100-Year-Old London Flats Prove Heat Pump Sceptics Wrong

The Sutton Dwellings estate, built in 1913, has seen 81 flats across four blocks fitted with Kensa’s British-made ground source heat pumps, making these the oldest blocks of social housing flats in the UK so far to be heated using a networked heat pump solution.

This unique project is part of an extensive regeneration of the estate by housing provider Clarion Housing, which started in 2019. In this phase, each new, modern social home has received highly energy-efficient heating and hot water via its own compact ground source heat pump, that will keep energy bills low for residents while producing zero carbon emissions at the point of use.

Like traditional gas boilers, the heat pumps are small enough to be housed inside a cupboard in each flat. However, unlike gas, renewable heat energy used by the heat pump is sourced from the ground via the 27 boreholes drilled deep beneath the estate’s tight, urban footprint. This method ensures there’s no visible impact on the historic property’s traditional red-brick exterior and allows residents to fully enjoy the landscaped outside spaces around each block.

Installing networked heat pumps for Sutton Dwellings showcases one of the solutions to decarbonize existing buildings in the UK, 80% of which are expected to still be standing in 2050. It also busts commonly held myths about heat pumps, proving that:

• Adaptable: Ground source heat pumps can work for almost any property type, including older buildings and those with limited outdoor space
• Perfect for flats: Multi-unit dwellings are perfectly suitable for ground source heat pumps, with Kensa’s Shoebox fitting inside a cupboard – much like a traditional gas boiler
• Urban compatibility: Dense urban environments pose no issue for ground source heat pump installations
• Preserve history: Heat pumps can be installed without impacting a property’s historical architecture and external features
• Space saving: Ground source heat pumps require no outdoor storage space, leaving residents to fully enjoy gardens and outside spaces without compromise
• Affordable: Expected annual heating costs of around £300 for a 1-bed flat to just over £700 for a 4-bed flat in the estate demonstrate the affordability of heat pumps for consumers

Installing Kensa’s networked heat pump system marks the third age of heating for the historic flat blocks, which has transitioned from coal fireplaces to gas heating, and now renewable energy. It’s also an example of how history and modern solutions can work seamlessly in tandem, offering a pathway to retrofit the UK’s other ‘complex to decarbonize’ buildings and homes currently heated using fossil fuels.

PERFECT SIZE: The heat pumps used in the project were small enough to be housed inside a cupboard in each flat. (Courtesy of Kensa/Clarion Housing Group)

Regenerating the 100-plus-year-old buildings highlights how heat decarbonization solutions can work for the UK’s existing properties, potentially saving others from future demolition. It also follows other major social housing retrofit projects completed by Kensa, including the installation of Shoebox heat pumps in 273 flats across multiple 1960s tower blocks in Thurrock, and over 400 flats across eight tower blocks owned by Enfield Council.

“Often you see claims heat pumps don’t work, they aren’t suitable for older buildings, there isn’t enough space to install ground-source heat pumps in cities,” Stuart Gadsden, commercial director at Kensa, said. “This project is proof you can do all these and more. This was an ambitious project, but at Kensa, we’re always searching for the next innovation, the next solution that can improve people’s lives and be the answer to decarbonizing heat in the millions of UK buildings that need it. Hopefully, this project can serve as a blueprint for other social housing providers with properties that need decarbonizing.”

While this can be seen as a great myth-busting project for renewable heating, particularly ground source heat pumps, Gadsden added, the most important outcome will be the benefits felt by residents. With Kensa systems, they will be getting low-cost, low-carbon heating and hot water, allowing them to keep their whole homes warm.“We see a huge opportunity in the global transition to a low carbon economy – particularly in private markets, where Legal & General invests in companies and infrastructure with significant growth potential in the medium to long term,” John Bromley, managing director of Clean Energy & Climate Strategy (Private Markets), Legal & General, said. “Combining analysis of energy systems with infrastructure and property development expertise led to our equity investment in Kensa: to provide a high-efficiency, scalable heating and cooling solution for homes and businesses.”

This article was rerun with permission from https://kensa.co.uk/social-housing/news/100-year-old-london-flats-decarbonised