Sustainable retrofit of Central London social housing
Clarion Housing Group is the largest housing association in the UK with ambitious targets to become more sustainable. By 2025, Clarion Housing Group aims to have reduced carbon emissions from its new homes by 75% compared to 2013, and by 2050, it intends to be a net-zero carbon organisation.
Kensa shoebox installed in a property
Installing renewable heating in Central London social housing
In 2019, The Group decided to refurbish Sutton Dwellings – a historic estate in Chelsea built in 1913. It is one of the first examples of affordable social housing in the UK.
Clarion Housing Group stripped back and remodelled four mid-rise tower blocks on the Sutton Dwellings estate, which had been derelict for many years, into homes suitable for families.
Clare Miller, Group Chief Executive, Clarion Housing Group said:
“Today, 360,000 people live in our homes. All of us who work for the Group have a responsibility to ensure that we deliver William Sutton’s 100-year-old vision of good-quality homes for the people who need them the most.
“However, our ambitions go far beyond mere bricks and mortar. We’re committed to creating flourishing and sustainable communities and making a positive impact on our environment. The measures we’ve put in place will help give the Sutton Dwellings estate another century of valuable service.”
Project scope
Sutton Dwellings road with red brick flats
Kensa designed the ground source heat pump system, supplied the heat pumps and cylinders, and oversaw the drilling, headering, and trenching of the ground array, including the boreholes and tails at the base of the riser.
As the site is in Central London in the heart of the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, there was limited space for drilling and other trades on-site. Kensa carefully coordinated the project and the team frequently moved a mobile drilling rig onto the road to access different areas of the site.
