GDHV join the pioneering Project 80 development and achieve 80% carbon emission savings, as expected by Future Homes Standards (FHS), today
Project 80 is a ground-breaking project by social housing provider Midland Heart. It aimed to build affordable homes with an average 80% carbon emissions reduction over current building regulations. This means that these houses will be in line with the projected carbon emissions standards of the Future Homes Standard (FHS) in 2025.
There is much still unknown about the details of the Future Homes Standard, but with such a high carbon reduction target, we know that we will need to combine a highly thermally efficient building fabric and efficient, low carbon heating systems to produce zero carbon ready homes.
At Dimplex, we have a long history of responding to Government consultations on proposed amendments to the building regulations and developing innovative HVAC solutions that respond to these changes and meet the needs of modern residential projects.
Our in-depth knowledge of the regulatory landscape meant we were approached to work on Project 80 with other industry experts and offer solutions that solve tomorrow’s construction challenges today.
There were 12 plots available on Eco Drive in Handsworth, Birmingham, and various technologies were specified. GHDV’s hybrid electric solutions with the innovative Edel hot water heat pump and Monterey MFPE direct acting panel heaters were chosen for Plots 3 and 4.
What is the role of Project 80 for future regulatory changes
The affordable rented properties required an efficient solution for heating and hot water provision to match the strong fabric requirements. Just as important was the ability for the tenants to easily understand how to use these systems effectively.
Feedback on the project was vital. Once occupied, the building and energy performance will be assessed. The report will be used by the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) to inform the FHS technical consultation planned for 2023.
Amy Collins, GDHV’s External Affairs and Public Policy Manager, offers a closer insight into why GDHV were chosen to collaborate on the project:
“Understanding what regulatory changes mean for our customers is key to what we do, having spent many years in conversations around the now imminent and future updates to Part L and the changes a 31% and 80% carbon reduction target will bring.”
“When we were approached to join this project building the first development in the UK which met the ambitious 2025 80% carbon reduction target, we were delighted. Having spent so long talking about these changes, we were keen to work with other experts in manufacturing and specification to answer the question: what might a 2025 new home look like?”
“We were pleased to lend our expertise to put forward interconnected electric panels and hot water only heat pump solution alongside towel rails, combined with MVHR, low u-values, wastewater heat recovery and solar PV.”
“It has been an exciting project to be a part of, and we look forward to seeing the monitoring and research on the performance of these solutions.”
For more information on Project 80 or to discuss the updates to Part L on the 15th of June 2022, please contact our specification department here.