The 'how to' on energy-efficiency for future housing stock

Published by SOHA for Soha Housing Ltd in Housing

A fairly standard housing estate house on Didcot’sGreat Western Drivehas been transformed thanks to funding from a Government body.  Ed Vaizey, MP, was there to witness quite how fundamental the adaptation has been.

The challenge of the Technology Strategy Board’s Retrofit for the Future programme is to show how emissions from housing could be reduced using innovative technologies and help achieve the Government target of an 80% reduction in CO₂ levels by 2050.

The Soha Housing property at2 Great Western Drivewas chosen for this project as one which is typical of social housing in general.  As such, the retrofit process could be used to learn how to upgrade the nation’s existing homes and, at a local level, reduce energy bills for Soha tenants.  Works at the home included solar hot water panels, a new boiler, whole-house ventilation, redesigning the ground floor to take better advantage of natural light and new radiators. 

The home and its energy performance will be monitored for two years.  Even at this early stage, many of the measures are already reaping benefits: these include modifications to the use and type of insulating materials and increased draught proofing.

Steve Lynch, Director of Property and Development at SohaHousing, said, “We intend to use the lessons we learn throughout the two years that this project runs to improve the energy efficiency of our stock.  We are very grateful to the residents for enduring the inconvenience disurbance.  Without their enthusiasm and support, this project would not have been successful.”

Notes to editor

(1) Soha Housing is the largest registered social housing provider in South Oxfordshire.  In all, it manages over 5500 homes in that district and beyond.  For more information on Soha, please contact Liz Roberts in Soha Resident Involvement and Marketing on 01235 515900 or lizroberts@soha.co.uk

(2) The Technology Strategy Board is a business-led government body which works to create economic growth by ensuring that the UKis a global leader in innovation. Sponsored by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS), the Technology Strategy Board brings together business, research and the public sector, supporting and accelerating the development of innovative products and services to meet market needs, tackle major societal challenges and help build the future economy. For more information please visit www.innovateuk.org

Funded and managed by the Technology Strategy Board, the Retrofit for the Future programme will see 86 social housing units across the country retrofitted with new, innovative technologies, with energy usage and CO₂ emissions monitored for two years.  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 theUK’s current housing stock could be made more energy efficient. 

For more information on the TSB, please contact Nick Sheppard, Technology Strategy Board Media Relations Consultant, 07824 599644 or nick.sheppard@tsb.gov.uk