Kensa Heat Pumps completed a compact and challenging heating upgrade programme featuring 11 of the Flagship Group’s properties on an estate in Fressingfield built in 2010.

The need for a new heating system became apparent when residents of the five year old houses were stung with high energy bills from their inefficient electric panel convector heaters, with one customer reporting bills of £500 a month.

The housing provider gained unanimous support for its plans at a consultation meeting with residents in January, who all voted for the Kensa Ground Source Heat Pump (GSHP) system. The 11 properties at Fressingfield features flats, bungalows, semi-detached and detached houses.

The diverse make-up of the site demanded an innovative approach to the heating system design with each requiring a bespoke solution for the heat pump, cylinder and radiator location, resulting in five distinct communal ‘heat networks’.

The five arrays demonstrate the diverse application of Kensa’s innovative ‘micro district’ approach, which features as few as two properties connected to one communal ground array in order to qualify for the non-domestic Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) and Energy Company Obligation (ECO) grant funding.

Mr Blowers, one of the 11 recipients of a new Kensa heat pump, said "When I moved into the house, I couldn’t believe we had electric panel heaters. I knew these wouldn’t be good for our carbon footprint. So to have a new ground source heat pump is fantastic. It is a major improvement."