Case Study: BCHG Green 4 - SHELTER Project

Short Description

GREEN4 will inform and assist social landlords and their supply chain to maximise demand, for low carbon retrofit measures, by presenting examples of the technologies and their application.

The project will retrofit three pairs of semi-detached, solid-walled houses to demonstrate the opportunities for whole-house energy retrofits in social housing.

The demonstration will include the installation of newly-available, carbon-saving products and techniques, technical specifications and procurement processes for social landlords and the related opportunities for SME-diversification, enterprise-, job- and wealth-creation resulting from low carbon retrofits.

Key Elements

Certification

Before and after Standard Assessment Procedure energy ratings (SAP-ratings) will be undertaken to predict pre- and post-renovation fuel use. As the properties are occupied we will also be able to compare before and after fuel bills to validate the predictions.

Asset Management

This project is to act as a test-bed for a stock-wide improvement programme.

Project Management

A model of cooperation resulting from the SHELTER study will be applied to the project to demonstrate ways of achieving efficiency through management, procurement and operational techniques.

Capacity Building

The project will conduct business assist activities with small and medium-sized enterprises in the local low carbon technology supply chain to encourage greater diversification and growth in the low carbon sector, leading to economies of scale.

Work with Residents

All residents receive face to face in-home energy advice specific to their circumstances.

Thermal Insulation

Vacuum panel thermal insulation will be applied externally to all dwellings using three different methods (2 dwellings for each method), loft insulation will also be ‘topped up’.

Air Tightness

Recent tests have shown that the buildings have an unimproved air-tightness of 5.5m3 of air per m2 of total floor area per hour when tested at 50Pascals air pressure. We would expect to reduce this to 3mn3/m3.h at 50Pa. We will test before and after to verify these assumptions.

Ventilation

Whole-house mechanical ventilation with heat recovery is proposed.

Heating and Hot Water

Micro-combined heat and power (mCHP) technology Sterling Engine boilers will replace the existing heating system.

Funding

Solar PV panels will be installed.

Water Saving

Aerating taps, low flow showers, low-flush w/cs and low volume baths will be installed.

Main Results

750 tonnes of carbon will be saved. More SME’s delivering solid wall and mCHP technology to social landlords.  Increased links between participating SMEs and their local knowledge base.  A proven model of co-operations that has achieved efficiency savings which can be applied by other social landlords.

Lessons learned

Additional Information

Contact:

Kim Cherry
BCHG - Black Country Housing Group
E-mail: cherryk@bcha.co.uk
Phone: +44 (0)121 561 1969