ENERGY ACTION DEVON - working to reduce the impact of climate change and fuel poverty

News

Mar 4, 2010

EAD gets underway with exciting PassivHaus retrofit project

EAD is working with Rob McLeod (BRE), Clive Jones (Architect) and John Evans (North Devon Homes) to fully refurbish two semi-detached properties to PassivHaus standard. This will be one of the first ever PassivHaus refurbishments in the UK, and one of only a handful including new build.

                                           

The project is one of 87 prototype refurbishments taking place across the UK in 2010. It is part of the Retrofit for the Future programme, funded by the Technology Strategy Board to test different proposals to cut CO2 emissions by 80% from social housing. Our houses are owned by North Devon Homes, who have also provided substantial financial backing, and are within Exmoor National Park. The Exmoor Sustainable Development Fund are also supporting us with a small grant.

So far BRE has carried out a detailed SAP assessment and thermal modelling and we believe we can achieve a 94% reduction in CO2 emissions! The next month will include specific PassivHaus modelling and finalising a schedule of works so we can go out to tender.

Click on the 'projects' tab on the left for more information and to read the blog.  

 If you have any questions please contact Sophie Phillips on 01752 235 185 or sophie@energyactiondevon.org.uk

More info

More information on the national Retrofit for the Future programme

£17m GOVERNMENT INVESTMENT IN RETROFITTING TO PAVE THE WAY FOR

LOW CARBON HOUSING

Eighty seven social housing projects across the UK, including four in the South West, are set to benefit from a share of £17 million of government funding to test low carbon building technology, Science Minister Lord Drayson and Housing Minister John Healey announced today.

 The programme, entitled 'Retrofit for the Future', is the first of its kind in the UK, and will see social housing units across the country retrofitted with new, innovative technologies.  Understanding and implementing best practice retrofitting is key to meeting the government's CO2 reduction target of 80% by 2050.  The results of the projects will be shared to help show how the UK's current housing stock could be made more energy efficient.  

 In the initial design phase, over 190 organisations - including housing associations, architects and construction companies - received up to £20,000 each to carry out full feasibility studies and devise innovative proposals.  From these proposals, 87 have now been awarded proof of concept development contracts to carry out retrofits on current social houses.

 The retrofit prototypes will each receive an average of £142,000 to demonstrate deep cuts in carbon emissions and exemplar energy efficient measures in UK social housing.  The level of funding is specifically designed to stimulate the implementation of innovative, proof of concept demonstrator houses that may offer cost effective solutions for wider role out across the UK.  Each demonstrator house will therefore be carefully evaluated by the Energy Saving Trust for at least 2 years and the potential for lower cost implementation in volume across the remaining UK social housing stock assessed.

 More detail on the implementation of energy efficient measures for social housing UK wide will follow in the government's Household Energy Management Strategy, which will soon be released.

 Lord Drayson, Science Minister in Department for Business Innovation & Skills, said:

 "Innovation is critical when addressing both economic and societal challenges. This programme not only prepares small and medium UK business to profit from the future retrofit market but also shows how UK Government investment in innovation can benefit those who are often most vulnerable in our society".

 Housing Minister, John Healey, said:

 "27% of the UK's carbon emissions come from the housing sector with social housing comprising almost 20% of UK homes. We know that at least 60% of the country's housing in 2050 is already built, so retrofitting existing housing to make them more environmentally sustainable is essential to help us go some way to meeting reduction targets and eradicating fuel poverty."

 Funding for the testbeds increased from an initial £10 million to £17 million through the Department for Business, Innovation and Skill's Strategic Investment Fund (SIF).  The programme is delivered through the Small Business Research Initiative (SBRI) that seeks to prepare small to medium UK companies for future procurement markets

David Bott, Director of Innovation Programmes, Technology Strategy Board added: 

 "At least 80% of the houses we'll be living in by 2050 have already been built.  So it is critical that we look at ways to dramatically improve the performance of our existing housing stock.  Retrofit for the Future provides the testbeds we need to ensure the development of long term, mass solutions.  This initiative has seen the retrofit market come together, with social landlords, local councils, architects and other specialist suppliers developing a range of high perfomance and cost effective prototype solutions."

  It is intended that the principles established by Retrofit for the Future prototypes can be applied throughout the country and that social housing will continue to take a lead role in terms of energy reduction and CO2 mitigation.

The Energy Saving Trust, a leading independent organisation set up to provide energy saving advice for the public, will work in partnership with each of the projects to collect data from each of the retrofitted houses, including internal and external temperature, humidity and CO2 levels.  This data will then be assimilated to form a database which will be made available to researchers, social landlords and energy companies to ensure that the most cost effective technologies are employed in future retrofits.

 Fraser Winterbottom, Chief Operating Officer, Energy Saving Trust said: "The Retrofit for the Future project offers huge potential and will help us to make much more informed decisions.  We are monitoring the trials and will collate essential data that will enable us to create an open database for industries - a real asset for UK plc. 

 "Our customers tell us that they want more tailored and in-depth advice on energy efficiency.  Householders want to know which technology is suitable for them and how they can gain the most benefit."

