire doors performing in the event of an emergency, as well as the methods to report concerns, find out further information and fully trace their fire doorset back to its original certification and specification.

■ For more information on dual certification and Door-Stop’s fire doorset range visit www.rdr.link/lt006

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HOUSING & REGENERATION ROUND-UP Modular solution utilised for £9m emergency housing Offsite construction specialist Premier Modular has completed the installation of 58 apartments for a new £9m emergency housing scheme for Buckinghamshire Council in High Wycombe. Due for completion this summer, the project is being delivered by an innovative partnership between Premier Modular and Claritas Group.

Manufactured and fully fitted out offsite, these highly sustainable apartments are being completed in a much shorter timescale than with in-situ construction to help meet the rising demand for housing for homeless people. The one-bedroom apartments, each weighing around 10 tonnes, were installed using a 250-tonne crane and in around two weeks. Each home arrived on site complete with shower rooms and kitchens. The three and five storey scheme will be finished in a palette of colours including terracotta, slate grey and off white to complement the surrounding local area.

■ For information on Premier Modular and its solutions visit www.rdr.link/lt007

Tackling damp, mould and condensation in homes

As winter drags on, windows stay closed and home heating is high, condensation — the most common form of domestic damp — becomes most problematic, especially for households suffering from fuel poverty. Safeguard Europe’s range of anti-condensation and mould-resistant treatments not only assist in condensation control, but also eradicating and preventing the associated growth of black mould.

The complete Safeguard condensation range comprises: Dryzone 100 Mould Killer Kit, Dryzone Mould-Resistant Paint, Dryzone MouldResistant Paint Additive, Stormdry EP Board, Ultrotherm IWI tiles, plus a selection of extractor and Positive Input Ventilation (PIV) fans.

Dryzone System Mould Resistant Emulsion Paint combines modern paint technology, a locked-in biocide and advanced film protection, resulting in effective mould resistance for at least five years. Alternatively, Dryzone Mould Eradication Additive can be used to make any paint mould-resistant, as well as confer the benefits on grout and wallpaper paste.

■ For more information on the range visit www.rdr.link/lt008

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HEATING & RENEWABLE ENERGY Multi-Layer Composite (MLC) pipe system installation

Aiming high Zisis Nikoloudis discusses the Government’s ambitious carbon emission targets and offers advice on greener ways to heat tall buildings. oris Johnson’s announcement that the Government aims to cut carbon emissions by at least 68% by 2030 is a bold new milestone towards its goal of achieving net zero carbon status by 2050. As the construction industry accounts for around one third of all emissions1, the Government is setting increasingly demanding benchmarks to ensure that the sector meets its ambitious environmental targets.

Due to the fact that the heating and cooling of residential buildings generates significant emissions, this part of the industry is coming under particular pressure to change. This is well illustrated by the Future Homes Standard, which recommends that by 2025 no new homes should be connected to the gas grid, and should instead utilise low carbon solutions such as district heating networks and renewable energy sources. Adding further pressure, the recent ‘green industrial revolution’ plan indicated that this deadline could be moved forward to 2023.

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Tall targets for tall buildings With these targets, it’s important to bear in mind that not all homes are the same. For example, the large amount of resources required to build and operate tall buildings

means they’re coming under closer scrutiny. How we reduce the carbon footprint of these developments is going to become even more of a focus the nearer we get to the target dates.

Yet despite deadlines looming, many construction industry professionals are highly sceptical about the sector’s ability to meet them. When Uponor surveyed 200 construction industry professionals2 on the challenges facing high-rise construction, over three quarters said that these goals will not be achieved without significant changes in the approach to retrofitting existing homes and developing new homes. When it came to the issue of disconnecting new homes from the gas grid, only half thought that the 2025 deadline would be feasible while 10% did not think that it would ever be possible.

To help combat this scepticism, we’ve looked into one of the key areas flagged as a concern by our research respondents — product knowledge — and have focused on one system in particular which is going to play an increasingly important role if we’re to cut emissions with sustainable heating and domestic hot water technologies.

District heating networks While district heating networks have been steadily growing in popularity over recent years, still only around 3% of the UK’s heat demand is supplied by such networks.

This is a figure which the Committee on Climate Change has said needs to rise to at least 18% if the UK is to meet its carbon targets, and local authorities will be one of

Constructing tall buildings presents sustainability challenges

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the sectors to lead the charge towards this sustainable way of heating.

