We’re proud to announce the outcome of Round 11 of the Heat Network Efficiency Scheme (HNES), as public and private sector housing providers receive a share of £13.3 million.
Over 2,300 homes across England and Wales will see a more efficient, reliable, and cost-effective central heating and hot water system thanks in part to capital grant funding from HNES for various heat network efficiency improvements.
From an independent living scheme in Manchester, to a social housing block in Wales, residents battling with an inefficient and unreliable heat network are set to see major improvements with the help of efficiency works supported through the scheme.
Separately, HNES is contributing £1.15 million to organisations for optimisation studies aiming to investigate potential heat network inefficiencies affecting 7,000 residents. These studies will help organisations better understand the performance of their networks, identify areas for improvement and develop targeted solutions to address underlying issues in the most cost-effective way.
With the help of HNES-funded capital improvements, housing providers are targeting annual carbon emissions savings of over 29,000 tonnes per year, or around 251 flights between London and New York worth of CO2.
Martin McCluskey, Minister for Local Energy and Jobs, said:
“Clean power and clean heat benefits communities across our country. Building the infrastructure to deliver it is reindustrialising the UK and rolling out cutting-edge energy technology so families can benefit from lower bills, good jobs and energy security.
“And for those already using heat networks, we are upgrading inefficient systems to make sure people get the high-quality, low-cost, reliable heating they deserve.”
Louise Singleton, HNES Programme Manager, said:
“With each HNES funding round comes more cost-effective heating, better reliability, and improved comfort to homes across England and Wales.
“As we begin to enter the colder months, we’re once again helping to create more positive experiences for residents connected to a heat network, mitigating the impact caused by the cost-of-living crisis, and reducing carbon emissions from domestic buildings.”
Capital Grant Funding
Capital grant funding will go directly towards capital works to improve the efficiency of existing heat networks. In Round 11, 10 organisations will receive a share of over £12.2 million worth of capital support, benefiting over 2,300 homes who will receive more reliable and efficient heating.
Housing Associations
Great Places Housing Group
The Byrons heat network in the North West has received over £492,700 for efficiency improvements to a heat network serving 40 residents. The network has been struggling with high heat losses, reducing the network’s overall efficiency levels. As part of the HNES-supported project, Great Places will carry out various improvements to the plantroom. These include new controls, pumps, thermal storage, improved pipework and insulation. New Heat Interface Units (HIUs) will be installed in communal areas, alongside new heat meters, air vents, control sensors and improved balancing technology.
Hyde
In London, Hyde is receiving a total of over £5.5 million for efficiency improvements to heat networks serving Prospect House in Bermondsey and Packington Estate in Islington, serving 1,143 residents across the two buildings. The two networks require substantial improvement works in order for them to meet regulations and continue to ensure that customers have a cost-effective and effective heating and hot water system.
One Manchester
A total of 130 residents living at both the Cornwall Court and Cundiff Court heat networks in Manchester are set to benefit from improved heating and hot water provision with a share of over £1 million support from HNES. Both networks operate at low efficiency levels, creating higher carbon emissions and operational costs. The unreliable systems often leave residents with frequent heating issues, engineer callouts, and lower resident comfort levels.
In Cornwall Court, funding will go towards rectifying the boiler flow and return temperatures with new valves, two new network pumps, variable speed control systems, and recommissioning the Building Management System (BMS) to ensure the system is optimised for the new equipment. In Cundiff Court, the same changes will be made, alongside replacement temperature gauges, recommissioned plant room controls to lower the network flow temperature, new pipework insulation and HIUs, and new in-dwelling thermostats and thermostatic radiator valves (TRVs).
Orbit Group Limited
Two Orbit Later Living schemes, Lambert Court in Bexley and Rene England House in Leamington Spa, have been awarded a share of over £958,000 from HNES for efficiency improvements to heat networks serving a total of 60 residents. The improvements will provide the heat networks with better network distribution and protection from overheating.
Efficiency improvements to Lambert Court’s heat network will include replacing the 4-pipe system with a 2-pipe system, installing a new BMS with enhanced system control measures, a new thermal store and network pumps, improved metering and monitoring equipment, and new in-dwelling HIUs and thermostats. At Rene England House, pipework will be replaced across the network, the BMS will be recommissioned and new hot water cylinders with HIUs will be installed, alongside new thermostats.
Rykneld Homes
Rykneld Homes has been awarded over £136,700 from HNES for efficiency improvements to the Hallowes Court heat network, serving 18 residents in the East Midlands. Residents are facing high heat losses, ageing infrastructure, inefficient operation, and high building emissions. To rectify these issues, the network will receive new in-dwelling HIUs, new insulation across the network, replacement cylinders, pumps and metering systems, and the introduction of a new BMS.
Salix Homes
Five buildings in the North West of England will receive a share of over £2.2 million from HNES for efficiency improvements to each network, serving a total of 503 residents. The Nine Acre, Black Friar Court, Floral Court, New Bank Tower, and River Bank Tower networks will be improved, increasing efficiency levels, reducing residents’ energy bills and reducing their carbon footprint.
Support will go towards various plant room, distribution system, in-dwelling and metering and data improvements across the five sites. These include reconfiguring, replacing, and weatherproofing network pipework, improving insulation, replacing HIUs,heat meters, and more.
Tai Hedyn
In Wales, the Eschol Court and Victoria Court heat networks have been awarded over £374,900 worth of HNES funding for efficiency improvements to the benefit of their 62 connected residents. The existing systems are outdated and inefficient, causing significant heat losses, high flow and return temperatures, and uneven heat distribution across the building. Improvements include pipework replacement, the installation of a more efficient 2-pipe system, new HIUs for better heating control, , lowering network flow temperatures, upgrading insulation, and modernising pumps and controls.
