GREEN RETROFIT
HOUSING EXECUTIVE WINS THREE AWARDS FOR PILOT RETROFIT SCHEME IN NEWRY TO IMPROVE FIVE 1970S HOUSES… HE’s award-winning pilot retrofit scheme can be replicated at scale
A n innovative Housing Executive (HE) zero carbon project in Newry to improve five houses built in 1979 to different energy efficiency standards has received three major inaugural awards. So far this year, the scheme has won Best Net Zero Carbon Initiative at the National Housing Maintenance Forum Conference, Best Small Retrofit Project of the Year at the Futurebuild 2022 conference in London and Sustainability Project of the Year award presented by Architect and TV presenter George Clarke at the AICO|HomeLINK Community Awards 2022. Completed in 2018, the scheme was followed by two years of post-occupancy evaluation. Caroline Best, Architect and Technical Development Manager, Housing Executive explains more, “The objectives were primarily tenant-led, focussing on fabric first measures to drive down heating demand, reduce carbon emissions and improve the comfort, health and wellbeing of the occupants. “It was also an opportunity to protect the dwellings from further harmful degradation such as mould, condensation and damp and potentially even to prolong their lifespan. “Construction of the existing dwellings is very typical of the majority of Housing Executive stock, so the workable solutions taken from the scheme can be replicated at scale. “Five almost identical properties were upgraded from SAPE to increasing energy performance standards up to SAP B, and the outcomes were compared in terms of capital expenditure, disruption to occupants, in-use running costs and carbon reduction. “Energy measures included external wall insulation (plus cavity wall insulation), new PVC windows and GRP doors, insulated external sills, new gas heating, an air tightness strategy and whole house ventilation. Some renewable technology was also installed to two of the houses, including a small array of PV panels and solar hot water.
Housing Executive chair Prof Peter Roberts (right) with (l-r) Architect Caroline Best, Head of Quality Improvement Adrian Blythe and tenant Ronan Loughran at the award-winning green retrofit homes project in Newry.
“Following completion, the temperature and humidity of the dwellings were monitored for a period of two years, and this was compared to data collected during pre-retrofit monitoring. Actual pre and post retrofit fuel costs were compared, and SAP reports were analysed to determine the reduction of carbon emissions and fabric heat loss.” Measured improvements include: 1 43% increase in the periods of comfortable temperature (18-21°C). 2 45.3% average decrease in total fabric heat loss. 3 Air permeability results from 2.7 m³/h/m² to 8.6 m³/h/m², from around 15 m³/h/m². 4 CO2 emission rate decreased by 75.5%. 5 £748 reduction in fuel bills. Caroline continued, “In terms of the benefit to the wider community, the Housing Executive is already applying some of the techniques and measures trialled in this scheme to larger retrofit programmes. “In particular, external wall insulation is being rolled out to communities across Northern Ireland, incorporating the optimal details identified in the Newry scheme that reduced thermal bridging and increased airtightness. Ventilation is
also now a major focus, with continuous, humidity-responsive systems being installed alongside major insulation upgrades as standard.”
How they did it… Journey to Refit is an account of the Housing Executive pilot describing
the process from its very early, ambitious beginnings, to the detailed and target-driven approach finally
delivered. In the report, the HE shares lessons learned with stakeholders who may be considering, or are currently undertaking, similar retrofit work for the first time. Stakeholders may include housing associations, homeowners, designers, students, policy makers and government bodies. Read Journey to Refit here: www.nihe. gov.uk/Documents/Energy/Journey-to- Retrofit.aspx
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