 For further information on the Technology Strategy Board visit www.innovateuk.org.

 Ends

For media enquiries on the national programme contact:

Victoria Webster: Grayling, 020 7025 7569 or 07947 922 100, Victoria.webster@grayling.com

James Wright: Grayling, 020 7025 7502 or 07747 106 900, james.wright@grayling.com

 Notes to Editors

*PassivHaus is a specific standard for buildings which have excellent comfort conditions in both winter and summer. Under this standard, thermal insulation levels are maximised and heating demand is minimised.

 Additional supportive quotations:

 National Energy Action

Maria Wardrobe, Director of Communications, National Energy Action said: "NEA's vision is to see a national retrofit of the nations housing stock and projects like this are an exciting step towards this aim. The use of innovative technologies together with adequate insulation is the only sustainable way to tackle the twin problems of fuel poverty and climate change and NEA is delighted to support this initiative."

About Retrofit for the Future

Retrofit for the Future has been delivered in two phases. Phase 1, the feasibility and design phase, saw £3.5 million awarded to 180 organisations covering 193 separate projects, enabling them to work with suppliers to devise solutions to make cuts in carbon emissions produced by social housing.  Phase 2, the build phase, sees 87 projects awarded contracts to build 'demonstrator' houses in 2010 with £13.5 million funding, £7 million of which was supplied by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills' Strategic Investment Fund.

 Listed below are the 87 projects taking part in Retrofit for the Future:

 South West

  1. Barbrook PassivHaus Retrofit, Energy Action Devon
  2. Stone Pit Lane, Sarsen Housing Association
  3. HeatPod, Penwith Housing Association Ltd.
  4. ReHabit, White Design Associates Limited

 

London and South East

  • 5. Selleck Nicholls Williams Retrofit, Crawley Homes
  • 6. Crawley New Town Retrofit, Crawley Homes
  • 7. Wimpey No-Fines Retrofit, Crawley Homes
  • 8. Cornish Unity Retrofit, Crawley Homes
  1. Solar House 80/50, Places for People
  2. South Wight HA retrofit, ECD Architects
  3. Southern Housing Group retrofit, ECD Architects
  4. Whole house retrofit of a typical Victorian solid wall detached property in Brighton, Earthwise Construction Ltd
  5. Eco-retrofit Orpington - a multiple house solution, Keniston Housing Association
  6. Demonstration of low carbon refurbishment of off-gas homes, Drum Housing (part of Radian)
  7. Prince Rupert Street - Retrofit & Replicate II: Progress, Hyde Housing Association
  8. A Whole House Low Carbon Solution for Everyday Living, Gifford
  9. One Planet Retrofit in Sutton, BioRegional
  10. The Haringey PassivTerrace, Metropolitan Housing Trust Limited
  11. Low Carbon Sheppey, BBP Regeneration Ltd
  12. Wolfe Crescent - How low can we go?, London Borough of Greenwich
  13. Brixton Passive with L&Q, Green Structures
  14. Haringey Passive with L&Q, Green Structures
  15. Brent Passive with L&Q, Green Structures
  16. Off-grid, solid wall retrofit solution, CEN Services Ltd
  17. Rankine Road, Tunbridge Wells, Town & Country Housing Group
  18. Low carbon everyday details, Prewett Bizley Architects
  19. City West Homes' retrofit, City West Homes Ltd
  20. Ascham Homes, Maple Avenue, Breyer Group PLC
  21. 1960s Terraced 2 bed property in NE London, Enfield Homes
  22. Post Second World War suburban semi-detached house, PRP Architects Ltd
  23. Retrofit - Apppledore, Kent, Housing Services, Ashford Borough Council
  24. Thamesmead Retrofit House, Axis Europe Plc and Gallions Housing Association
  25. Hounslow Council Passivhaus Retrofit, bere:architects
  26. A2 Dominion, Bournemead Close, Breyer Group Plc
  27. A2 Dominion, Pinner Road, Breyer Group Plc
  28. The Oxford Whole House Carbon Reduction Project, Ridge and Partners LLP    
  29. Decent Homes versus PassivHaus, Octavia Housing, greentomatoenergy, Paul Davis & Partners and Eight Associates
  30. Clyde Road Terrace (Four Houses), Peabody
  31. Solid wall Victorian house in urban Conservation Area, East Thames Group
  32. WHISCERS - Whole House In-Situ Carbon and Energy Reduction Solution
  33. Passfield Drive a naturally ventilated Passivhaus Retrofit, bere:architects
  34. Thermal store retrofit pilot, Raven Housing Trust
  35. Shaftesbury Park Terrace (One House), Peabody
  36. Retrofitting to Passivhaus standards, A+G Architects (Oxford) Ltd
  37. Sustainable refurbishment of a London Victorian street property, East Thames Group
  38. Retrofitting a modern timber framed house, Home Group Ltd
  39. Addressing Energy Consumption and Climate Change Adaptation in post-Decent Homes properties, East Thames Group
  40. Eco-retrofit Ealing, EALING HOMES LTD
  41. Value for Money Paired Property Eco-refurbishment, ECD Architects Ltd