Research3 shows that replacing conventional heating with district heating networks connected to renewable energy sources can significantly improve a building’s energy efficiency levels. This has seen the UK Government incentivise its use in a number of ways, such as the Heat Network Investment Project and the Renewable Heat Incentive.

In practice, district heating networks typically consist of a centralised energy centre that uses an underground network of pipes to supply heat and hot water. We see this type of solution as particularly useful for tall residential buildings, as only one heat source is required for multiple properties.

The ability to connect a district heating network to a renewable energy source, such as air source (ASHP) or ground source heat pumps (GSHP), and combine it with insulated piping makes this a very environmentally friendly heating option, avoiding the need for additional energy generation and minimising energy losses.

Renewable energy sources, such as GSHP, ASHP and solar thermal power, are highly efficient and on average last longer than conventional boilers, delivering lifecycle cost-savings. Using insulated pipes to carry water to and from the energy source and residences maximises the system’s efficiency by minimising heat

shows that replacing conventional heating “withResearch district heating networks connected to renewable energy sources can significantly improve a building's energy efficiency...

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and energy losses. High performance, preinsulated pipes that are able to bend and flex with the natural ground conditions add further longevity to the system by limiting the number of joints and connections, thereby reducing the likelihood of leaks.

Overall energy efficiency can also be improved by implementing alternative heating solutions such as radiant heating systems, radiant panels and underfloor heating, which operate at lower

temperatures compared to conventional systems4,5. We also often advise smart energy management technology, such as smart heating controls6, which can further enhance a development’s energy efficiency levels.

1. London tall buildings survey 2020 2. High rise and net-zero buildings of tomorrow: Is the construction industry ready 3. Super-insulate or use renewable technology? Life cycle cost, energy and global warming potential

An MLC pipe being installed

analysis of nearly zero energy buildings (NZEB) in a temperate oceanic climate. Energy and Buildings 139 (2017) 590–607 4. A comparison of heating terminal units: Fan-coil versus radiant floor, and the combination of both.

Energy and Buildings 138 (2017) 621–629 5. Low-energy guide. Underfloor heating and cooling in low-energy buildings. Uponor Categories and functionality of smart home technology for energy Management.

6. Building and Environment 123 (2017) 543-554 7. British Plastics Federation Environmental Bulletins

Zisis Nikoloudis is Segment Manager – Commercial, at Uponor

■ For more information on Uponor’s solutions visit www.rdr.link/lt009

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HEATING & RENEWABLE ENERGY

© Getty Images

Question Time: The Future of Heat As we journey to achieve net zero emissions, the social housing landscape will inevitably have to move towards low carbon heating and hot water systems. Tom Murray, Specification Director at Baxi Heating, answers some of the key questions around the future of heat, and how this will impact local authorities and social housing.

What are the biggest challenges?

Both new-build and existing residential buildings will need to change to meet net zero emission ambitions. While new-build policy is currently further along in terms of what this will look like, there is plenty of discussion pointing to what will happen to current housing already on the gas grid.

For the new-build sector, policy to be aware of includes the Future Homes Standard, which is likely to seek ending the use of gas heating systems in all new homes from 2025 currently. Once this happens, alternative heating technologies to natural gas boilers, such as air source heat pumps (ASHPs) combined with hot water cylinders, will need to be specified.

More immediately, the tenth version of the supporting Standard Assessment Procedure (SAP 10.2), part of the Building Regulations Approved Document L consultation in 2019, is now on the horizon. What we know so far is that proposed changes to Building Regulations will likely mandate tighter targets for new dwelling emissions. Once the Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government (MHCLG) consultation response is released, and the

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implementation date for changes is confirmed, there will be more onus on those responsible for building new homes to drive low carbon development.

For existing homes already on the gas grid, hydrogen is currently being explored as an alternative fuel. Near identical in appearance and performance to condensing gas boilers today, hydrogen boilers like those being developed by Baxi Heating could provide efficient, zero carbon space heating with little disruption to the existing building.

This is very important, especially for local authorities and social housing providers, who need to balance meeting regulations and maintaining a duty of care. As a result, it should be welcome news that homes on the gas grid should be able to transition from gas fired to hydrogen boilers easily if this were to happen, and with minimal disruption.

What does this all mean in the short and long-term?

It is important that renovation, maintenance and improvement works carried out now continue to prioritise heating systems that are as energy-efficient as possible to future-

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proof properties and safeguard residents.