Local Authorities
London Borough of Camden
In Camden, residents living in 71 homes served by the Dunboyne Road heat network will benefit from more reliable and efficient heating and hot-water services, supported by approximately £1.1 million from HNES. The existing system is ageing and has become increasingly difficult to maintain, contributing to recurring service disruptions. The funding will support replacement and improvement of the communal heating plant, upgraded distribution pipework and new HIUs, thermostats, and heating controls within residents’ homes.
Newcastle City Council
In Newcastle, the local council is receiving over £192,000 worth of HNES support for efficiency improvements to the St. Ann’s Close heat network, serving 258 residents. The heat network will benefit greatly from the funding received from HNES. It will go towards upgrading certain aspects of the network including installing new bulk meters, pipework and plant room insulation, improved water quality checks and new pumps.
Royal Borough of Greenwich
The sheltered housing scheme at 112 Eltham Road in Greenwich, London has been awarded over £132,200 of HNES funding for energy efficiency improvements. The 41 residents on the scheme will benefit from upgrades that will help their homes retain heat more effectively, provide consistent heating throughout, offer better temperature control and reduce the need for regular maintenance requirements. Improvements will also be made to network insulation and reducing leaks, alongside new heat meters, HIUs, TRVs and thermostats.
Revenue Grant Funding
Revenue grant funding will help heat network owners/operators to undertake optimisation studies to review the performance of their heat networks and identify areas for improvement. Applicants may also choose to subsequently apply for capital grant funding to enact the recommendations provided by the study. In Round 11, a share of £1.15 million has been granted to 28 organisations, benefiting heat networks serving almost 7,000 residents.
Housing Associations
Abri, for the Clement House, Crown Hill Court, Leslie Dunne House, Elizabeth House and Waites Court heat networks, serving 291 residents.
Gateway Housing Association, for the William Cubitt Lodge and Ted Roberts House heat networks, serving 59 residents.
Great Places Housing Group, for the Pullman Close, Castlecroft House, and Runnymede Court heat networks, serving 82 residents.
Grwp Cynefin, for the Maes y Mor heat network, serving 38 residents.
Incommunities Limited, for the Derby Place, Staincliffe Court, Greenbank Court, Shuttleworth House and Rose Court heat networks, serving 173 residents.
Leeds Jewish Housing Association Limited, for the Stonegate Way, Sheila Saunders Lawn, and Skyte House and MAZ Community Centre heat networks, serving 130 residents.
Newydd Housing Association (1974) Limited, for the Phillipa Freeth Court heat network, serving 27 residents.
Notting Hill Genesis, for the Lawrence Hall heat network, serving 44 residents.
One Manchester, for the Bickerdike Court, Westbrook Court, Patrick Roddy Court, Thomas Regan Court and Rose Court heat networks, serving 199 residents.
One Vision Housing, for the Hamlet Close and Mill Spring Court heat networks, serving 67 residents.
Orbit, for the Walsingham Walk, Pettman Court, Jubilee House, and Hospital Road heat networks, serving 94 residents.
Poplar HARCA Housing Association, for the Carradale and Ralph Beyer Court heat networks, serving 574 residents.
Salix Homes, for the Cannon Hussey Court heat network, serving 115 residents.
The Guinness Partnership, for the Eyre Gardens heat network, serving 39 residents.
Local Authorities
Bristol City Council, for the Rowan House and Winterstoke House heat networks, serving 61 flats per network.
Council of the City of York, for the Barstow House, City Mills, Gale Farm Court, and Marjorie Waite Court heat networks, serving 146 dwellings.
Devon County Council, for improving the efficiency of the County Hall heat network.
London Borough of Havering, for the Will Perrin Court and Royal Jubilee Court heat networks, serving 126 residents.
London Borough of Islington, for the Bunhill district heat network, serving 1,200 residents.
Norwich City Council, for the Winchester Tower heat network, serving 95 households.
Oxford City Council, for the 85 Abingdon Road heat network, serving seven flats.
Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, for the Notting Dale heat network.
West Northamptonshire Council, for the Cooper Street and Lakeview heat networks, serving 326 residents.
Private Sector
Corio (Grange Walk) Residents Management Company Limited, for the Corio House heat network, serving 170 households.
E.ON UK Infrastructure Services Limited, for the Waddon and Academy Central heat networks, serving 1,174 residents.
FirstPort Group Limited, for the Redwood Park (Downtown Road) heat network, serving 213 residents.
Grosvenor Waterside Residents Company, for the Grosvenor Waterside heat network, serving 611 residents.
Matchmakers Wharf RTM Company Ltd, for the Matchmakers Wharf heat network, serving 215 flats and around 400 residents, including approximately 30% social housing tenants.
Notes to editors
HNES can provide up to, but not including, 50% of eligible project costs for capital grant applications and up to 100% of eligible project costs for revenue (Optimisation Study) grant applications.
Applicants will need to submit a completed application form along with supporting evidence – and will be assessed and scored against criteria.
Those interested in applying for the scheme can express their interest by emailing hnes(Replace this parenthesis with the @ sign)talan.com.
The Heat Network Efficiency Scheme Guidance is available on the gov.uk website here.
General enquiries and expressions of interest can be sent to hnes(Replace this parenthesis with the @ sign)talan.com.
More information about HNES including upcoming events can be found on the HNES website.
Talan has been appointed as the Delivery Partner for HNES supported by Ramboll who provide technical assessment and Gleeds who provide cost consultancy assessment.