Credit: Kensa
'Largest ever' UK deal between housing industry and ground source heat pump producer aims to enable developers' compliance with Future Homes Standards
GTC and Kensa have inked what is being hailed is the "largest ever" UK deal between a utility infrastructure provider and ground source heat pump manufacturer, paving the way for tens of thousands of new build homes a year to feature zero emission heating systems that are in line with the requirements of the upcoming Future Homes Standard.
The pair's networked ground source heat pump solution will provide home heating and hot water through in-home technology and a shared underground pipework.
Kensa's compact 'Shoebox' heat pumps - which the company launched in February - are to be installed beneath water cylinders inside each home, offering up to five times the efficiency of gas boilers and a 30 per cent improvement on equivalent air source heat pumps, according to the the manufacturer.
GTC, which provides utility services to housebuilders and developers, will offer the technology to developers, along with design, borehole drilling, and network installation services. The company said the approach would result in reduced costs for developers compared to installing individual air source heat pumps.
The Networked Ground Source Heat Pump solution will be Heat Trust registered and regulated by Ofgem to ensure any necessary maintenance, repair, and replacement is covered, the companies said.
"A big challenge housebuilders face is additional grid capacity for low carbon technologies," said GTC executive chairman, Clive Linsdell. "This partnership brings an end-to-end heat, hot water, and cooling solution with the same power requirements as gas-heated homes.
"Our working with Kensa provides housebuilders and developers reassurance around the quality of installation and equipment, and homeowners 100 per cent peace of mind in relation to its ongoing operation and maintenance."
Kensa Group CEO, Tamsin Lishman, added that harnessing ground source heat that can then be boosted using Kensa's heat pumps would deliver comfort and warmth to households, while also resulting in lower energy bills. "We are delighted to partner with GTC to bring this leading heating and cooling solution to the UK's housebuilders," she said. "We've been delivering this proven solution at scale for over a decade, providing reliable home heating to thousands of UK homes, and by working with GTC, we look forward to delivering a successful transition to electrified heating."
Under Kensa's networked model, heat pump customers pay a standing charge as part of their energy bill to connect to the heat network.
Kensa, which secured £70m in investment from Octopus Energy and Legal and General Capital in 2023, said in February that it had capacity to scale up factory production of the Shoebox NX to deliver 30,000 units annually.
News of GTC and Kensa's agreement comes as UK housebuilders prepare to comply with the Future Homes Standard, which is set to become mandatory in 2025 and will aim to ensure new builds produce between 75 and 80 per cent less carbon emissions than homes built under the current Building Regulations.
The rules will require all newly built homes are "net zero ready" with low carbon heating systems installed as standard, after the government concluded there was "no practical way" of delivering necessary carbon savings while allowing the installation of fossil fuel boilers.
With trials of hydrogen heating systems having been shelved, the rules are expected to result in a major surge in demand for heat pumps.
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