Case Study: Energy stock profiling

Overview

Elvet were appointed by Derwentside Homes to update their RdSAP rating in accordance with SAP 2005 as specified by the Tenant Services Authority (TSA).

The client’s brief comprised of two key phases:

Phase 1 – Collate the data gathered by our predecessor which formed the basis of their stock transfer business plan. This included an extensive validation process to ensure the correct data was migrated from an RdSAP2001 system to our software.

Phase 2 – Capture and import details of any capital investment programme initiated by Derwentside Homes from the time of the stock transfer to March 2010 to ensure the condition of each dwelling within the database was accurately portrayed.

We were commissioned to validate Derwentside Homes existing energy profile database and update the system to ensure that it complied with current regulations. To guarantee the successful delivery of this project we were required to liaise with all key internal stakeholders to obtain the information required to produce an accurate dataset. This included:

• Meetings with their Gas Maintenance department to ensure that each property was assigned the correct boiler specification.
• Scrutiny of the Capital Improvement Completion Register to identify programmes that had impacted upon the thermal efficiency of each property, to ensure they were captured and recorded.
• Gathering of responsive repairs tickets to ensure any element replacements were identified.
• Examining acquisition and right to buy information from the Asset Management Team to confirm the database accurately reflected their current property portfolio.
• Interaction with key members of the asset management and maintenance teams to obtain business intelligence regarding the company’s housing stock.

Following this extensive data gathering exercise the information was uploaded into our specialist software program to update the average RdSAP calculation for Derwentside’s full property portfolio. The results were provided within a detailed report. This outlined the improvements made since stock transfer, their current stock profile position plus targeting methods designed to improve thermal performance.

Added Value

Elvet were able to provide the client with specific recommendations to increase the energy efficiency of their housing stock; using our in-house quantity surveying skills to estimate the capital investment required to deliver the proposed improvements.

Elvet can transport the data generated to produce the EPC, into the energy profiling records, to improve the accuracy of the average RdSAP. To date, Derwentside Homes have actual survey data for a 25% sample of their existing housing stock.

Elvet are currently providing evidence to shape Derwentside Homes sustainability budget. This will ensure that the correct properties are targeted and that the most cost effective measures are identified.

Conclusion

Having produced Derwentside’s energy database, we have retained valuable knowledge and expertise which enables us to develop detailed appraisals for various investment options. These are designed to increase the overall efficiency of the entire housing stock.

The results of the commission were:

• An average SAP rating of 68.968 (Band C) for the client’s current full housing stock based on the Decent Homes Programme.
• Calculated RdSAP 2005 baseline at stock transfer in 2006 attaining 58.828, Band D.

The National Home Energy Rating Scheme (NHER) measures the energy efficiency of a home on a scale of 1-10. A house scoring 10 would have very low running costs and very high levels of insulation. Derwentside Homes housing stock has an average NHER rating of 7.49, which has increased from 6.4. The previous rating was calculated by our predecessor in 2006.

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