Social housing: net zero progress report - quarter 2 2024

Project Title: Hill Road Net Zero Heat Project

Project Organisation: West of Scotland Housing Association

Technology Type(s): ASHP, Solar PV and Battery Storage

Location(s): Cumbernauld, North Lanarkshire Council

Grant Value: £569,665

Completion Date: Projected March 2025

Project Headline: Project installing ASHPs, solar PV and battery storage to 36 sheltered housing properties in Cumbernauld

Project Description:

The project includes a mix of single storey, semi-detached and terraced bungalows across a sheltered housing site built in 1993. Tenants are primarily over the age of 60 or living with a disability. The majority of tenants are experiencing fuel poverty and struggling to heat their homes.

The properties currently have expensive to run storage heaters and will benefit from clean heating via ASHPs for each individual property. The project will install solar PV panels and battery storage, which will enable the generation of zero carbon electricity to the properties, reducing the amount of electricity that needs to be imported from the grid, therefore lowering energy bills and reducing carbon emissions.

Properties already benefit from cavity wall insulation and loft insulation, all up the required standard. In addition, all properties are fully double glazed (with current windows installed in 2018) and have low energy lighting fitted across all fixed outlets. This makes these properties perfectly primed to install clean heating and maximise these benefits.

The project will include a wraparound package of support including energy and tariff advice designed to reassure tenants and ensure they are able to operate their new systems and optimise their overall efficiency.