What role can technology have in aiding the retrofit process, but also when the property is inhabited?
MH: The retrofit accelerator project is not just about design and construction, it’s also about maintenance, and data monitoring and application for the whole life of the building.
JT: This long-term holistic approach is crucial to ensuring the building performs as intended. Measuring and monitoring at handover and beyond will not only improve the quality of our homes, but hopefully our future standards and ultimately the lives of residents.
This information will also provide a rich dataset which is far more reliable than the current EPC [Energy Performance Certificate] data based on RdSAP [Reduced Data Standard Assessment Procedure, which measures the energy efficiency of existing homes].
Ongoing research and monitoring by the University of Southampton at our Wilmcote House project in Portsmouth show the increasing risk of climate change on summer overheating and how our Passivhaus retrofit can mitigate this through active housing management working with residents.
EB: It’s also important for tenants to have the feedback from data-recording devices. It helps them to understand how they are using their energy and how to use less. As an energy provider, Energiesprong’s model is to offer a set amount of energy and water to the tenant for a set price. Allowing tenants to see how much they are using helps them stay within their energy bundle and make the expected financial savings.
MH: What is critical is the privacy and integrity of data collection and application. We want residents to understand how we protect their privacy; this is a serious responsibility.
Part of working towards net zero goals is a requirement for the resident to be on board with the changes and to adjust behaviour. Communicating this is a vital element. How can this be done?
MH: It’s vital to engage residents. It is all new, and we need them to understand that there will be some disruption that we will minimise through collaborative working. We work with Tpas, the tenant advisory service, to deliver the best solution possible for customer service. The benefits are that their homes will be more comfortable and efficient.
For example, we are looking at innovative ways, including artificial intelligence, to not simply capture data, but use it in a real-time format that links with a green-energy tariff to utilise the lowest cost of heating during the day.
JT: These improvements are also an opportunity for co-design with residents. We are currently working on a project involving 220 properties in west London. There’s a scrutiny panel that offers constant feedback. It means residents are actively engaged and have helped shape their homes for the future. Often this results in a stronger sense of ownership, so it’s ultimately a more successful scheme.
MH: Within the next 10 years, there will be a net zero energy solution for social housing. EPC levels will improve and data monitoring and AI applications, coupled with green-energy sources, will reduce energy bills and emissions to create more comfortable homes.
Credit: Source link
