The Whole House Retrofit (WHR) competition, focused on developing an affordable route to deep retrofit, has announced their winners. Energiesprong UK is one of them, winning projects with both Nottingham (Nottingham City Council and Nottingham City Homes) and Sutton (London Borough of Sutton and Sutton Housing Partnership).

‍

The projects entering the WHR competition must consider both process related innovations and material aspects of retrofit, focusing on mass production and large-scale delivery. Approximately £8 million funding has been awarded to 3 organisations to demonstrate a cost reduction trajectory for whole house retrofit. For the winning Energiesprong UK projects Nottingham and Sutton, the combined project budgets are more than £16m with grant of £6.6m. The WHR competition is funded by the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy’s Energy Innovation Programme.

‍

For the housing provider partners, Nottingham City Homes and Sutton Housing Partnership, this means a deep retrofit can take place on homes that aren’t energy efficient to today’s standards, helping to reduce fuel poverty and create warm, affordable desirable homes, fit for 2050 standards.

‍

“It’s fantastic that our residents will benefit from lower energy bills, warmer homes and a more sustainable future as a result of this funding. We’re very proud to be working towards a carbon neutral borough and supporting Sutton Council in its ambitious plans to tackle the climate emergency.”

Steve Tucker, Managing Director of Sutton Housing Partnership

Sutton Housing Partnership
The Sutton project aims to retrofit up to 100 homes in the London Borough of Sutton to the net-zero energy Energiesprong standard. Sutton Housing Partnership will manage the project with expertise from Energiesprong UK and Turner & Townsend supported by the Mayor of London’s Retrofit Accelerator programme. A whole house insulated wrap system will be deployed with high performance windows and doors. Other integrated retrofit measures will include an air to water heat pump, solar PV, mechanical ventilation with heat recovery for improved ventilation, and control system. Initial pilots will be delivered for traditional and non-traditional housing types which will then be scaled up to understand suitability for industrialised retrofit in the UK.

“I’m delighted that we’ve been successful with this bid in conjunction with Energiesprong UK, we are pleased to be working in partnership to deliver more net zero homes. Through this project, Energiesprong UK is helping us find affordable ways to meet our 2028 goal and become the first carbon neutral city in the UK.”

Wayne Bexton, Head of Energy Services, Nottingham City Council

Nottingham City Homes
Energiesprong is supporting Nottingham with two separate strands within this project to achieve the 2050 standards:

·      Applying learnings from their previous Energiesprong pilot, Nottingham will develop this innovative net zero whole house approach for flats in the Clifton area

·      A new methodology, called Destination Zero, which is being piloted in the Bakersfield area of the city

‍

Both of these work streams will use offsite components and are aimed at using industrialisation to drive down cost in line with the project objectives, helping Nottingham understand how to ensure they can improve their homes in the most efficient way, as they are keen to become the first carbon neutral city in 2028. The Energiesprong work stream ‘leaps’ the properties forward in one stage, whilst Destination Zero develops a net zero pathway ensuring that all components fit together and are installed in line with the end goal. Both work streams will use similar components such as wall facades or insulation manufactured into panels off site, and low carbon heating and energy pods.  

‍

Innovative suppliers, Mauer, Q-bot and ConstructiveThinking were partners in the Nottingham bid, and are now delivering the Destination Zero work stream. Energiesprong UK also brought in cost reduction partners, ManufacturingTechnology Centre, who are helping to ensure Nottingham meets their cost reduction objectives, both for the project, and beyond.  

‍

Through the Nottingham project the council and their ALMO, Nottingham City Homes, will improve the homes of 172 tenants and leaseholders, and they will create more than 15 new local employment and training opportunities.

Energiesprong UK
Energiesprong UK, is proud to be instrumental in supporting these winning projects to flourish and is convinced this will take the movement further in realising better, cheaper and more desirable retrofit solutions, to ensure everyone can live in a home that not only fits our time, but is also ready for our future.

‍

‍