Rising Lane - Warwickshire

In the midst of economic climate change and budgetary cuts, Warwick Council began their journey in building new affordable homes for their tenants with the use of renewable heating solutions. As part of their drive to reduce carbon emissions and fuel poverty, Warwick District Council working with Windhager submitted a bid sponsored by DECC to a competition back in 2011 for funding aimed at rural homes with no access to natural gas. They were successful in the bid and were awarded a grant of £118,000, which was invested into the installation of approximately 25 biomass-heating systems.

The award represented 50% of the total cost of the proposed installations and has benefited up to 25 tenants currently living in rural properties, which previously were being heated through solid fuel back boilers or electric storage heaters having no access to natural gas.  

The majority of the 25 properties were built around 1948 and are two-storey semi detached family homes with poorly insulated thin cavity walls of 15mm. The old systems were extremely inefficient and expensive to run and had very high carbon emissions.

With an approximate heating demand of 17,000 kWh and the previous annual fuel cost being approximately £1,044, the wood pellet biomass boilers have reduced the annual fuel bills by approximately 30%.

“We are absolutely over the moon with the new biomass system. Our house is so much warmer and we no longer dread going into a cold bathroom. Our system was installed two day before Christmas and in the first month we have made a £60 saving on our energy bill. I have been recommending it to all my friends” commented A Resident from Rising Lane.

The VarioWIN biomass boilers provide whole house heating and hot water to each individual property.They have proven to be well received by their tenants and have replaced either solid fuel partial heating or electric storage heaters. The VarioWIN is a practical complete solution, as well as being a pellet boiler it also includes a feed system and pellet store all under one shell, and provides comfortable heating for all requirements up to 12kW. The VarioWIN works even more efficiently with low heating requirements, making it the ideal solution for energy efficient homes including passive houses.

 “I am delighted that my team have won this funding opportunity for tenants to reduce fuel poverty and heat their homes through sustainable renewable heating technology” commented Cllr Norman Vincent, Portfolio Holder for Housing, Warwick Council.

In Picture (bottom right) : A tenant filling up his VarioWIN boiler with certified wood pellets.