17 March 2006: Sustain have completed the installation and commissioning of three combined heat and power (CHP) units at separate housing associations across the country. The installations have been carried out at Accord, LACE and Walbrook Housing Associations as a cost effective solution for reducing CO2 and providing affordable warmth to tenants.

With the recent and continued rise in gas prices, the option to look to sustainable technologies as a solution to tackle CO2 emissions and improved affordable warmth is both environmentally and financially beneficial. Energy bills are being reduced by up to £2,500 per year and the SAP ratings of the housing stock have also improved.

Accord and Walbrook were replacing existing commercial scale boilers, while LACE were building a new scheme that was originally designed around an electric system.

Midlands-based Accord was replacing a communal boiler in their Chapter House sheltered housing scheme and wanted to maximise the efficiency of the heating system. Sustain provided a site assessment to determine the feasibility of CHP, before continuing with the installation and commissioning of the 12KWe gas-fired EC Power unit with back-up condensing boilers.

"We realised that the boiler needed replacing and wanted to look at ways of reducing our fuel consumption," said Manjit Bhogal, Senior Surveyor, Accord Housing. “Sustain’s engineers provided the expertise for getting the system designed, installed and commissioned. We can now track our energy performance on a real time basis using the remote monitoring equipment, and we are already seeing savings.”

LACE Housing were building a new sheltered housing scheme at Bunkers Hill which originally had all electric heating. This would have resulted in high fuel bills as well as high associated carbon emissions.  Sustain carried out initial calculations to show the suitability of CHP. Working with M&E contractors EIS and Online, the design was changed to include a 12KWe gas-fired micro-CHP unit with back-up condensing boilers. Sustain’s engineers again carried out the installation and commissioning work.

For more information and news about Sustain’s services, contact Stephanie Franklin on 01934 863 650, or visit our website at www.sustain.co.uk

About Sustain
Sustain’s programme managers, consultants and engineers works with social housing providers, local authorities, utility companies, non-governmental organisation’s and corporations to bring cost-effective sustainable energy solutions that provide lower fuel bills and reduced carbon emissions.

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