Platform Housing Group has completed a heating upgrade in the Midlands.
The social landlord has installed both a gas main and gas central heating at a former monastery in Birmingham.
The project at Carmelite Grange in Yardley has been part funded by National Grid’s Warm Homes Fund as well as Group funds.
The total cost of the project was £122,978.
The 20 flats were previously heated by storage heaters using 1970s technology, which Platform says were difficult to programme and expensive to run.
According to Platform, the heaters did not provide instant heating and hot water.
Affordable Warmth Solutions (AWS), which administer the fund on behalf of National Grid, helped to establish the £150m Warm Homes Fund (WHF) to support local authorities, registered social landlords, and other organisations working in partnership with them to address some of the issues affecting fuel poor households.
The project was completed in the spring, and included the installation of a new gas main and the installation of first time central heating to the properties, resulting in affordable controllable heating.
Kevin Carl, assistant Asset Management director (East), said: “We started planning this project 18 months ago; as the building is listed we had to work closely with the planners on the location of the gas meters and flue terminals.
“We are delighted with the results, which have significantly increased residents’ comfort as well as helping to eradicate fuel poverty.”
The new heating systems have moved the energy efficiency of the properties from a Band E to a Band C.
Robert Harrison, a resident at Carmelite Grange, said: “I am really impressed with the central heating installation and the professional standards of all those involved with it.
“Platform has gone above and beyond and even talked me through the operations manual at the end. The whole project has more than exceeded my expectations.”
Councillor Neil Eustace from Yardley East Ward said: “Well done to Platform Housing Group for investing in a new heating system for these flats. The old system was expensive and ineffective.
“In future this beautiful Grade II listed former monastery will be warm for all its residents during the winter months.”
Platform Housing Group’s operating area is from Herefordshire in the West to the Lincolnshire coast in the East, and from the Derbyshire Dales in the North to the Cotswolds in the South.
It completed 1,448 homes in 2019/20 at an investment of £258m.
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