Choice Housing, one of Northern Ireland’s leading independent housing associations, has successfully finished an energy efficiency upgrade at two houses in Belfast.
Situated along Finaghy Road North and Riverdale Park South within the city, this project was executed in collaboration with McCusker Contracts as well as Moore MacDonald and Partners.
As part of an extensive program of work investments totaling over £16 million, residents are expected to relocate into both buildings within the coming fortnight.
Not long ago, important parties such as officials from the municipal administration and members of the social housing community toured one of the residences. This visit was aimed at highlighting the substantial modifications implemented and demonstrating how they collectively enhance energy efficiency while cutting down on emissions.
The retrofit has led to a substantial enhancement in the homes’ Energy Performance Certificate rating, boosting it by three levels, from ‘Band D’ to ‘Band A’. This makes these properties among the most energy-efficient residences throughout all of Northern Ireland.
These outcomes were accomplished through various cutting-edge energy-conservation techniques such as External Wall Insulation to boost thermal efficiency; fitting triple-pane windows to enhance heat preservation; along with better insulating materials for floors and attics to minimize overall heat escape.
Furthermore, these properties feature mechanical ventilation systems designed to enhance air quality, coupled with high-efficiency natural gas boilers equipped with flue gas heat recovery for optimized energy consumption. They also include weather-compensation technology and low-temperature heating systems, as well as solar photovoltaic panels intended to produce clean, renewable power.
Brian Rankin, who serves as the Sustainability & Energy Manager at Choice Housing, states that this new initiative underscores the organization’s continuous dedication to enhancing the energy performance of its properties, decreasing carbon output, and assisting residents in lowering their utility expenses.
“These renovated houses are among the most energy-efficient ones in Northern Ireland. It’s great to see them finished and to exchange our experiences with others,” stated Brian.
Moving ahead, we will be keeping an eye on these properties – and interacting with upcoming residents – to gain deeper insights into the advantages that such investments can provide.
Karen Roulston, who serves as the Asset Services Project Manager for Choice Housing, was at the helm of the initiative and commented: “Choice wants to acknowledge the substantial effort put forth by McCusker Contracts and Moore MacDonald and Partners. Both companies collaborated closely with Choice throughout this endeavor and played crucial roles in ensuring its success.”