Fact check: Heat pumps can be effectively installed in older buildings
Ground Source Heat Pumps Transform Old London Estate
Ground source heat pumps (GSHPs) have proven to be an effective solution for heating older buildings, as demonstrated by the recent renovation of The Sutton Dwellings estate in London. Built in 1913, the Edwardian-era building now boasts low-cost, low-carbon heating and hot water, thanks to a networked heat pump system installed by Kensa.
In total, 81 flats across four blocks have received the ground source heat pump system, making The Sutton Dwellings estate the oldest social housing flats in the UK to be heated using a networked heat pump solution. The small, compact heat pumps are housed inside a cupboard in each flat, having minimal impact on the property's exterior.
Before the installation, residents of the building heated their flats with coal fireplaces and later with gas. Now, each flat receives its heating and hot water via a compact ground source heat pump, ensuring energy bills remain low and producing zero carbon emissions at the point of use.
The project is part of a larger regeneration of the estate by housing provider Clarion Housing, which began in 2019. It serves as a blueprint for other social housing providers aiming to decarbonize their properties, demonstrating how history and modern solutions can coexist.
Stuart Gadsden, Commercial Director at Kensa, believes the project is significant for busting myths about renewable heating, particularly ground source heat pumps. He asserts that the installation in an urban setting like London proves that heat pumps can work in older buildings and in cities with limited space.
Kensa continues to seek innovative solutions to improve lives and decarbonize heat in millions of UK buildings, with the goal of offering a potential pathway for decarbonizing other buildings heated with fossil fuels.
References:
- Ground Source Heat Pumps Explained
- Benefits of Ground Source Heat Pumps
- Retrofitting Old Buildings with Ground Source Heat Pumps
- Installing Ground Source Heat Pumps in Urban Settings
- The innovative ground source heat pump (GSHP) regeneration of The Sutton Dwellings estate, an old London building, showcases the role of science and technology in addressing climate-change, especially in the context of environmental-science and housing innovation.
- The project, which transformed The Sutton Dwellings estate into the UK's oldest social housing to implement a networked heat pump solution, offers a model for other social housing providers seeking to decarbonize their properties while maintaining historical architectural integrity.
- The successful application of GSHPs in urban settings, such as in London, helps debunk misconceptions surrounding renewable heating, particularly in older buildings with space limitations, opening up new possibilities for the decarbonization of millions of buildings currently heated using fossil fuels.
