Victorian retrofit project recognised with an industry award
Aston Group and Waltham Forest Council’s forward-thinking eco show home has scooped up a top prize at the Inside Housing Development Awards 2022.
Our collaborative retrofit project with Waltham Forest Council, showcasing how local authorities and home owners can retro-fit their homes for improved sustainability, has won an industry-leading award.
The prize for Best Partnership (up to 100 homes) was presented to us by the Inside Housing Development Awards in recognition of our work at 47 Greenleaf Road.
Visitors included Ed Miliband MP, Shadow Secretary for Climate Change and Net Zero
Retrofitting for the future
In 2019, long-term partners Waltham Forest Council set us the challenge of transforming a Victorian end-of-terrace home with an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) of E, into an A-rated property with a reduced carbon footprint. Achieving this would stand out as a source of inspiration for change, as 70% of Waltham Forest’s housing stock pre-dates 1944 and has a poor energy efficiency rating.
In order to make 47 Greenleaf Road more efficient, we installed improved insulation in the walls, roof and under the floor, and also replaced the windows with improved triple glazing. For heating and ventilation, our expert team introduced mechanical ventilation with added heat recovery, along with an air source heat pump and waste water heat recovery system. For further energy efficiency, solar PV panels and a battery storage system were also installed.
The results speak for themselves. With the new measures in place, the house earned an A-rated Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) in 2021. The fuel bill has been reduced by more two thirds, energy use improved by 82% and CO2 emissions slashed by 81%. This is a remarkable testament to the power of retrofitting and the benefits for the environment.
In addition, a total of 2,907 visitors from schools, design and construction organisations, and government bodies came to see the show home upon completion. They walked away with improved knowledge of how homes can be retro-fitted for better performance.
One visitor commented, “Absolutely BRILLIANT. Thank you for creating this incredible resource for residents!”. Another said: “This kind of engagement is great. Highly educational and a great catalyst for change in behaviour and home improvements.”
| Impact on property performance | |
|---|---|
| Raised the EPC rating from an “E” to an “A” | |
| Reduced the fuel bill from £1,580 to £435 | |
| Reduced CO₂ emissions from 6,596 kg/year to 945kg/year | |
“This kind of engagement is great. highly educational and a great catalyst for change in behaviour and home improvements.”
- 2907
- Visitors to Greenleaf Road
- 32
- Open Days
- 91
- Private Tours
A film we created of the project is also to be used as teaching material by The Open University, so we hope to inspire even more people in the years to come.
To find out more about the Greenleaf Road project, take a look at our in-depth case study below
| Types of visitors to Greenleaf Road | |
|---|---|
| 129 | Officers from Housing Associations |
| 124 | Officers from London Boroughs |
| 31 | Officers from Central and Regional Government |
| 238 | Students from local colleges and schools |
| 180 | Visitors from property design, construction, and management organisations |
| 43 | Visitors from environmental organisations |
“Absolutely BRILLIANT. Thank you for creating this incredible resource for residents!”
Visitors included Waltham Forest’s Mayor, Cllr Mitchell and Cllr Khan