A significant housing development in the village of Crosthwaite in the heart of the Lake District World Heritage Site is set to benefit from a collaboration by Oakes Energy Services and Kensa Group.
The new build development, built by Russell Armer Limited for Castles & Coasts Housing Association, comprises 13 properties at St Mary’s Green, Crosthwaite, in the Lake District National Park.
The project, delivered by Oakes and Kensa Contracting (part of the Kensa Group), is set to deliver energy and cost efficiencies for the benefit of residents and highlights the opportunity for developers to claim RHI income for new build developments.
Involving the installation of individual ground source heat pump (GSHP) heating systems, supplied by a series of communal boreholes, the district element of the design qualifies the project for Non-Domestic RHI payments.
This lesser-known district heating system arrangement, pioneered by Kensa for groups of properties, overcomes the traditional constraints of district heating schemes, and, as in the case of the Castles & Coasts project, each home is fitted with its own individual Kensa Shoebox GSHP. This ensures independent heating and hot water for the lifetime of the property, whilst significantly reducing carbon emissions, and delivering up to 75% of the property’s heat for free.
Rob Brittain, Property Services Director at Castles & Coasts, said: “By delivering projects such as this we are making improvements to energy consumption benefiting our residents, the environment and making cost efficiencies which can be reinvested back into our properties. The RHI enables us to recover the upfront investment.”
Jason Oakes, Founder of Oakes Energy, said: “This project is a perfect example of an effective and energy efficient solution for a housing development. The system’s design has the capabilities to deliver a return on investment for Castles & Coasts through the RHI that can be invested back into additional stock improvements and further new build developments.
“This is proving to be a popular choice among clients because of the many benefits a GSHP-based heating system has over a significant period of time, while, crucially, reducing the reliance on fossil fuels.”
Dr Stuart Gadsden, Technical Sales Manager, at Kensa Contracting, said: “Our Shoebox GSHPs will support residents with the lowest possible running costs, as well as an individual billing offering, with added protection against future energy cost increases, as the majority of energy generated comes from the ground beneath the development.
“Castles & Coasts is set for a significant, guaranteed return on investment through the Non-Domestic RHI over the next 20 years, and we are delighted to be supporting its latest development with our market-leading technology to enhance their properties.”
Martyn Nicholson, MD of Russell Armer Limited, said: “We are very pleased to have been involved with this project, which has delivered much needed affordable housing for local people.”