This is why it is important to select highly efficient gas boilers combined with accessories designed to improve SAP ratings, such as Baxi Assure’s in flue outdoor sensor (IFOS), shower heat recovery units (SHRU) and flue gas heat recovery (FGHR). The use of accessories will also help to keep energy bills as economical as possible by preventing wastage throughout the day.

For new social housing properties that need to be developed in line with the Future Homes Standard, Baxi Heating has developed a residential specification range of efficient ASHPs, designed to be combined with Assure hot water cylinders.

Because ASHPs are not currently specified or installed in great numbers and there is room for error, indemnified Baxi Design services can support social housing providers with this technology.

Not only this, but bespoke Baxi Training services can be provided onsite to educate contractors across ASHPs and the rest of the product range.

ASHP user education will be important.

The majority of social housing tenants will be used to boilers and in order to ensure

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Baxi is developing and testing boilers in its R&D laboratory that are running on 100% hydrogen

that ASHPs are used effectively, tenants must be educated with the help of manufacturers. To this end, Baxi is creating a useful guide to support with ASHP user and after care support.

In the longer term, Baxi Heating is committed to investing in hydrogen as a possible low carbon alternative fuel to high-carbon natural gas. As a result, the company is currently developing and testing one of the UK’s first 100% hydrogen boilers and has been working closely with

government to trial hydrogen and other low carbon heating technologies.

How can the transition to net-zero be made easier?

It is important that social housing providers partner with the right heating and hot water system manufacturers, and service providers, to ensure any low carbon heating and hot water transition is as smooth as possible.

Furthermore, once technologies have been installed, it is important users know how to

rdr.link Introducing rdr.link A new digital service for our readers With a wide array of online resources supporting the latest solutions – from videos to technical guides, PDFs to Podcasts – it can be a challenge to locate what you need.

To ensure you don’t miss out on these valuable resources, we are introducing rdr.link – a new, rapid service to transport you immediately to the online resources mentioned in our stories.

So, in articles you may now see things like: “To view an exclusive time-lapse video of the process use rdr.link/AA101” Simply enter rdr.link/ with the unique 5 digit code into a browser and it will take you directly to the mentioned resource – in this case the video.

Designed to help busy professionals rapidly locate more information – look out for & use

rdr.link

efficiently manage their own heating and hot water, and when servicing and maintenance should be carried out. With this in mind, the Baxi Assure residential specification range of products have been developed to support social housing and local authorities with all aspects of heating and hot water needs.

The Baxi Assure complete home service provides expert design service and SAP advice for new-build projects, quality spares and replacement parts from the Baxi Genuine Parts division, bespoke training courses from Baxi Training and hassle-free online warranty registration using Baxi Project Hub. The future of heat is happening and momentum is growing year by year. With a number of low carbon housing initiatives on the horizon, social housing providers should prepare now to navigate the changing housing landscape.

■ For more information about Baxi Assure visit www.rdr.link/lt010

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HEATING & RENEWABLE ENERGY

Solar gains

Stuart Nicholson discusses the latest innovations in solar PV that could help local authorities tackle fuel poverty and cut carbon emissions. or the first time since the Code for Sustainable Homes scheme was dropped back in 2015, it seems there is a strong government commitment towards driving sustainability in UK housing. As well as setting a legal target to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to net zero by 2050, the UK Government has outlined a path to achieve this with the 2025 Future Homes Standard and also the Green Growth Challenge to halve energy use in buildings by 2030.

Although, at the time of writing, we are still waiting for the results of the Future Homes Standard consultation, it looks likely that the Government will pursue the more ambitious of the two options. This would require a 31% reduction in carbon emissions and the introduction of carbon saving technology, such as Solar PV, on all new homes by 2025.

Solar PV is a very effective way of reducing carbon emissions and improving the SAP rating of a property. Indeed, it proved to be a popular and successful sustainability initiative for local authorities

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and social housing providers between 2010 and 2012, when it was driven by generous grant systems such as Feed in Tariffs and also regulatory pressures from the Code for Sustainable Homes.

However, the Housing 2050 report (Suss Housing) found that unfortunately, investment in renewable electricity in social homes had declined since 2012/13, due to a lack of funding schemes.

However, now, ongoing concerns about fuel poverty, the forthcoming Future Homes Standard, and new funding in the form of the Local Authority Delivery (LAD) scheme, is driving renewed interest by local authorities and housing associations in solar PV. Together with new innovations that make it easier to fit and more aesthetically appealing, PV is once again emerging as an attractive carbon reduction method that can also save landlords and tenants money.

