Solar

The UK’s net zero strategy that includes ambitious carbon reduction targets in both the new Part L and the Future Homes Standard, as well as the recent announcement of the Government’s Heat and Buildings Strategy, and the associated £800 million Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund, means the spotlight is on those responsible for ensuring improved energy performance in the nation’s homes, discusses Stuart Nicholson, Roof Systems Director at Marley. 

With net zero ambitions set across the UK, and the Future Homes Standard calling for all new homes built from 2025 to deliver a 75-80% reduction in carbon emissions, integrated photovoltaics (PV) systems are seen as part of the solution.
To aid the specification market as it seeks to design in renewable energy solutions needed for the homes of tomorrow, Marley has launched a new solar panel providing superior aesthetic appeal and improved power output.
The new enhanced Marley SolarTile® – delivers a lean, low-profile aesthetic for both new build and retrofit projects and offers simple and quick roof integration.

Solar panels have formed an ever-expanding feature of the UK roofscape, and regulation changes, allied to the Government’s Future Homes Standard, intend to make UK new homes ‘zero carbon ready’ by 2025.  The prospect is for roofs to become a mainstream element of the renewable energy economy.

As concerns about inadequate roof fire barrier installation grow, Marley’s Roof Defence can help housing association specifiers deliver guaranteed protection against the spread of hidden roof fires.

Building Regulations require that new homes are built with fire protection measures to delay the spread of fire and allow crucial time to escape. So, when a roof is compartmentalised between adjoining homes, fire barriers are seen as an integral safety feature, to prevent the spread of flames and smoke in case of a fire.

By partnering with social housing landlords to deliver a fully-financed and intelligently operated solar PV and battery storage solution, Solopower aims to support local authorities in reaching their net zero and fuel poverty targets.

Addressing the existential threat of climate change is unquestionably the major driver for decarbonisation efforts globally and is consequently something the whole of society can recognise and rally behind. However, as social housing landlords are all too aware, there is another important stimulus for carbon reduction that is seldom talked about in comparison: the growing issue of fuel poverty.

The fully-financed solar generation and smart battery storage solution will help housing associations meet their carbon reduction targets and alleviate rates of fuel poverty amongst tenants

The UK energy services company, SMS plc, has unveiled a unique new solution that aims to radically reduce carbon emissions of Britain’s social housing stock. Through Solopower, SMS is partnering with local councils and housing associations to significantly upgrade the energy performance of social accommodation, delivering solar generation, battery storage, and smart meters to landlords and their residents at zero upfront cost.

In deploying these smart home energy technologies – which are intelligently controlled and optimised by SMS’s FlexiGrid™ aggregation software – Solopower can decarbonise housing electricity by approximately 90% per home. The solution will therefore contribute to the enhancement of Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) ratings and reduce tenant electricity bills by up to 25% (approximately £200 in savings per year).

Social housing is in the spotlight with new regulations and standards set to significantly increase the accountability of landlords when it comes to the condition and performance of the properties, they have responsibility for.  Here Stuart Nicholson, roof systems director at Marley, discusses how whole roof systems could be one way to reduce their supply chain risk and improve roof specification effectiveness.

Several initiatives, including the recent publication of the Government’s Social Housing White Paper and the Building Safety Bill are precursors to a general tightening of the rules, regulations and standards associated with building construction and condition.

In particular, the Social Housing White Paper is set to place increased scrutiny on the safety and quality of social housing and ultimately make social housing landlords far more accountable for their properties in the eyes of the law.