How installers can support housing associations with a focus on heat pump technology

Mitsubishi Electric is one of the sponsors of the Installing the Future. Now! feature at InstallerSHOWfrom 21st to 23rd June at the NEC.

Ahead of the event, we spoke to Russell Dean, Head of Residential and Domestic Heating, who told us how installers can support housing associations with a focus on heat pump technology

When working with housing associations, it’s important for installers to focus on solutions that provide warmth and comfort for tenants – the main priority for any housing association. At the same time, as sustainability and reaching net-zero becomes more of a pressing issue, reducing energy consumption and lowering carbon emissions must also be taking into consideration when recommending and installing any new heating system.

With this focus on net-zero, many housing associations are now looking to upgrade their heating solutions to become more environmentally friendly. Initially, addressing all of these issues – cost, comfort and efficiency- may seem like a big undertaking, but it can be the perfect opportunity for installers to opt for heat pump technology and provide the answer to all three. The efficiency of a heat pump can help to reduce a housing association’s carbon impact, as well as reducing costs for tenants compared to gas or oil heating.

An example: Clydesdale Housing Association

Clydesdale Housing Association was founded in 1987 by a voluntary committee. Since then, its mission has been to combat the poor condition of houses in Clydesdale, and address the shortage of rented housing at the time. It now manages over 740 properties and recently, the owners were looking to replace the old, inefficient electric storage heating. By doing so, they hoped to reduce fuel costs for tenants, and be able to lift them out of fuel poverty, while also assisting the Association in meeting the Social Housing Energy Efficiency Standard2 (EESSH2) targets.

Thanks to the installation Ecodan air source heat pumps from Mitsubishi Electric, up to a total of 120 when the project is complete, tenants are now able to make cost savings of £852 per year on average. The Mitsubishi Electric units were chosen to help provide renewable energy and year-round comfort,

Meeting energy-efficiency regulations

The Scottish Government created EESSH to help reduce poor energy-efficiency standards and combat fuel poverty, at the same time as contributing to the overall climate change emissions reduction targets.

With a target date of 31 December 2020, EESSH had a minimum rating milestone based on the minimum Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating. EESSH2 requires all social housing to meet EPC band B – or be as energy efficient as practically possible, within the limits of cost, technology and necessary consent – by the end of December 2032.

With this in mind, BRB Electrical carried out the heating replacement works for Clydesdale and worked closely with the Association to ensure tenants were able to get the maximum benefit as a result of the project.

Opting for the right heating solution

While surveying the site, it was clear that the type of properties being targeted were better suited to the installation of versatile air source heat pumps, and not the storage heaters that had first been considered.

Ultra Quiet Ecodan heat pumps from Mitsubishi Electric were chosen as the most effective heating option, due to their low maintenance and ability to generate an average of three kilowatts of heating for every kilowatt of electricity consumed.

Now, Ecodan units sit outside the Clydesdale homes and extract warmth from the outdoor air. They upgrade this renewable heat energy and transfer it to inside the home, where it provides hot water and heating for radiators, or under floor heating. They will do this quietly and reliably, all year round, even in sub-zero temperatures down to -25ºC.

The heat pumps, which have been installed in 33 properties to date, are working in a variety of apartments, detached, semi-detached and terraced houses across the Association.

Reaping the benefits

By installing heat pump technology, Clydesdale Housing Association is now able to provide high quality living conditions for residents, with a focus on comfort. At the same time, tenants are able to make significant fuel savings, in the knowledge that their heating systems are a sustainable choice.

BRB Electrical also partnered with the Wise Group to provide tenants with information about tariff switching and held intensive consultations on how the tenants could save money. To date, approval rating for the systems is very high, with 98% of respondents providing positive feedback.

Russell Dean, Head of Residential and Domestic Heating Mitsubishi Electric, says: “We’re delighted the Clydesdale Housing Association has chosen to install our innovative Ecodan air source heat pump systems.

“Tenants are already feeling the benefits – both in their homes and in their pockets – and the Association is meeting its priorities of supporting its tenants as well as contributing to meeting environmental targets.”

For more details on the Ecodan range, visit ecodan.co.uk