Reducing household electricity bills The Energy Savings Trust estimates that installing solar panels to a roof space can reduce a household electricity bill by over

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£250 per annum, as well as helping to drastically cut the carbon footprint. This can help provide financial savings for the landlord and the tenant. For example, the social housing provider can install the PV panels and then sell tenants the electricity generated at a low rate, tackling both carbon reduction and fuel poverty at the same time. In fact, the Housing 2050 report found that reducing fuel poverty was now one of the biggest drivers for social landlords installing renewable energy systems.

Unlike some other energy efficiency measures, such as insulation or doubleglazing, solar PV can also be installed with minimal disruption to tenants and the cost of installation has reduced significantly over the past five years.

As well as becoming more costeffective, solar PV technology has also seen some huge design improvements in recent years. When people think about solar panels on roofs, they automatically think of the quite obtrusive panels that sit over the top of the roof tiles. These are

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The Energy Savings Trust “estimates that installing solar panels to a roof space can reduce a household electricity bill by over £250 per annum.

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very effective but are not always that easy for housing providers to get installed, particularly on retrofit projects. It can also be difficult to get them to blend in with surrounding roofscapes.

Solar PV tiles A new type of solar PV system is now available which significantly improves both installation and aesthetics. The new Marley SolarTile is a flat PV panel that actually integrates in with the rest of the roof tiles — it effectively replaces a section of the roof tiles with solar tiles, acting both as a roof covering and a means of generating electricity. The

advantage is that they can be integrated with any of Marley’s existing tiles — concrete, clay or slate, so, housing specifiers can incorporate solar PV as a seamless part of the roof design, with no visible fixings.

This also has clear advantages for housing associations and local authorities looking to retrofit renewable technology on existing social homes, as Marley SolarTile can simply be used to replace a section of tiles on an existing roof. Another big advantage is that housing providers do not need to pay for a PV specialist to install the system, as a roofing contractor can do the job. The solution also offers excellent wind and fire resistance, backed up by a 15-year guarantee, for extra peace of mind.

There is no doubt that 2020 has been a testing year for all social housing providers, with unprecedented pressures on budgets and resources. Delivering sustainable, quality housing in a cost-effective way is a huge challenge for the sector. Therefore, the inclusion of solar PV in the Green Homes Grant Scheme for local authorities

(LAD) is welcome news, offering a great opportunity for the social housing sector to take advantage of the type of funding that has not been available to them for years.

The social housing sector has always been at the forefront of sustainable innovation and the houses being built today will be the net zero carbon homes of the future in 2050. Incorporating renewable technology now, alongside improvements to energy efficiency and the building fabric, will help local authorities to significantly cut carbon and improve SAP ratings, future proofing homes against climate change and tackling fuel poverty.

Stuart Nicholson is Roof Systems Director at Marley ■ For more information on Marley SolarTile visit www.rdr.link/lt011 ■ To view a demonstration installation video visit www.rdr.link/lt012

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HEATING & RENEWABLE ENERGY

Beinn Group installing cavity wall insulation

With the Government’s ‘Green Revolution’ now well underway, the appetite for improving the energy efficiency of our housing stock has never been healthier. But how do you know which solutions are right for you and which funding route to take?

Gary Wylie explains.

Holistic approach to energy efficiency

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r Peter’s Bonfield’s ‘Each Home Counts’ report, published by the Government in 2016, stated that 23% of the UK’s carbon emissions came from domestic buildings — and in a nation where we’re hoping to achieve net zero carbon by 2050, that’s a sizeable CO2 contributor which needs addressing.

The Report was commissioned because the Government wanted to properly understand what the challenges were for improving the energy efficiency of our housing stock, and how we might go about overcoming them. It made a number of very well considered recommendations, and was the driving force behind the recently launched ‘Green Homes Grant’ — a scheme which takes a ‘whole home’ approach to energy efficiency, rather than looking at isolated solutions.

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Funding streams Following the launch of the £2bn Green Homes Grant in July 2020, there has been heavy campaigning by both the Government and the energy saving industry to sign customers up for reduced cost retrofit energy saving measures. A full range of primary measures, such as cavity wall or loft insulation, and secondary, including smart heating controls, are available and customers must register centrally (or via a registered installer) in order to start the process rolling.

As you’d expect, the grants available vary dependent on circumstances and social landlords can apply for two thirds of the cost of improvements, with grants capped at £5,000. Some funding has been set aside for local authorities too and the suggestion is for this to be used to

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improve the energy efficiency of lowincome households in your area.

