Residents of 74 homes on the Newford Estate in Stoke-on-Trent have benefitted from the installation of energy efficiency measures delivered by Lovell Partnerships on behalf of Unitas Stoke-on-Trent.
The £4.5m scheme was funded by the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund (SHDF) – now renamed the Warm Homes: Social Housing Fund. The works were procured via a direct award through Lot 2 of our Medium Works Framework, which we managed on behalf of The Education Alliance.
Setting up for success
Prior to the contract award, Lovell Partnerships conducted surveys of the properties set to receive improvement measures, which allowed its team to flag any initial concerns on the original design.
Following this pre-production design verification process, Lovell Partnerships pulled on its extensive practical experience from other projects, collaborating with Value Optimised Retrofit to develop a design that delivered both practical solutions and value for money for client Unitas. Lovell Partnerships’ technical advice based on real-world delivery of successful decarbonisation works led to little revision of designs once work was underway on site, creating a smooth delivery.
Carl Yale, refurbishment director for Lovell Renew, said: “Our previous experience delivering decarbonisation works gives us an acute understanding of why our people centred approach to retrofitting houses is so important. By making the benefits of works clear to residents, the level of engagement and cooperation between them and our team creates a much more streamlined delivery of works.
“That’s why we had a full-time, in-house resident liaison office for this scheme, who was on hand to help residents understand the improvements the works would bring, including reduced heating bills and better air quality, creating a better quality of life.”
Delivering decarbonisation measures
In total, 463 energy efficiency measures were installed across the 74 cross-wall properties. The existing front and rear claddings were stripped back, and engineers appointed to assess the timber frame, with Lovell Partnerships undertaking structural repairs as appropriate through the installation of plywood and breather membrane.
Once these repairs were completed, structural external wall insulation (SEWI) was installed, along with silicone render with brick effect to match the existing aesthetic of the homes. Insulation was also improved by extracting damp and ineffective cavity wall insulation, replacing it with high-performance fire-retardant bead insulation.
The project also had rigorous airtightness ambitions to meet due to concerns on air filtration and the subsequent interstitial condensation it could cause within the timber frame. Quality control had to be prioritised around key interfaces, with testing throughout the works ensuring the measures delivered by various installers met the stringent requirements.
Finally, more energy efficiency windows and doors were installed to the properties to avoid heat leakage through these areas.
Delivering work sustainably and with minimal onward impact is a focus of all project work for Lovell Partnerships. For this scheme, waste was sorted on site and a baler was used to compact recyclable waste. Frames and glass from original windows were all recycled, while an EWI takeback scheme was utilised, meaning offcuts were collected for free for re-use by the manufacturer. Ultimately, 99.6% of waste was diverted away from landfill.
Tom Retallick, framework manager at Pagabo said: “This scheme stands as an example of how funding from government schemes can be maximised by having the right project partners in place. Through its pre-contract surveys, Lovell Partnerships was able to minimise design amends throughout work, and its deployment of a resident liaison officer was undoubtedly key to smooth delivery of works while also engaging well with residents throughout the process.
“This increases the positive social impact of the works beyond those benefits like reduced energy bills. Coupled with the high amount of recycling and waste diverted from landfill, this is a project that really embodies the positive outcomes we strive to see all schemes procured through our frameworks deliver.”
Similar decarbonisation schemes – whether funded by government schemes or by clients – can be procured through several avenues. Get in touch today to discuss the procurement options available to you with our experts.
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