Kensa in new-build homes deal
22nd June 2024
UK: Heat pump manufacturer Kensa has joined forces with utility company GTC to deliver low-cost renewable heating and cooling to thousands of new-build homes a year.
The networked ground-source heat pump solution proposes to provide reliable home heating and hot water through a ground-source heat pump installed in each property, connected to a shared network of hidden underground pipes.
The GTC and Kensa partnership is described as the largest to be agreed between a utility infrastructure provider and a UK ground-source heat pump manufacturer. The partners claim it will bring significant scale, funding, and technical skill to the deployment of networked ground-source heat pumps for the new-build market – delivering a complete end-to-end heating, hot water, and cooling solution for housebuilders.
Under the agreement, GTC will provide the funded solution to housing developers, along with the design, borehole drilling, and network installation, which can be implemented alongside the other utility networks as part of a one-stop shop.
Kensa will supply its compact Shoebox heat pump and water cylinder to each home. There is also the option to add passive cooling to each home.
“A big challenge house builders face is additional grid capacity for low carbon technologies. This partnership brings an end-to-end heat, hot water, and cooling solution with the same power requirements as gas-heated homes,” explained GTC executive chairman Clive Linsdell.
GTC insists its investment in the system means the cost to developers will usually be significantly lower than installing individual air-source heat pumps.