It’s good to know funding streams are available, but the Green Homes Grant is not the only one out there. ECO for example, the Energy Company Obligation, is another government scheme aimed at reducing carbon emissions and tackling fuel poverty. It’s been running for some years now and we’re currently delivering ECO version 3. But which to choose?

One clear guide is the Green Homes Grant can be applied to properties with an EPC rating of D or below; ECO on the other hand is only for E, F or G-rated properties — both can be used for social housing stock.

At the end of the day though, all you want to do is improve the energy efficiency of your housing stock and help bring households out of fuel poverty, yet the minefield of funding and how to manage it, is taking up more than its fair proportion of your time.

The answer to this is to engage with the right installation partner — in doing so, you can achieve your objective of improving your housing stock and the lives of your residents, without having had to project manage anything. But who can you trust?

Industry standard The Each Home Counts report highlighted the need to establish an industry standard for energy saving installations. There have been various accreditation bodies

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working in this field for years, but until now, there hasn’t been a standout, consumer-recognised, stamp of approval like there is for gas engineers, or housebuilders, for example. That’s changed now and any tradespeople wanting to deliver work through the Green Homes Grant or ECO must be registered with either Trustmark, or the Microgeneration Certification Scheme and have PAS 2035 accreditation.

A step up from PAS 2030, PAS 2035 is the new overarching retrofit standards framework providing specifications for installing energy saving measures in domestic buildings. Again, it was introduced following recommendations of the Each Home Counts report and no tradesperson can undertake work under the Green Homes Grant, or ECO without it.

Recommended measures With these standards now in place, social housing providers and local authorities can confidently engage with energy saving installers to manage their retrofit programme from start to finish. Through ECO and the Green Homes Grant, housing stock will only be assessed from a whole home energy efficiency point of view, with every suitable retrofit measure given due consideration.

Recommended measures will then be installed in the right order — addressing the fabric of the housing stock first and adding renewable energy systems for example, as secondary measure.

In my opinion, this is how we should have been doing

things years ago, but without proper regulation in the industry that never could have been achieved. One thing to be aware of is deadlines. These schemes are up and running now, but they will not be here forever. Local authorities wanting to apply for a Green Homes Grant must do so by 30th September 2021 and the deadline for the next round of ECO funding is 31st March 2022.

There’s a mountain yet to climb to bring the energy efficiency of our housing stock up to where it needs to be, but I think we’re heading up the right path. fremember though, help is always on hand if you need it.

With thanks to Gary Wylie of insulation installers Beinn Group for preparing this article ■ For more information on the Beinn Group and its services please visit www.rdr.link\lt013

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HEATING & RENEWABLE ENERGY

Martyn Bridges discusses the latest field trials of hydrogen and what potential this has for social housing.

Worcester Bosch’s Hydrogen Ready boiler is being tested at the HyStreet trial

Hydrogen for Housing here is not much that came out of 2020 which we can class as good. The pandemic understandably became a huge priority for the whole world, let alone the UK, and is something that will no doubt be an important focus this year as well.

It is promising then, that even during uncertain times, the battle against climate change and the road towards net zero 2050 continues. The 10-point plan from the Prime Minister set out a clear route forward, bolstered by the Energy White Paper launched towards the end of last year. Various trials and tests are underway, including at ‘HyStreet’ in Northumberland.

The project is part of H21 (a Network Innovation Competition project sponsored

by Ofgem), which sets out to prove that the UK’s natural gas grid can safely carry 100% hydrogen gas. Hydrogen is a promising carbon-free alternative to the fuel we use currently, particularly due to the fact when burned its only bi-product is water and is getting a lot of notice as a future fuel for cars and aersopace as well as our homes.

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HyStreet consists of three specially built houses, which have seen over 200 tests to prove the safety of converting homes and gas networks to hydrogen. A number of prototypes, including our own, are installed and running there as part of the trial.

It is good to see that our prototype hydrogen boiler has been running successfully at this demonstration site. In its first few months it has operated seamlessly, effectively providing heating and hot water. As an initial test it is an encouraging step towards the deployment of hydrogen gas on a wide scale. But what do these early tests mean for existing social housing and affordable homes?

Opportunities for existing homes The potential for hydrogen in existing properties is promising, and that includes social housing. It is very difficult, by contrast, to lower the carbon emissions of an existing heating and hot water system with the alternative, an electric heat pump.

