Kettering Council: Hamilton and Montrose House retrofit

• Location: Kettering

• Purpose: The council wanted to make its housing stock cosier and energy efficient to cut energy bills and carbon emissions. The flats had poor sound insulation and high heat loss. The council funded a project to turn 11 three-bedroom flats into 18 two-bedroom flats to make it affordable and pleasant for couples and young families to live.

• Description: The 11 flats were made energy efficient and had clean heating appliances installed. The project saw external wall and roof insulation, new uPVC windows, a communal air source heat pump and solar panels installed on the block. The renovation saw the flats move from EPC F to B, which meant energy demand dropped from the block by 30% and energy bills dropped by 50%. The upgrades will mean that the residents would be able to affordably keep their homes warm and the council will be able to sell excess energy produced by the solar panels back to the grid for a profit.

• Funding: £3.2 million from council funds

• Conservative councillor / council lead: Planning Policy Committee Chair, Cllr Steven North

• Further links: Cllr Ash Davies contribution to the CEN blog and Housing developer, Lovell’s website