GTC, the largest installer and operator of last-mile multi-utility networks in the UK, has partnered with Kensa, the leading manufacturer and installer of award-winning British-made ground source heat pumps, to provide an affordable renewable heating and cooling solution for tens of thousands of new homes annually—launching the Networked Ground Source Heat Pump solution.
This solution offers a clean substitute for gas, which will be prohibited in new constructions next year due to the Future Homes Standard. This standard requires all new homes to use low-carbon heating. The Networked Ground Source Heat Pump system provides reliable heating and hot water by installing a ground source heat pump in each residence, connected to an underground network of hidden piping much like that used for other utilities.
Kensa’s compact ‘Shoebox’ heat pump fits neatly under the water cylinder inside the home, saving valuable space and eliminating the need for any external kit. Thus, there’s no visual impact on the property. Up to five times more efficient than gas and 30 percent more efficient than an equivalent air-source heat pump, these ground-source heat pumps require no extra electricity capacity, easing developers’ concerns about site grid capacity.
The GTC and Kensa partnership, the largest to be agreed upon between a utility infrastructure provider and a UK ground source heat pump manufacturer, will bring significant scale, funding, and technical skill to the deployment of networked ground source heat pumps for the new-build market – delivering a complete end-to-end heating, hot water, and cooling solution for housebuilders.
With this innovative agreement, GTC will offer a comprehensive solution to housing developers, including design, borehole drilling, and network installation, which can be integrated with other utility networks as part of a single service.
For over a decade, Kensa has been a leader in networked ground source heat pumps in the UK. The company will contribute its expertise in infrastructure and design, supplying highly efficient ground source heat pumps manufactured in the UK to suit every property.
GTC and Kensa are collaborating to assist UK housebuilders and developers in switching to an effective, sustainable, low-carbon heating solution that aligns with the upcoming gas phase-out. This will provide home buyers with a more efficient, lower-carbon option compared to standalone air source heat pumps. Additionally, the Networked Ground Source Heat Pump solution can effectively heat and cool any non-residential buildings within a development.
Kensa CEO, Tamsin Lishman said:
We are delighted to partner with GTC to bring this leading heating and cooling solution to the UK’s housebuilders. Using the heat from the ground beneath our feet, boosted by Kensa’s small and highly efficient ground source heat pumps, homeowners will enjoy comfort and warmth, at low costs. 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.
GTC Executive Chairman, Clive Linsdell, said:
A big challenge housebuilders face is additional grid capacity for low carbon technologies. 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% peace of mind in relation to its ongoing operation and maintenance.
Legal & General Managing Director – Clean Energy Strategy & Investments, John Bromley, said:
As an experienced energy transition investor and asset manager across multiple housing tenures, we understand the opportunity for both innovative technologies and infrastructure to decarbonise key sectors like real estate. We invest to scale up innovative businesses like Kensa with high growth potential and robust solutions, like their versatile networked ground source heat pumps that provide long-term value and can be deployed at speed and at scale. We are delighted that their latest partnership with market leaders like GTC will accelerate the delivery of Kensa’s leading heating and cooling solution and generate long-term positive societal and economic impacts across the UK.