Rising to the challenge

David Miller, Director of the new procurement framework, Frameworx, looks at why the required retrofit upgrades to the UK’s housing stock represents the biggest building challenge our sector as has ever seen.

With the recent release of the UN’s ‘survival guide’ to avert climate disaster, which says we are likely to breach the critical 1.5˚C in the 2030s, the Government’s new Powering Up Britain Energy Security Plan is welcome. Boosting the UK’s energy security and independence, reducing household energy bills and ultimately getting to Net Zero is a step forward. Now, collectively, we need to shift towards cleaner and more affordable energy sources, and as a sector, ensure we’re improving our homes for the best chance of being Net Zero too.

Retrofit is key

It’s no secret that some of the oldest and most energy-inefficient homes in Europe are to be found here in the UK, with an estimated 28 million properties requiring retrofit if we are to hit the legally binding pledge of Net Zero by 2050. Our homes use 35% of all the energy on the grid and emit 20% of the carbon dioxide emissions that contribute to climate change. More than 80% of existing homes will still be standing and occupied in 2050; building 250,000 new homes per year only adds 1% per year to the stock and reduces domestic emissions by 0.3%, so simply building new zero carbon homes will not get us close to the target.

To date, government has drawn on decades of independent research and provisions, but the resulting energy efficiency schemes and initiatives have not delivered as standalone measures. Until now.

Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund Wave

2.1

Enter Wave 2.1 of the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund (SHDF). A total of £778m has been awarded through the second wave of SHDF, the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) has announced. Whilst we all welcome the necessary funding to help cut emissions of homes across England, it will involve challenges. Government’s £3.8bn SHDF over 10 years is allowing social housing landlords to invest to improve the energy efficiency of their housing stock.

Retrofitting is one of the most critical climate problems to solve, contributing 20% of the UK’s carbon emissions. It’s also one of the biggest engineering challenges that the UK has ever faced and will only be successful if as a sector, the supply chain works collaboratively.

If you’re a social housing landlord who has successfully secured SHDF funding, (if you’re not already) you will need to work with providers who can efficiently and effectively work with you to deliver your decarbonisation and retrofit programmes. Frameworx offers options of approved providers that can help you deliver under the Energy Consultancy framework and Planned Maintenance Framework for Net Zero Carbon Works.

Tight timescales are involved. The grant must be drawn down and expended by 31st March 2025, with works completed by 30th September 2025. In order to meet deadlines, landlords need to be working with their providers now to survey overall stock energy performance and recommend properties to put forward for the retrofit works on a fabric first principle. The sooner the process begins the better the outcome, especially against the backdrop of a tight labour market.

Why does retrofit matter?

To achieve the decarbonisation goals, we have to take a whole house, multimeasure, fabric first approach and at every opportunity, embrace a retrofit strategy, which maximises the benefits of low carbon solutions, avoids unforeseen circumstances and unintended consequences, and reduces energy demand. There is an appetite for getting the job done. Collaboration is the way forward, with multi-skilled teams, shared tasks, shared risks and shared problem solving, partnering with retrofit specialists. This has to be a ‘pull together’ scenario to take on the battle to mitigate climate change.

Partner for success

The good news is that Frameworx providers are ready and waiting to help housing providers deliver Net Zero. Representing some of the best providers for energy efficiency improvements, with the appropriate certifications to deliver eligible measures, e.g., Trustmark or equivalent accredited, with relevant MCS standard certification to achieve the required PAS 2035:2019 specification, you are not alone. Our Framework members will guide you through the jargon and most importantly make sure you’re doing retrofit in the right way, e.g., there’s no point fitting a shiny new PV system on a damaged roof or onto a poorly insulated, damp and draughty home.

The earlier the SHDF procurement process starts the better the outcomes for successful contract delivery, value for money, smooth, fully-resourced programme delivery — and ultimately, the planet. The task is truly enormous, but together through collaboration, we can work towards achieving it.

Frameworx is a new not-for-profit procurement organisation, offering an innovative solution for social housing providers, contractors and suppliers who have a shared commitment to investing in social value and the communities in which they work. Set up in 2022 in association with the National Housing Maintenance Forum means it is backed by the credibility and expertise of an organisation that represents more than 80% of the UK’s register providers of social housing.

Key benefits of Frameworx: Aligned with M3NHF Schedule of Rates; all surpluses invested back into social value, sustainability, innovation, research and training; supplier benchmarking, monitoring and sharing best practice; not-for-profit; highly competitive maximum fee 1.5%; direct award and mini-competition available as call off methods.

Date for the diary:

Frameworx Showcase online event on the 12th June, 11am-12pm

The Frameworx team are getting together to provide an online Showcase event, dedicated to frameworks. Ideal for everyone working in procurement and for any social housing providers or suppliers and contractors who just want to understand more, during this one-hour session: l We’ll go back to basics to look at the important role frameworks play in our sector. l Explain more about the different ways to procure effectively and flexibly through Frameworx. l Introduce the scope of service providers available to you. l Give you the chance to meet the team and find out more about our social value commitments and the Frameworx difference. n To reserve your place for the online Showcase event email luana@m3h.co.uk n To find out more about how Frameworx can support you, visit www.nhmfframeworx.org.uk

ROAD TO ZERO CARBON ROUND-UP

New heat pump range for commercial buildings

Ideal Heating’s new range of monobloc air source heat pumps is designed to help improve energy efficiency and reduce reliance on natural gas within commercial buildings. Available in six outputs and seven models (14kW, 14kW (single phase), 18kW, 26kW, 32kW, 50kW and 70kW), the ECOMOD range provides a minimum A++ Energy related Products (ErP) efficiency rating and high co-efficient of performance (COP) rating of up to 4.85. R32 refrigerant ensures a low global warming potential (GWP). The heat pumps also include an inverter-controlled compressor that can control the building temperature based on specific requirements of the space, further enhancing the efficiency of a building.

