Mark Group

Festival Housing Group

January 2010

The Customer

Festival Housing Group is a major provider of affordable housing and related services in Herefordshire and Worcestershire. The Group prides itself on providing good quality homes and a greener environment for its customers.

The Challenge

To help Festival Housing Group and its residents reduce hot water and heating costs in existing properties, through renewable technology.

The Solution

Mark Group was provided with a list of properties to survey and following technical assessments, recommended Air Source Heat Pumps. However, Mark Group always advises taking a ‘whole house’ approach to energy saving. So, before heat pumps were installed, loft and cavity wall insulation was fitted into relevant properties.

Following insulation, Mark Group set to work installing over 30 Mitsubishi Ecodan Air Source Heat Pumps, together with the associated radiator systems in properties across Herefordshire and Worcestershire.

Each property was different in design, which meant Mark Group’s design team needed to provide bespoke specifications for each house. The installation process was explained to the residents before work began, and information provided on carbon emission reductions with potential savings on energy bills.

Mark Group started work first by replacing existing hot water storage cylinders, before installing the Ecodan Heat Pump units. New radiator systems were also fitted into all of the properties and before the technicians left each property, they showed the residents how to operate the systems and ensured they were fully satisfied with the installation.

The project was completed on time and on budget with minimal disruption to residents. Funding was also secured for the project under the Low Carbon Building Programme (Phase 2) – an application which was submitted and managed by Mark Group.

Further to the Air Source Heat Pump installation, Mark Group’s scope of works included the supply and installation of dual coil cylinders for 12 properties that would be fitted with a Solar Hot Water (Solar Thermal) system at a later stage.

The Customer’s View

“We are very pleased with the Heat Pump installations by Mark Group and more importantly, the residents now have warm homes and lower bills.

“We chose to work with Mark Group as they have a good reputation in the field of renewables and as a result of the success of this project, our confidence levels are high and we are looking forward to rolling the technology out to many more residents.

“You can be assured and confident of the quality of any installation by Mark Group.”

Rob Taylor, Festival Housing Asset Manager

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