Gas fired combi boilers power a large proportion of social housing heating

systems, so replacing them with anything other than a carbon free gas system is prohibitively expensive. Without evidence to the contrary, through trials such as HyStreet accelerating the adoption of hydrogen, housing associations may have no choice but to opt for a heat pump installation, and that brings with it a number of challenges.

The largest issue for housing associations and councils would be the sheer cost (of heat pump installations replacing boilers). There have been a handful of cases where a heat pump system was installed instead of a boiler, such as Leeds City Council who undertook a small trial. Here, the cost per house was around £27,000. Quite a figure! If a housing association or local authority looks after say 100 social homes, then the cost to adapt their heating systems to a heat pump could be astronomical.

By comparison, early indicators show that replacing your existing boiler with a hydrogen-fired alternative will be more or less the same cost as replacing a boiler

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today would cost, which I imagine would be much more attractive to associations.

Overcoming challenges Another challenge for converting existing social homes to an electric heat pump is twofold: disruption to the occupier and space limitations. Combi boilers are popular for their efficiencies: they provide both heating and hot water from one space-effective product. However, a heat pump requires a sizeable hot water cylinder, which would need to be located in a home either on a landing, airing cupboard or bedroom, taking up valuable space which may not be readily available in the current home layout.

Which brings me to another issue, disruption to the occupier. The whole heating system will need to be adapted to run on a heat pump. The radiators and piping will generally need to be resized, as well as other remedial work to the home such as insulation to raise to an energy level rating suitable to make a

The HyStreet scheme in Northumberland where field trials are being carried out to prove the safety of converting homes and gas networks to hydrogen

heat pump run efficiently. Another costly element, which also will cause a lot of unnecessary frustration to the occupier.

The final issue is user education. Due to the way it runs, a heat pump is better to be switched on for long periods at a time to ensure the right temperature for the home. With a boiler you can simply switch on whenever you feel cold. This may seem like a small change, but after years of using a boiler instilling new routines could cause some difficulty.

With all this in mind, hydrogen is really the saviour that prevents all of these issues at the ‘house end’ of the gas pipe. The challenges of getting hydrogen down the pipe from the place of production shouldn't

be an issue that Government or occupiers concern themselves, it is something the utility and heating industries can solve.

With trials like HyStreet underway and hydrogen taking a prominent place in the Government’s plans along with heavy investment being promised — the future for hydrogen heating is very positive indeed.

Martyn Bridges, Director of Technical Communication and Product Management at Worcester Bosch ■ For more information on Worcester Bosch’s Hydrogen Ready boiler technology visit www.rdr.link/lt014

HEATING & RENEWABLE ENERGY ROUND-UP ASHPs installed to cut residents fuel bills

New downflow fan heaters launched

The South West’s first largescale social housing retrofit using carbon-cutting air source heat pumps (ASHPs), has been installed by mechanical and electrical specialists Correct Contract Services (CCS) for housing association Stonewater in Swindon. The pioneering scheme also marks a first in the deployment of this green heating technology by a housing association to meet both the Government’s 2050 net zero-carbon emissions target and minimum EPC band C energy efficiency rating for all homes by 2035.

ASHPs, which extract heat from the air, have been retrofitted by CCS in 55 occupied Stonewater homes in Kennedy Drive, Swindon. The new lowmaintenance heating and hot water systems — which replace expensive-to-run conventional storage heaters — have significantly improved each property’s EPC rating, lifting most from a D to a B, which only 8% of UK properties currently achieve. The Kennedy Drive ASHP retrofit scheme will deliver significant benefits in the form of low heating bills for residents.

Picture shows Swindon resident Judith Reynolds with Correct Contract Services’ (CCS) Site Manager Craig Stephens.

Consort Claudgen has launched its new downflow fan heaters.

The DF2 and DF2SL Heatflows provide rapid warmth and adjustable heat output of 1 or 2kW at installation. The DF2 Heatflow has a simple pull cord operation.

Once the heater is activated, it operates on a pre-set period of 30 minutes or can be deactivated before the energy saving timer expires by pulling the cord again. The DF2SL Heatflow has a variable thermostat and requires a separately purchased wireless controller to operate. It is compatible with Consort’s SL run-back timers and advanced wireless controllers, offering a longer heating period as well as more efficient heat control.

With sleek and compact design, yet practical functionalities, these heaters make the ideal choice to suit heating requirements for bathrooms or kitchens.

■ For more information on CCS visit www.rdr.link/lt015

■ For more details on the downflow fan heaters visit www.rdr.link/lt016

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