Ideal ECOMOD heat pumps can be used alone or cascaded to meet the heating requirements of larger commercial buildings. They can also be installed alongside other Ideal solutions, such as the EVOMAX 2 and the IMAX XTRA 2 commercial condensing boilers, to build a low carbon hybrid heating system. The range output models are light and compact units in comparison to similar products, making installation and delivery easy. All products also come with a five-year warranty — when commissioned by Ideal Heating — and noise levels as low as 68dB(A), the equivalent of a quiet refrigerator.

Chris Caton, Product Director – Commercial Product Management for Ideal Heating, Groupe Atlantic UK, ROI & NA, says: “The range of outputs available means we can cater for many commercial buildings. For example, our 14kW single phase unit is suitable for sites without access to three phase electricity, such as care homes or community halls, while all units can be cascaded to meet the needs of larger spaces, making them a versatile and cost-effective choice.” n For more information on the ECOMOD heat pumps visit www.rdr.link/lak024

Enhanced solar panel range

Whole house heat recovery

A new MVHR (Mechanical Ventilation Heat Recovery) range is available from EnviroVent. The Sabik 350 and 500 series are designed to provide balanced and sustainable ventilation for new and refurbished homes, incorporating modular features, with user-friendly controllability. The Sabik 350 and 500 systems have significant airflow capacity of up to 414m3hr and 601m3hr respectively (in free air).

The Sabik 350 unit is Passivhaus certified providing that the modular preheater and enhanced ePM1 70% filter are installed. Optional features of both systems include a pre-heater, Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC) sensor, wall spacer bracket for tight installations, and constant flow module. Available in two sizes to suit different properties, the systems benefit from minimal noise levels thanks to reduced air leakage, as well as offering energy efficiency benefits which help to save on annual heating costs.

When connected to an AirSens sensor, the Sabik 350 and 500 systems react automatically to changes in air quality, instantly increasing the extraction rate when needed to a maintain healthy environment.

n For more information on the Sabik 350 visit www.rd.link/lak025 n For more information on the Sabik 500 visit www.rd.link/lak026 n More information on Marley’s M10 solar panel solution here www.rdr.link/lak027

To further support the availability of sustainable roofing solutions, Marley has extended its SolarTile range, with the launch of a new panel. Larger than Marley’s existing 335Wp system, the new M10 Solar Photovoltaic Panel delivers a peak power of 405Wp to increase total power from a roof area, while allowing for the installation of fewer solar panels to achieve the desired power output.

The new M10 also offers simple roof integration with a clean, low-profile aesthetic making it a sustainable solution for new-builds and retrofit projects. It can be fitted during a normal roofing programme and comes with compatible roofing kits for simple fitting and installation times reduced to less than 45 min/kWp. The M10 panel achieves exceptional fire performance, wind resistance, and weather tightness and is the ideal solution for any solar roof project.

The monocrystalline half cut M10 (182mm) format cells are laid out in 6 by 9 by 2 arrangements over a black back sheet with black framing for a contemporary and seamless look. The M10 offers 10 slimline connectors for each cell meaning the higher power rating enables roof integrated solar to be even more cost-effective.

‘Smartr’ digital offer to decarbonise the built environment Equans has introduced a new advanced digital platform that will drive efficiencies and help accelerate decarbonisation efforts across the built environment. The Smartr platform connects and integrates data from across a building or estate to provide a complete overview of a sites performance, allowing for faster and better decision-making.

The platform provides active, meaningful insights through Smartr Connect — a secure cloud-based remote monitoring solution that optimises and controls a building's energy and carbon performance.

It gives users the power to control costs with remote management, diagnostics and asset integration, increase productivity with flexible and efficient working practices, and use all-in-one reporting analytics to accurately assess progression towards sustainability goals. The system helps to connect people, places and technology, providing a seamless experience for building users, owners and facilities managers.

With un-optimised systems in buildings typically wasting more than 20% of their energy consumption through poor configuration and scheduling that is not in line with operational requirements or environmental conditions, the Smartr platform can provide significant energy and cost savings.

By using the Smartr platform, building owners and managers can also look at the bigger picture, make better decisions faster, spot opportunities for automation and improved control of systems — and deploy remote fixes. By making data analytics intuitive, it enables proactive action to better control energy which can be enhanced further by use of machine-learning and AI (Artificial Intelligence).

James Graham, Divisional CEO for Equans UK & Ireland, says: “By using Smartr, customers can improve their environmental impact while maximising efficiency, helping them to meet their environmental, social and governance (ESG) goals and obligations.” n More information on the Smartr digital platform here www.rdr.link/lak028