Case Study: BCHG Handsworth project - SHELTER Project
Name of organisation: BCHG - Black Country Housing Group
Stage of development: completed
Year of finalization: 2008
Type of project: refurbishment
Area: suburban
Scale: individual buildings
Type of building: group of terraced houses
Number of units/dwellings: 9
Tenure: social rental
Street:
Postcode:
City: Handsworth
Region/ County: West Midlands
Country: United Kingdom
Last Update: 01.04.2011
Short Description
These were all dwellings bought for improvement and resale to improve the energy efficiency of local housing stock, demonstrate what can be achieved and encourage others to do the same work to their own properties (social rental with aim of final private ownership).
A range of house-types and conditions were selected. This meant that a range of improvement options were demonstrated.
The better the condition to start with the less work was planned and undertaken. For example, Charleville Road had just been improved when it was purchased from a social landlord.
The walls had been dry-lined with plasterboard and there was a thin layer of insulation on the back of that plasterboard (assumed 25-38mm). It was therefore not practical or desirable to add more insulation to this property’s walls.
Linwood Road was fire damaged and therefore the walls were insulated to the highest standard possible.
Key Elements
Certification
Energy performance certificates were issued as part of the sale/lease agreement – a legal requirement in the UK by the time we did this project.
Before and after Standard Assessment Procedure energy ratings (SAP-ratings) were undertaken to predict pre- and post-renovation fuel use. The properties were empty before the project and were purchased by the project.
No pre-renovation fuel bills were available; however people who had lived in similar properties before they moved into the dwellings were selected so that some comparison between before and after fuel use could be made.
Asset Management
This project was to act as a catalyst in a predominantly privately owned housing area. The demonstrators were shown to social landlords and home owners to stimulate others to improve the energy efficiency of their dwellings when undertaking renovation work.
Project Management
A home improvement agency belonging to Birmingham City Council secured the funding and purchased the dwellings. That organisation took the lead role. The Agency appointed Black Country Housing Group to provide experience of energy renovations and procured the building works from a main contractor and sub contractors.
This was a discreet project; however the Agency employed consultants and contractors that operate within a framework partnership.
These properties were empty; however they were open to the public for one month after completion in order to demonstrate what can be done by neighbours with similar properties, most of which are in need of major renovations.
Work with Residents
As a demonstrator the project was about building scale by encouraging and influencing other property owners to learn from and copy the project; building the area’s capacity to undertake effective energy renovations.
Within the Agency some capacity was developed through joint working leading to some elements of replication after this initial project. There was no specialist capacity building work undertaken in the team.
As a result the contractors, who were not involved in developing the project specification or content, found it extremely difficult to deliver the required quality within the sum quoted in competitive tendering. (See A.4.6 Additional Information below for further discussion of this issue).
Funding
A special grant was secured from a local agency “Urban Living” set up to help renew failing housing market areas that have the potential to improve.
Thermal Insulation
All dwellings had an improved thermal envelope at the end of the project. Where properties had already been upgraded no further improvements were made, even though the standard of insulation was not the best. Where no previous improvements had been made the highest standards achievable were employed. Roof insulation was increased to 350mm of mineral fibre quilt, giving a Thermal Transmittance (U-value) of 0.14W/m2K.
Where walls had already been improved before the project took place, they had between 25 and 38mm of extruded polystyrene-backed plasterboard (U-value – 0.6- 0.5W/m2K). Where the project improved the walls, U-values as low as 0.2W/m2K (for Linwood Road) were achieved. Other wall U-values ranged between these values, depending on the available space for adding thermal insulation internally and or externally.
Most insulation was applied internally. At Linwood Road, insulation was applied internally at the front of the building to preserve features of architectural value whilst the remainder of the building, with low architectural value, was insulated externally; with an overlap where both internal and external insulation was applied to minimise cold-bridging.
Where floors had to be replaced or where they were of suspended timber construction, 100mm of mineral fibre quilt or expanded polystyrene was included. Replacement windows and doors had U-values of 1.5W/m2K.
Air Tightness
Insulating the solid walls improved air-tightness. Before the work the dwellings typically achieved an air tightness of 5.5m3/m2.h @ 50Pa. After improvement this was between 3 and 3.5m3/m2.h at 50 PA.
Ventilation
Where mechanical ventilation fans were installed these were of an individual through-the-wall heat recovery type.
Heating and Hot Water
Efficient gas-fired boilers were installed, together with full time and temperature zone control, except the two dwellings that had air-source heat-pumps. Where solar water heating was installed a twin-coil heat store was included; elsewhere the boilers were of the combination-type, providing instantaneous domestic hot water.
Solar Thermal
Three of the properties received solar water heating; where south-facing roof slopes were available without over-shading.
Solar Photovoltaic
One property received solar photovoltaic electricity generating systems; where south-facing roof slopes were available without over-shading.
Electricity Saving Products
Air-source heat-pumps were installed in two of the properties. Dedicated compact florescent lamp holders and bulbs were installed in all rooms and information about low-energy and water consuming domestic appliances was provided in all properties and to all visitors.
Water Saving
Low water consumption sanitary appliances (taps/showers/WCs) were installed in most dwellings. Rainwater harvesting was installed in one dwelling. Roof covering and timber material was reused, in these renovations; where possible – reducing waste arising by 15%. At Carpenters Road recycled plastic boundary fencing and wild-life garden planting were installed.
Main Results
The impact of the energy renovation measures on fuel bills and CO2 emissions ranged between £200 and £2000 per annum and between 1.5 and 9 tonnes (CO2) per annum.
Works costs ranged between £12,000 and £120,000 because of the size of the different properties and the original condition. The Cheapest was a large property but one that had just been improved and where not many additional energy renovation measures could be afforded.
The most expensive was a large property that was fire damaged and required structural repairs as well as energy renovation improvements. In that case, 80% of the cost (£96,000) was dedicated to the energy renovation measures.
Lessons learned
This was an ambitious project and was undertaken at the worst possible time with regard to market conditions. Consequently it has not been able to influence as many energy renovations as was intended.
Using the skills of an improvement agency achieved a number of economies and simplified the procedures. Communications were therefore excellent between the actors involved and that should be transferred to future renovation projects on multiple sites.
Contractor selection – the conventional contractors needed a lot of assistance.
Additional Information
Contact:
Kim Cherry
BCHG - Black Country Housing Group
E-mail: cherryk@bcha.co.uk
Phone: +44 (0)121 561 1969


