Regardless of how the political climate ebbs and flows, our challenge is to ensure a low carbon outlook for ourselves and future generations.
The Welsh housing sector is currently facing a ‘twin-peak’ challenge. The Welsh Government has set the ambitious target of banning fossil fuel heating systems for all new-builds by 2025. At the same time it is aiming to deliver 20,000 new affordable homes in this Parliament – a target that is sure to roll over into, or be further increased, after 2021. Hence there is urgency to swiftly identify and implement alternative sources of heating for these thousands of new homes, drawing them into an attractive future that is low-carbon, sustainable, renewable.
So, how do we manage the transition to this bright new future effectively and responsibly?
Which technology best suits? What technologies are available? These are such simple barriers to those seeking to engage with reducing our carbon footprint through phasing out fossil fuels. Property developers and housing associations need suitable tools to inform and support this process of adjustment and the installation of a variety of renewable energy technologies.
This barrier is being disrupted by a collaboration between a number of passionate, knowledgeable and experienced partners to provide a pan-Wales, free to use, online tool for developers and homeowners alike. A web portal enabling access to a high-level appraisal of which low-carbon energy options are most suitable and have most potential to each individual site. A Developer’s Toolkit.
This not-for-profit collaboration is aimed at being the catalyst in making Wales a global leader in low-carbon sustainable development, embracing the varied geography, weather, geology and hydrogeology that combine to make our country a unique and special place to live.
However, the web portal will benefit not just housing developers, large and small, but will provide real and impactful information to aid retrofit installations for existing social housing stock as well as private homeowners.
The project is led by Yellow Sub Geo, a Welsh-based SME specialist land regeneration consultancy with a global perspective, who has assembled a team of leading experts in their respective fields to deliver this ambitious project.
These expert partners include the British Geological Survey, one of the world’s leading geoscience centres, holding world-class geological digital and physical data and expertise, bringing an in-depth knowledge of the geothermal properties in Wales to the team. Another vital team partner is LUC. With over half a century of experience as a multi-disciplinary environmental consultancy, LUC brings specialist prospecting and feasibility study experience, using GIS and Visualisation. The final partner is Yellow Sub Creative, a creative agency highly skilled at branding, information architecture, user experience, website design, build and management, all vital in presenting complex data to the end-user via an accessible and easy path.
A number of vital steering group members are also embraced within this project. They include: Sero Energy (technical specialists in delivering low and zero carbon homes and an affordable housing developer), Cygnor Castell-nedd Port Talbot (Neath Port Talbot Council, a local authority embracing the delivery of sufficient new affordable homes within the Wellbeing of Future Generations Act), Lovell Homes (housing developer), POBL Group (housing association), Savills (Welsh property specialists advising on strategic developments where heat and energy strategies form a vital part of viability assessments) and Cardiff University School of Engineering (who are driving forward innovation in ground-source heat recovery).
Much work has already taken place in bringing this multi-organisational collaborative project to life – we aim to be relevant, engaging and different – but most importantly impactful and sustainable.
Watch this space!
Project Team
Yellow Sub Geo
British Geological Survey: Facebook: @BritishGeologicalSurvey | Instagram: @britgeosurvey | LinkedIn: @british-geological-survey/ | Twitter: @BritGeoSurvey
LUC: Facebook: @ | Instagram: @lucimagery | LinkedIn: @land-use-consultants | Twitter: @luctweeting
Yellow Sub Creative
Project Partners
SeroEnergy: Facebook: @ | Instagram: @ | LinkedIn: @sero-homes | Twitter: @Sero_Energy
Cyngor Castell-nedd Port Talbot (Neath Port Talbot Council): Facebook: @CyngorCnPT | Instagram: @nptcouncil | LinkedIn: @neath-port-talbot-county-borough-council | Twitter: @CyngorCNPT
Lovell Homes: Facebook: @lovellhomes | Instagram: @lovell_homes | LinkedIn: @ | Twitter: @Lovell_UK
POBL Group: Facebook: @ | Instagram: @ | LinkedIn: @ | Twitter: @
Savills: Facebook: @Savills | Instagram: @savills | LinkedIn: @savills | Twitter: @savills
Cardiff University: Facebook: @cardiffuni | Instagram: @cardiffuni | LinkedIn: @ | Twitter: @cardiffuni
#fossilfuelfree #renewabletechnology #wellbeingoffuturegenerations #developerstoolkit #notcookingongas #nuable
