Published: Tuesday 22 December 2020
Residents in a North Kensington housing block will save money and the environment when their homes become the first of their kind in Britain to receive an innovative energy efficient overhaul.
Kensington and Chelsea Council has announced that 38 properties in the four-storey Treadgold House on the Lancaster West Estate will receive a carbon-neutral “Energiesprong” retrofit, including the super-insulation of the fabric of the building and the replacement of gas boilers with renewable heating sources.
The work will make the homes carbon-neutral by generating the energy required for heating, hot water and electrical appliances through measures such as solar panels and air source heat pumps, as well as reducing bills for residents and helping the Council towards its commitment to becoming carbon-neutral by 2030.
Additional benefits include triple-glazed windows, new ventilation systems, better safety by removing gas and the potential for increased balcony space.
Following extensive engagement and a ballot, residents voted overwhelmingly in favour of the net-zero refurbishment following a consultation with the Lancaster West Neighbourhood Team in November.
Cllr Kim Taylor-Smith, Lead Member for Grenfell, Housing, and Social Investment, said:
“The challenges for this Council are stark. We have an ageing building stock which is difficult to retrofit, so in order to achieve our 2030 carbon-neutral commitment we will need to find innovative solutions.
“The Energiesprong retrofit standard is potentially one of them and it is fitting that we trial this on Lancaster West, where we have committed to making a 21st century estate.
“Projects like this will transform Lancaster West into a model social housing estate and keep our borough at the forefront of the fight for a cleaner, greener future.”
James Caspell, Neighbourhood Director for Lancaster West Estate, said:
“We’re delighted that 96 per cent of residents in Treadgold House have backed such an innovative project to transform Treadgold House into a 21st model for carbon-neutral housing.
“Over the next two years, we’ll continue to work closely with residents to codesign carbon-neutral homes for the future.”
The work on Treadgold House will form part of the proposals that the Council will be bringing forward in its Housing Fuel Poverty and Sustainability Strategy, which will set the roadmap for how it meets its commitment to be carbon neutral in its operations by 2030.