Stelrad Radiators has supplied more than 700 of its sector leading Compact radiators to a new housing development in Scotland that is being powered by the Glenrothes Energy Network – steam generated as a by-product of the Markinch Biomass CHP Plant that delivers low-carbon heat to houses, businesses and public sector buildings in the Glenrothes town centre. The Energy Network is an exciting public private partnership between Scottish Government, Fife Council and RWE.
The project makes a significant contribution to reducing carbon emissions in Scotland and received funding from the Scottish Government’s Low Carbon Infrastructure Transition Project (LCITP). Vital Energi won the contract to deliver the detailed design, and construction of the energy centre and district heating network, creating an ambitious and challenging delivery programme which would see the “Heat On” date achieved in advance of the funding deadline. This project saw the team work with the clients’ professional team to design, supply and deliver the energy centre, the 6.2km district heating network and High Voltage Ring Main HV ducts. Only the cabling will follow in a future phase. The solution needed to fully integrate with the 55MWe biomass CHP plant and connect a range of buildings which included businesses and blocks of housing in the town centre.
The 85 affordable new homes are being built by Campion Homes and the homes for rent will be available through Kingdom Housing Association, all for social rent, are part of a £14.6 million development with funding of £7.3 million provided by the Scottish Government.
The new homes will form part of a larger residential led mixed-use development being overseen by Advance Construction and is expected to include a total of 850 homes as well as retail, business and industrial units.
The development will cater for the needs of the local community by incorporating a range of housing designs, including larger family homes and homes suitable for older people or tenants with particular housing needs. Kingdom’s new homes have been designed with the current and future needs of residents in mind and will offer properties that can adapt as the needs of the tenants’ change.
When asked about the development in Glenrothes, Housing Secretary Shona Robison said, “This development will support the local community and make a real and lasting difference to the lives of the new residents. It is a testament to the strong partnership at national and local level between the housing association, Fife Council, Campion Homes and the Scottish Government. These 85 new homes for social rent, supported by £7.3 million of Scottish Government funding, are being built to a very high environmental standard with low tenant running costs.”
The properties, being built by Campion Homes, will benefit from low carbon heating supplied from the Glenrothes Heat Network which uses recycled timber to generate power. The innovative district heating system contributes to the objectives in Kingdom Net Zero Strategy and Stelrad radiators provide the heat emitters for these exciting new homes.
Kingdom Chair, Linda Leslie said, “This exciting new development of affordable properties for social rent in Glenrothes provides residents with homes which are not only safe and secure but also highly energy efficient. One of Kingdom’s strategic objectives is our commitment to sustainability and all of the new homes will benefit from low carbon heating and solar panels and public electric vehicle charging points will be provided.”
Various community benefits have been included as part of the contract, including employment and training opportunities.
Sally Thomas, CEO, Scottish Federation of Housing Associations (SFHA), said: “This impressive new housing development will provide much-needed safe, warm, affordable homes for rent to the local community. Housing associations and co-operatives excel at creating and maintaining exactly this kind of adaptable, energy-efficient housing which helps tackle climate change as well as giving people affordable, high-quality homes”.
The project is scheduled to complete in April 2023 with phased handovers planned prior to final completion.
The new space saving vTherm ̊Heat Interface Units (HIUs) are one of the most efficient models on the market. The new product range is available in a variety of outputs providing instantaneous Domestic Hot Water (DHW) and Heating (HTG) via the Stelrad radiators installed in each of these homes.
Stelrad’s Scott McDonald says: “This is a major project for us and we are delighted that the new homes will be heated using our popular Compact radiators which are seen as more than capable of heating these homes rather than underfloor heating which was an option. We were able to show Campion Homes that radiators are capable of providing the level of heat required to keep these homes warm and cosy in the colder months of the year. With excellent levels of insulation and careful sizing of the radiators for each room in the new homes, radiators are perfect for sharing heat around these homes for decades ahead.”
For more information on the wide range of radiators available from Stelrad head for www.stelrad.com. You can call for information on 0800 876 6813 or email [email protected]. Alternatively, you can also see regular updates from Stelrad on Twitter @Stelrad and Facebook @StelradRadiators.
