Metropolitan Thames Valley Housing Association (MTVH) has appointed Switch2 Energy as ESCo partner to deliver a low carbon heat network for its new former Shredded Wheat Factory South Site housing development in the London urban satellite of Welwyn Garden City.
Under the 40-year contract Switch2 Energy will design, operate and maintain the district heating scheme, which will use high efficiency Combined Heat and Power (CHP) with the option to transition to alternative low carbon energy sources in the future.
The heat network will supply 208 mixed-tenure homes, comprised of 52 Shared Ownership properties, 106 for affordable rent and 50 homes exclusively for the over 55s.
Heat network specialist Switch2 will be responsible for all aspects of supplying a reliable, efficient and affordable supply of low carbon heat and hot water to residents over the 40-year contract.
Switch2 will design the energy centre using its experience and knowledge of managing over 500 schemes. The contract will also cover supplying metering and billing technologies and services; managing all areas of heat network operation, servicing and maintenance.
Stephen Lawson, MTVH Senior Development Manager, said: “MTVH is committed to building greener, more eco-friendly homes, while keeping our energy supply cost effective in line with our promise to make housing affordable for our residents, allowing them to live well. With Switch2 Energy as our ESCo partner, we look forward to high-performing, low-carbon energy.”
Richard Slee, CEO of Switch2 Energy, added: “We are delighted to partner with MTVH and will draw on more than 35 years of experience of developing and operating hundreds of heat networks to deliver this major ESCo project. We will design the energy centre to maximise efficiency and will use innovative optimisation and metering and billing technologies to maximise performance.
“We will provide award winning customer service — putting residents at the heart of everything we do and using digital technologies to increase transparency and fairness in billing. Our technology-led approach will ensure that we can keep energy costs as low as possible for residents, while helping them to minimise their carbon footprint.”
The Switch2 Optimise platform, which is transforming efficiency across UK district heating schemes, will be deployed at the Wheat Quarter. This Internet of Things (IoT) technology uses remote connectivity and learning algorithms to deliver typical energy savings of 35% — dramatically increasing carbon performance and reducing costs.
Switch2’s full-service heat network ESCo service includes design, build, finance, operation and maintenance of district and community heating schemes. The company works with many of the UK’s leading housing providers across all aspects of heat network design, development and long-term operation — serving 80,000 residents and 200 clients across 500 heat schemes.
Header image is an artist’s impression of the new former Shredded Wheat Factory South Site housing development in Welwyn Garden City.
