Beattie Passive, one of the UK’s leading organisations in the Passivhaus space, has breathed new life into a 1950s terraced block of flats in Great Yarmouth with a successful deep retrofit. The project has achieved the EnerPHit standard, the gold standard for energy-efficient retrofit, resulting in warmer homes, lower energy bills and cleaner air for residents, as well as a stunning new look.
Leading Passivhaus design and construction company Beattie Passive has successfully completed a deep retrofit on a 1950s terraced block of flats on King Street, Great Yarmouth. Achieving an airtightness result of 0.67, the building now performs to EnerPHit, the Passivhaus standard for retrofit, greatly improving the energy efficiency of each flat and quality of life for the residents, in a building with a new, modern look.
Working in partnership with Dr Sarah Price, now Technical Director at QODA Consulting, and Oxford Brookes University, and supported by an innovation grant from the Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS), Beattie Passive successfully completed retrofit works on the 22nd December 2020.
Using Beattie Passive’s innovative TCosy system, a new, super insulated, thermally efficient shell was built around the existing property, and mechanical ventilation with heat recovery was installed into each flat, providing a constant stream of fresh air, and ensuring that warmth stays inside the property and is recycled throughout. As with all Beattie Passive projects, the company is committed to delivering economic, social, and environmental benefits to the local areas, by employing local labour and local contractors to complete the works and sourcing materials through local supply chains.
Since completion, many residents have provided feedback that their homes are now condensation and mould free, are much warmer, and they very rarely need to use their heating. One resident has reported that they now use their heating so infrequently that their energy provider enquired about their lower energy use. The flats have been monitored for a period during 2021, this was undertaken by the Low Carbon Building Research Group at Oxford Brookes University and delivered the following findings:
- Daily average CO2 concentration was 1500 ppm lower across the monitored spaces.
- Air permeability 0.67 ach@50Pa an 80% reduction on pre-retrofit level
Ron Beattie, Managing Director of Beattie Passive said: “I’m really pleased to see how our latest innovation in the Retrofit system has been incorporated into this outstanding Passivhaus retrofit in Great Yarmouth. It paves the way for any building to be simply retrofitted to this standard.”
Tenants feedback shortly after the Retrofit completion:
“I haven’t had to use my heating all year. I’ve even had my energy supplier call me up to enquire why my energy use is so low.”
“I used to have mould and condensation in my living room, kitchen and bedroom, but now that’s all gone. I don’t have to use the heating very much now either, and when I do its only for an hour or so.”
“I used to get condensation on my windows, so much that I had to use a dehumidifier, but since the retrofit I’ve been able to put that away as it doesn’t happen anymore. It’s also much warmer in the flat.”
