The HeatPod Project builds on Penwith Housing Association’s many years of experience in improving the energy efficiency of its housing stock, and especially on its pioneering work with ground source heat pumps and external wall insulation.

There are two key components to the project. The first of these is a package of super-insulating measures to the house to reduce energy losses to a minimum. The second is the ‘HeatPod’ – a highly innovative concept for existing homes which is built around a prefabricated multi-purpose glazed conservatory. It provides additional living space to the home, with room for green features such as cycle storage and under cover drying. But in addition to this it contains much of the equipment required for reducing the carbon emissions of the dwelling. This includes a new development of ground source heat pump technology, which brings together several sources of renewable energy. This avoids the need for much disruptive work inside the home. The HeatPod can be rapidly installed and ‘plugged in’ to ‘decarbonise’ the home.

The design has been developed by the Association in partnership with the heat pump expert John Parker who, in conjunction with E.ON developed the first ground source heat pumps specifically for the social housing market.

Retrofit for the Future is the first programme of its kind in the UK, and will see social housing units across the country retrofitted with new, innovative technologies to test low carbon building technology.

Retrofit for the Future Diaries is the web site for the diary entries of the successful projects in the Technology Strategy Board’s Retrofit for the Future competition. Each of these sites records activities as they progress through their refurbishment projects.

More details: About Retrofit Diaries

Energy Saving Trust
The Energy Saving Trust is an independent, UK-based organisation focused on promoting action that leads to the reduction of carbon dioxide emissions – a key contributor to man-made climate change.

Technology Strategy Board
The Technology Strategy Board is a business-focused organisation dedicated to promoting technology-enabled innovation across the UK.

Design of Ground / Air / Solar Heat Pump and advanced energy modelling: John C.W. Parker B.Eng C.Eng MCIBSE FRSA: John Parker is one of the UK's leading building services consulting engineers specialising in domestic ground source heat pumps. He is Managing Director of Earth Energy Engineering Ltd, a company developing GSHPs as low cost & low CO2 heating for social housing.

Project management / design of passive measures : Denys Stephens BA(Hons) MCIAT CEnv, Sustainability Manager of Penwith HA. He has specialised in energy efficiency in housing for many years and managed the first project to install ground source heat pumps in existing UK social housing homes.

Monitoring: Gerry Hargreaves:He has been involved with energy monitoring, data and cost analysis for 21 years. Since 1994 he has worked as a freelance engineer and has undertaken monitoring and troubleshooting projects, involving HV and LV systems throughout the UK.

Prototype ground / air / solar source heat pump: Dr Robin Curtis B.Sc.(Hons), Ph.D. Technical Director of EarthEnergy Ltd. Has worked on the introduction of closed loop ground source heat pump systems in to the UK since 1992. Has written extensively on the use of these systems and has made numerous presentations and CPD sessions around the UK.

Main Contractor: Mears Ltd. Mears is the U.K.'s leading provider of social housing repair and maintenance services and carries out both Response Maintenance and Decent Homes work for Penwith Housing Association. For the HeatPod project the Contracts Manager is Paul Crane and the Site Manager is Nick Tockley.