 

North West

  1. Riverside HA - Semi-Rural 2 Bed Semi-Detached House, Roland Hill Ltd
  2. Eco-retrofit Brierfield, Housing Pendle Ltd
  3. Improvement to 1930's Semi-Detached Properties - Whitehaven Property, Roland Hill Ltd
  4. Eco-retrofit Colne, Housing Pendle
  5. Passiv Haus Retrofit: refurb and regenerate, New Generation
  6. Eco-retrofit Bolton, Plus Dane Group
  7. Tackling low carbon retrofit of larger terrace housing in conservation areas, Constructive Thinking Studio Limited

 

North East

  1. Walker Garden Suburb, Newcastle City Council
  2. End Terrace Retrofit, Isos Housing Group
  3. Gentoo Retrofit Bid 1, (Traditional Cavity Wall Construction), Gentoo Sunderland Ltd
  4. Gentoo Retrofit Bid 2, Wimpey  No Fines Solid Wall Construction, Gentoo Sunderland Ltd
  5. Gentoo Retrofit Bid 3, (Laing Easiform non traditional), Gentoo Sunderland Ltd

 

Midlands

  1. LHA Total Retrofit Solution, Leicester Housing Association Ltd
  2. Achieving the standards for 2050, Nottingham Community Housing Association
  3. Mayfair Place - A1 Housing, Connaught Partnership Limited
  4. Project Cottesmore, East Midlands Housing Association
  5. Retrofit for the future of sustainable social housing, Hockerton Housing Project Trading Limited
  6. Rural Innovation for the Future (RIFF), Encraft Ltd
  7. St. Luke's Street, Sanctuary Group
  8. Bringing Wates homes into the Future, G F Tomlinson Group Limited
  9. Inspiration Birmingham 2020, Balsall Heath Housing Co-operative

 

East of England

  1. Hard to Heat Homes, SDC Builders Ltd
  2. BISF Steel Frame House, Cambridge City Council
  3. Flagship Retrofit, Carnego Systems Limited
  4. Rural Solid Wall Terrace House , Victory Housing Trust
  5. Gaymer Memorial Cottages, Hastoe Housing Association
  6. Peterborough EnviroCluster Retrofit Project, UK Centre for Economic and Environmental Development
  7. Adelaide Waters Almshouses, Cambridge Housing Society

 

Yorkshire

  1. Rotherham 2010, Bramall Construction Limited
  2. Wakefield and District Housing Retrofit, Bramall Construction Limited
  3. Tackling Solid Walled, Yorkshire Housing

 

Scotland

  1. Retrofitting a post-Decent Home/Scottish Housing Quality Standard, Home in Scotland
  2. New from Old, Castle Rock Edinvar Housing Association

 

Northern Ireland

  1. Eco-Energy Retrofit, Grove Housing Association, Belfast, Eco-Energy (NI) Ltd

 

Wales

  1. Refurbishment of Social Housing Stock, Ecostruct
  2. Solutions for a Holistic Optimal Retrofit (SHOR), Charter Housing Association
  3. Self Heating Social Housing - the zero carbon retrofit, RCT Homes Ltd
  4. Hemp Insulated House, Melin Homes & Willdig Lammie Partnership

 

 About SBRI

The project is being run through the Technology Strategy Board's Small Business Research Initiative (SBRI), a procurement scheme to encourage businesses of all sizes, but particularly SMEs, to engage with government departments and be prepared for future government procurement policy.

 

About the Technology Strategy Board

 

The Technology Strategy Board is a business-led executive non departmental public body, established by the Government. Its mission is to promote and support research into, and development and exploitation of, technology and innovation for the benefit of UK business, in order to increase economic growth and improve quality of life. It is sponsored by the UK's Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS). www.innovateuk.org

 About Energy Saving Trust

The Energy Saving Trust was selected to monitor all the projects in the trial. This will include evaluating building performance through the installation of sensors and remote data logging.

 

The Energy Saving Trust is the UK's leading organisation set up to try and prevent climate change by helping everybody to cut carbon dioxide emissions - the main greenhouse gas causing climate change - from their homes and transport. We promote the efficient use of energy and a low carbon lifestyle.

 Through its network of advice centres, the organisation provides free and impartial advice to consumers on saving energy, domestic renewables and greener transport, and is beginning to include water saving and waste reduction advice in its remit. It also works with retailers, builders and industry to make sure that energy efficient products are available for people to choose.

 Call a local Energy Saving Trust advice centre on: 0800 512 012 or visit:www.energysavingtrust.org.uk

 

About Energy Action Devon

Energy Action Devon, set up in 1993, is working to fight climate change and fuel poverty whilst supporting the economic regeneration of our communities through the development and delivery of sustainable energy policy and practice.

 For further information, please visit www.energyactiondevon.org.uk/

 For media enquires, please contact David Fletcher, Chief Executive on 0175 223 5180 or 07595 115943 and at david@energyactiondevon.org.uk