Social Housing Retrofit

Networked Heat Pump Approach

Kensa’s Shoebox products are perfectly compatible with Networked Heat Pumps, the 21st-century gas grid alternative that could reduce the UK’s gas usage by 70% (£25bn per year).

A flexible and scalable ground source system architecture, Networked Heat Pumps link a series of boreholes, known as Shared Ground Loop Arrays, to multiple properties, including flats, via an ambient temperature distribution system.

Each property then has an individual Kensa heat pump wired to its own electricity supply, which upgrades the low-temperature ground heat for heating and hot water within the dwelling.

The advantages of Networked Heat Pumps in retrofits:

• Scalable and flexible district size can be deployed in sections.
• Ultra-efficient and reliable.
• Exempt from Heat Network Metering & Billing Regulations.
• Extremely low CO₂ emissions;
• Easy carbon & building regulations compliance.
• No NOx, SOx or particulates emissions.
• Lowest energy bills – slightly lower than mains gas, significantly lower than air source heat pumps, LPG & oil.
• Householders are able to switch energy suppliers.
• No district heat losses.
• Potential for free summer cooling.
• Split-ownership of ground arrays provides a funded option.

More Heat Pump Grants

Energy Company Obligation (ECO)

Ground source heat pump installations are eligible for ECO funding in retrofit social housing schemes.

ECO places legal obligations and targets on the larger energy suppliers to fund energy efficiency measures in British households.

It is in place to support retrofit efficiency works in the domestic sector, with a particular focus on vulnerable consumer groups and hard-to-treat homes.

Under the rules of ECO, energy suppliers are obliged to fund energy efficiency improvements of their domestic customers’ buildings in three distinct areas; Carbon Emissions Reduction Obligation (CERO), Community Obligation (CSCO), and Home Heating Cost Reduction Obligation (HHRCO).

Case Studies: High rise

Tower Blocks

• Project partnership with Thurrock Council 
• Three high rise tower blocks in Chadwell St Mary
• 270 storage heaters replaced with ground source heat pumps
• Shared ground loop array system architecture demonstrating the potential for ground source heat pumps to rapidly and affordably decarbonise multiple properties at scale
• £3.2 million from Wave 1 of the Government’s Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund (SHDF) to finance the scheme
• Estimated to reduce fuel bills by over 50% for some households due to ground source heat pumps being three times more energy efficient

Social Housing

• Project partnership with Enfield Councils
• Over 400 flats over 8 x 12 storey tower blocks in the London Borough of Enfield
• Electric underfloor heating replaced with Kensa Shoebox ground source heat pumps
• 100 boreholes ranging from 197-227m deep across 2 sites
• England’s largest shared ground loop array heat pump system
• Estimated 773tCO₂ saved
• Tenants’ bills are reducing from an average £800 per year to an average £350

Case Studies: Low rise

Two Storey Flats

• Project partnership with Hanover Housing Associations
• 23 properties and a site office over two-storey flats
• 12 x Shared Ground Loop Arrays
• Kensa Shoebox 6kW Twin per flat
• Replacing old inefficient night store heaters
• Funded by the ECO grant
• Completed in 10 weeks
• Winner: Retrofit Project of the Year (H&V News Awards 2017)
• Winner: Most Innovative Retrofit Scheme (Housing Innovation Awards 2017)

Low Rise Apartment Building

• Project partnership with Trent & Dove Housing
• 60 properties in two blocks of three-storey flats
• 12 x Shared Ground Loop Arrays
• Kensa Shoebox 6kW Twin per flat
• Replacing old inefficient night store heaters
• Funded by the ECO grant

Case Studies: Housing

Sheltered Housing

• Project partnership with Coastline Housing
• 12 bungalows
• 3 x Shared Ground Loop Arrays
• Kensa Shoebox 3kW per bungalow
• Replacing old inefficient night store heaters
• Funded by the ECO grant & Central Heating Fund (CHF)

General Needs Housing

• Project partnership with the Flagship Group
• Mixed development of houses, bungalows and flats
• 5 x Shared Ground Loop Arrays
• Kensa Shoebox 6kW per dwelling
• Replacing electric panel heaters
• Funded by the ECO grant
• Completed in 9 weeks

After Care & End Users

Properties featuring Kensa’s Shared Ground Loop Arrays will provide end users with numerous unique benefits over traditional Heat Networks with minimal after care requirements:

Lower fuel bills

GSHP’s produce 3-4kWh of heat energy for every 1kWh of electrical energy used, making them 300-400% efficient. Compare this to a typical boiler, which is just 90% efficient. Kensa’s ground source heat pump systems offer the lowest fuel costs.

Lower emissions

Because a GSHP extracts so much “free” energy from the environment, this enables CO₂  emissions to be lower than any other type of heating system.

Minimal maintenance

GSHPs don’t require annual servicing or maintenance, and have an expected lifetime of 20 years.

Energy independence

With an individual ground source heat pump in each property, homeowners are in complete control of their own heating and energy bills, enabling easy energy tariff switching and payment only for their own heat consumption.

Free cooling & no overheating

With heat being generated at the point of use (inside each dwelling) the ‘heat’ circulating the property is low temperature, therefore there are no heat losses from the system to contribute to overheating in risers and corridors. The low temperature system also allows for free passive cooling to be introduced, creating a comfortable living environment all year round.

Year round supply

1m below the surface the ground temperature remains a fairly constant 8-10°C all year round, ensuring your heat supply is constant and reliable; unlike air source heat pumps, which are impacted by external fluctuating air temperatures causing higher bills when heat is most needed.