Kensa Utilities is thrilled to announce that its groundbreaking project, ‘Heat the Streets’, has won this year's Lighthouse Heat Pump Award at the European Heat Pump Association's highly esteemed 2023 Heat Pump Awards.
The Heat Pump Awards recognizes the most outstanding heat pump projects and attracts entrants from across Europe. The Lighthouse Heat Pump category highlights unique heat pump projects pioneering problem-solving with high levels of creativity.
Networked Heat Pump solution
Winning this award shines a light on how large-scale, street-by-street rollout of Ground Source Heat Pumps can be achieved using an innovative Networked Heat Pump solution. ‘Heat the Streets’ decarbonized residential heating in new and existing homes across Cornwall by connecting Kensa’s highly efficient ground source heat pumps to Shared Ground Borehole Arrays drilled into the roads - a UK first.
‘Heat the Streets’ decarbonized residential heating in new and existing homes across Cornwall
Lisa Treseder, Director of Business Development, collected the award at the ceremony in Brussels. She said: “We are delighted to receive this prestigious award and for ‘Heat the Streets’ to receive such amazing recognition. This achievement is a testament to the incredible innovation within Kensa, and we are proud to demonstrate European-wide leadership in our approaches to decarbonize heat.”
LPG fossil fuels
Now installed, the visually unobtrusive boreholes are providing homes with a reliable heat source all year round that will last over 100 years. The ground source heat pumps provide 100% of each property’s heating and hot water needs, meaning that residents no longer use carbon-intensive oil or LPG fossil fuels.
The project has successfully demonstrated the scalability and viability of ground source heat pumps connected to in-road infrastructure as a cost-effective and creative solution for rapidly reducing carbon emissions.
Author's quote
Especially for streets not quite dense enough for district heating, but too dense for individual"
Wouter Thijssen, Managing Director of Kensa Utilities comments: “Heating and cooling is the biggest source of emissions across Europe, and heat pumps are naturally in pole position to help address this issue."
"Especially for streets not quite dense enough for district heating, but too dense for individual heat pumps, our ‘Heat the Streets’ project shows a pathway to replicate the gas arrangements people living in these streets are familiar with.
European Heat Pump Awards
Thijssen added: "In the UK this accounts for around 50% of homes (terraced homes & flats), and a similar share is true for other European countries. What we’ve demonstrated in Cornwall could be the blueprint for flats & terraced-like housing across Europe, and we’re really pleased this is recognized through this award.”
In 2020, Kensa enjoyed previous success at the European Heat Pump Awards with customer Together Housing Group, winning International ‘Heat Pump City of the Year’ for the retrofit of ground source heat pumps in over 770 homes across multiple sites in Yorkshire and Lancashire.
