Members only

As more and more social housing providers upgrade ‘traditional’ heating systems to renewable technologies the number of homes with heat pumps as the main source of heating is increasing. But this is not without its challenges.

Whether you work in repairs and maintenance, housing management, resident engagement, communications, customer services or sustainability, strategy and policy this practical workshop will be relevant and of benefit to you:

• We’ll consider different approaches taken by different providers, showcasing some of the successes, as well as the common pitfalls and, most importantly, how to avoid them
• We’ll draw out the useful lessons learned
• As well as reducing overall emissions, heat pumps have the potential to help alleviate high bills for tenants. But what are tenants’ key concerns and difficulties? How can providers make the whole experience better for them?
• How are we engaging with residents on the benefits of renewable energy?
• How are we equipping staff with the knowledge and skills that they need?

Sessions will include:

• Retrofitting – working within the constraints of the building/site, engaging with residents before, during and after the work
• New build – what, where and how. Getting the specification right
• Resident awareness and information – anticipating and responding to tenant concerns, effective trouble shooting, providing the information and support tenants need
• Plugging the skills and knowledge gap – skilling up and equipping the workforce.

10:30 Welcome and introductions

• • Lydia Dlaboha, Deputy CEO, HQN

10:35 Exploring the tenant experience with air source heat pumps

• • Paul Tucker, Sustainability Manager, Northamptonshire Partnership Homes

  • Tim Freeman, Retrofit Coordinator, NPH SHDF Programme – Director, Energy Specifics

    • Paul and Tim will talk about the wide range of experiences NPH residents have had transitioning from traditional gas central heating systems to air source heat pumps. He will share resident feedback and reflect on how tenants can be best supported to adapt to the functionality and features of their new central heating.

11:05 Retrofitting  – where and what to fit

• • Gemma Brookes, Net Zero Carbon Project Surveyor, Orbit

    • Gemma will talk about Orbit’s approach to selecting which types of properties to retrofit and the type of systems to install. Gemma will talk about the data you need to have and consider and how to assess the suitability of homes for retrofitting.

11:35 Cluid’s recent experience of retrofitting (including the impact of the cost of living crisis)

• • Jo Whittall, Deputy Chief Operations Officer, Cluid Housing

    • Jo will talk about Cluid’s recent experience over the past winter and the particular challenges they have dealt with – cost of living crisis, skills/operative and supply chain shortages post Covid, etc.

12:05 Break

12:35 Lessons learnt from an effective client/contractor relationship

• • Adam Masters, Assistant Director Environment & Sustainability, Stonewater

  • George Gillow, Business Development Manager, Kensa Group

    • This will be a joint presentation from Adam and George sharing their experiences of working closely together (client and contractor) – the challenges that they have faced and how their relationship/expertise has helped to overcome them.

13:05 Derby Homes’ experience – recent and past

• • Shaun Bennett, Derby Homes

    • Shaun will talk about Derby Homes’ experience and approach and the learning from it.

13:35 Lessons learnt from recent Heat Pump installations

• • Nick Wilson, Stockport Homes

    • Nick will talk about the ‘lessons learnt’ from Stockport Homes’ recent experience of fitting heat pumps to over 130 homes. Nick will focus on the operational practicalities such as supply chains and skills/experience of contractors and in house operatives.

14:05 Q&A

14:15 Close

Lydia Dlaboha, Deputy CEO, HQN

Lydia joined HQN in 2007 and is currently the Deputy CEO. Her background is in housing management – both general needs and supported. She has worked extensively as a consultant on a wide variety of performance improvement projects. In her current role, Lydia has responsibility for overseeing all of HQN’s work and for quality assurance in particular. She spends the majority of her time talking to HQN members to make sure that our service meets their needs, and on consultancy-related work.

Paul Tucker, Sustainability Manager, Northamptonshire Partnership Homes

Paul joined Northamptonshire Partnership Homes in 2019 as the organisations first ever Sustainability Manager. In that time, he has helped to transform the organisations approach on domestic energy efficiency.

