Dean Asher, Head of Technical Sales at Polypipe Building Products discusses scalability challenges and the need for standardisation in retrofitting efforts to meet housing targets.
Currently, heating the country’s homes accounts for 18% of all UK greenhouse gas emissions, and traditional gas boilers are some of the largest contributors.
While the upcoming Future Homes Standard will play a key role in reducing emissions across new build dwellings, existing homes don’t fall under these rules. With the UK committed to reaching net zero by 2050, greater attention must be given to the 25 million existing homes which will need to transition to low carbon heating solutions in the future.
Retrofitting them with new tech like air source heat pumps is a key pathway to decarbonisation and, according to the latest government data, offers carbon savings of up to 70%.
However, this move away from old methods of home heating inevitably has direct implications for landlords and other stakeholders who are increasingly faced with challenges that come with integrating technology into the UK’s existing housing stock of over 25 million dwellings.
In this article, Dean Asher, Head of Technical Sales at Polypipe Building Products, will explore how retrofitting at scale may be achieved and how key challenges can be overcome along the way.
The retrofit challenge
The UK has some of the oldest and most varied housing stock in Europe, meaning properties have many issues that need to be addressed. Unlike new builds, where modern heating systems can be integrated from an initial planning and design phase, retrofits must work around existing constraints. This may even include carrying out work while existing tenants are occupying a property.
This presents a specific challenge when installing low-carbon technology such as heat pumps, which operate most efficiently in well-insulated homes with low-temperature distribution systems. In many older properties, insulation is poor, pipework is ageing, and space is tight. Careful planning is subsequently required to ensure the performance of a new system, as well as achieving cost-effectiveness.
Equally, to make the most of heat pumps, many new builds will opt for underfloor heating. This is more complex in existing properties. Installing underfloor heating systems in existing homes requires an extra level of planning and remediation.
Due to the UK’s diverse and ageing housing stock, retrofitting in existing homes poses a challenge. Each property presents unique technical, spatial, and logistical issues, making standardised upgrades increasingly difficult. Housing associations, local authorities, and private landlords now need to balance costs, disruption, and performance while meeting regulatory targets.
Private landlords and scaling retrofits
Barriers like cost and structural disruptions are becoming more common for private landlords looking to scale their retrofitting efforts beyond a handful of properties. To address these, housing providers must aim for strategic planning. Through standardisation of retrofit designs wherever possible, installation can be accelerated, costs reduced, and maintenance simplified.
Low-carbon systems in practice
Polypipe Building Products has supported numerous retrofit projects in existing homes across the UK. One example is an underfloor heating system in a four-bedroom detached house on the Wirral.
The team used Overlay® Plus Enhanced as the solution for the project: A product which consists of boards with a dense insulation core and an aluminium lining, which increases the product’s heat output by 15% and aids energy efficiency.
The panels are designed to save hours of installation time, without the need to infiltrate or break up large areas of the home. The panels were installed directly over the existing structural floor for minimal disruption to the existing structure, resulting in significant reductions to energy bills, and a heating system capable of being operated via smart temperature controls from a mobile app.
This example alone demonstrates how effective retrofitting can be achieved and how existing housing stock can be brought in line with modern standards, all whilst keeping structural disruption to a minimum.
Unlocking potential through funding and planning
Whilst having a partner on hand is invaluable during the retrofitting process, new heating systems involve considerable investment.
That’s why accessing the right funding streams is crucial for turning retrofit plans into reality. Schemes offering grants such as the ECO4 and the Boiler Upgrade Scheme can significantly reduce costs and create opportunities for modern heating systems in older properties.
With funding available to maximise cost-efficiency, and housing associations, local authorities, and private landlords working towards a common goal, retrofitting is becoming more achievable in many homes.