The UK Government are phasing out gas boilers and providing grants for heat pumps. The problem is most homes are not energy efficient enough for a heat pump. The heat loss means larger heat pumps would be required and the capital and running costs would be higher than if the homes had adequate insulation.
With a number of project partners, we decided to address this issue. The project plan was devised by Milton Keynes Council and Wolverton Community Energy. The Parish Councils asked for volunteers to have their homes assessed for heat loss. A range of 23 typical MK houses were chosen. For three weeks of February, monitors were placed in volunteers’ homes. Meter readings and monitored temperatures were fed into the software. Each house was provided with a four page report on heat loss, risk of mould and options to improve energy efficiency.
Following the successful partnership in the pilot, in January 2023 a new insulation scheme in partnership with Wolverton Community Energy launched with Milton Keynes City Council funding of £150,000. Full details can be found at Home Energy MK.