He was responsible for leading the development and delivery of the award-winning Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund demonstrator programme, and successfully secured funding under SHDF Wave 1 and Wave 2.

At NPH and in previous positions at the University of Northampton and Northamptonshire County Council, his career has revolved around energy efficiency, renewable energy, and fuel poverty.

Jo Whittall, Deputy Chief Operations Officer, Cluid Housing

Jo Whittall is Deputy Chief Operations Officer at Clúid Housing, one of the largest approved housing bodies in Ireland with a portfolio of assets approaching €2.0 billion. Clúid owns or manages over 10,000 homes across the country.  With over 30 years’ experience of the sector, he is responsible for the day to day running of its front line services.  .

Jo is the former Chair of the Housing Alliance Property Services and Asset Management Working Group.  He is a director of EnergyCloud, a not-for-profit organisation working to divert surplus wind energy to the homes of those living in fuel poverty.  He is also Vice Chair of Direct Works, a UK based organisation, with 120 social housing members responsible for more than 2.2 million homes, committed to reshaping the future of housing maintenance.

Jo has a BSc (Hons) in Building Technology from the University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology, an MBA from Cranfield University, and is a Member of the Chartered Institute of Building.

Adam Masters, Assistant Director Environment & Sustainability, Stonewater

Adam has qualifications in architecture and sustainability and over 10 years’ experience of sustainability within social housing. Adam joined Stonewater as their first sustainability specialist and is currently leading a team of sic sustainability business partners each focussed on different specialisms.

George Gillow, Business Development Manager, Kensa Group

George has worked for Kensa for the past three years as Business Development Manager and currently as Regional Sales Manager, working with Local Authorities, Housing Associations and Private Developers across the South West. Alongside a degree in Building Surveying, George is also a qualified Domestic Energy Assessor, supplementing his construction knowledge and confirming his specialism of energy efficiency in new homes. George’s career has spanned the new-build housing world from business developer and land buyer for national house builders to bespoke private dwellings and social housing development at Cornwall Council.

Gemma Brookes, Net Zero Carbon Project Surveyor, Orbit

Gemma is a Project Surveyor at Orbit, she is also a qualified retrofit coordinator, retrofit assessor, domestic energy assessor and BREEAM associate, utilising her knowledge to help inform the decarbonisation strategy at Orbit. Gemma is currently studying a part time masters at Loughborough University in low energy building services engineering, further complimenting her knowledge and skillset. She is part of the project team who have been successful in bids for the SHDF demonstrator, wave 1 and wave 2, with her main role focusing on bid creation and property modelling. Gemma was a finalist in HQN’s Housings Next Generation Competition and is passionate about sustainability within the built environment.

Nick Wilson, Project leader, Stockport Homes

Nicholas is a Project Leader on the investment team for the Stockport Homes Group, who are an ALMO managing housing stock on behalf of Stockport Metropolitan Borough Council. He is responsible for the delivery of the Capital Investment Programme and has delivered various decarbonisation projects. Nicholas and his team are committed to delivering Stockport Homes Group Climate Change Strategy, aspiring to achieve Greater Manchester’s 2025 carbon reduction target and contribute towards overall carbon neutrality by 2038. He is interested in finding efficiencies through the procurement process and increasing customers awareness of environmental issues and encouraging behavioural change.

Shaun Bennett, Derby Homes

Tim Freeman, Retrofit Coordinator, NPH SHDF Programme – Director, Energy Specifics

If you are unable to attend an event or public training course, please let us know in writing (email is fine) at least 48 hours before. Please email [email protected]

Otherwise, a cancellation fee of £60 plus VAT will be chargeable.

If you are using a package place to attend and do not inform us within the agreed time frame, then a place will be taken to cover your non-attendance.

Cancellations must be made in writing, and will be acknowledged by HQN Limited