Melin Homes – Evesham Court ORP3.2

Project description

Our Sustainability team recently completed the retrofit of 11 homes at Evesham Court, Newport. The work not only means homes are now low carbon, but they should also be more efficient to heat and as an added bonus it’s given the street a facelift.  This project also demonstrated our investment in our staff as Llwyd Hurd made this his first project as our retrofit coordinator, having taken the opportunity provided by our decarb work to upskill from his original position as a programme surveyor.

Project learning

Retrofit measures included:

• Solar PV
• Roof renewal and rainwater goods
• Asbestos removal
• EWI on houses with cavity fill
• Cavity and render on the flats

Collaboration

The team worked with Cwmbran-based Evolve Home Energy Solutions, on roof renewal and rainwater goods, installed Solar PV, put EWI on the houses with cavity fill, and cavity fill and render on the flats. They also coordinated the safe removal of asbestos that was found on site. The work was carried out while people were living in the five houses and six flats, two of which belonged to leaseholders, who also benefited from the works.

Project innovation

Achievements:

• Optimised Retrofit Program funds were used to complete the works which are all finished
  to PAS standard and registered with Trustmark.
• This is our first project delivered using a retrofit co-ordinator as required for ORP and
  Trustmark and project managed by Llwyd Hurd.
• The success of this site has enabled the team to secure funding to progress the works a
  stones-throw away at Sedgemoor Court

Challenges

Finding asbestos and arranging suitable removal from site.