Belfry wins Salford housing refurbishment

Warrington-based Belfry Group has secured a £4.5m contract with Salix Homes to install its EcoPod heating system in eight residential towers in Salford.

EcoPod was designed by Belfry managing director Keith Rimmer to alleviate fuel poverty in high-rise tower blocks. Belfry says the system is so efficient it will help to reduce the buildings' carbon emissions by more than 40%. Residents can also expect to see their energy bills cut by a similar amount.

Joe Grundy, of Salix Homes, said: "Belfry carried out a partial installation at one of our properties last year and, based on the savings that has delivered, we have decided to roll it out to some of our other properties.

"We are converting these additional blocks from full electric so the benefits we will get from switching to EcoPods will enable us to tackle fuel poverty head on."

Work has already started on the installations at Nine Acre Court; Cannon Hussey Court; Arthur Millwood Court; Floral Court; Blackfriars; Magnolia Court; Mulberry Court and Sycamore Court.

Rimmer said: "The EcoPod doesn't simply reduce energy costs and carbon emissions, there are numerous other benefits which help to save time and money.

"There's a big reduction in the cost of landlords' Gas Safety checks, for instance, because they no longer need to be carried out in every apartment.

"In addition, there's no service and individual breakdown costs to worry about, and the risk of gas within the apartments has also been eliminated.

"On top of that, because there's no stored water, no Legionella L8 testing is required either."

The EcoPod system combines solar power with a cascade boiler and was named Project Of The Year and Environmental Initiative Of The Year, at the Heating and Ventilation Awards.