Kensa claims myth busting heat pump project

UK: A 100-year-old London social housing estate, comprising 81 flats across four blocks, is said to be the oldest to be heated using a networked heat pump solution.

The Sutton Dwellings estate in Chelsea, built in 1913, fitted with Kensa ground source heat pumps, has proved the viability of heat pumps in old and existing buildings.

This project is part of an extensive regeneration of the estate by housing provider Clarion Housing, which started in 2019. 

In this phase, 27 boreholes were drilled deep beneath the estate and each flat fitted with Kensa’s Shoebox unit housed inside a cupboard, much like a traditional gas boiler.

Installing Kensa’s networked heat pump system marks the third age of heating for the historic flat blocks, which have transitioned from coal fireplaces to gas heating, and now renewable energy.

Kensa maintains that the project has proved that ground source heat pumps can work for almost any property type, including older buildings and those with limited outdoor space. It also show that they are suitable for a dense urban environments and can be installed without impacting a property’s historical architecture and external features.

Expected annual heating costs are around £300 for a 1-bed flat to just over £700 for a 4-bed flat.

This latest project follows other major social housing retrofit projects completed by Kensa, including the installation of Shoebox heat pumps in 273 flats across multiple 1960s tower blocks in Thurrock, and over 400 flats across eight tower blocks owned by Enfield Council.

“Often you see claims heat pumps don’t work, they aren’t suitable for older buildings, there isn’t enough space to install ground source heat pumps in cities. This project is proof you can do all these and more,” said Kensa commercial director Stuart Gadsden.