Flagship Homes – Runnacles Way, Felixstowe

Project Snapshot

Client: Flagship Homes
Sector: Public Sector – Housing Association
Building Type: Residential estate (houses, flats and bungalows)
Project Scope: Estate-wide communal heating and hot water
Project Value: £1.4 million
Our Role: Lead delivery partner for renewable heating (working with Gasway Services)
Technologies Used: Communal ground source heat pump systems and heat networks

The Decarbonisation Challenge

Flagship Homes manages a large residential estate at Runnacles Way in Felixstowe, made up of 113 houses, flats and bungalows, along with two privately owned homes.

Before the project, properties across the estate were heated using electric storage heaters. These systems were costly to run, inefficient, and left many residents facing high energy bills.

Following the successful delivery of two earlier district heating schemes for Flagship, we were asked to deliver our largest heat pump project to date – transforming how residents heat their homes and receive hot water, while significantly reducing carbon emissions.

Key Delivery Considerations

From the outset, there were several important factors we needed to get right:

– A fully occupied residential estate with very limited tolerance for disruption
– The need to deliver meaningful reductions in energy bills to tackle fuel poverty
– Delivery at scale, across more than 100 homes
– A phased approach to keep residents comfortable throughout the works
– Long-term reliability and ease of maintenance for the housing provider

The solution needed to be robust, affordable for residents, and practical to operate over the long term.

Our Role

We were appointed by Flagship Homes as the lead renewable heating partner, working closely with Gasway Services.

We took responsibility for the design and installation of the communal ground source heat pump systems and the estate-wide heat networks. Gasway connected each home to the primary distribution network and installed new radiators within the properties.

Each phase of the scheme was delivered with its own standalone plant room, allowing the systems to be monitored and serviced centrally without the need to enter residents’ homes.

The Solution

We delivered six large-scale communal heating schemes across the estate, creating a combined installed output of over one megawatt.

Each scheme uses a central ground source heat pump system to provide all heating and hot water for a section of the estate, typically serving around 20 homes.

Heat is collected from the ground using boreholes, with approximately 14,000 metres of ground loop installed beneath parking areas and green spaces. Highly insulated underground distribution pipework was installed to each property, creating an efficient and reliable heat network.

Delivery & Outcomes

The completed project has delivered significant benefits for both residents and Flagship Homes:

– Heating bills reduced by around 70% for residents
– Overall energy use reduced by approximately 70%
– Major reductions in carbon emissions across the estate
– A more affordable and comfortable living environment for residents
– Centralised plant rooms enabling efficient monitoring and maintenance

The project represents a landmark renewable heating scheme for the region and shows how large-scale heat networks can play a vital role in decarbonising social housing while addressing fuel poverty.

The Client’s Voice

Madeleine Jefferies, Head of Housing at Flagship Homes, said:

“Fuel poverty is a serious issue which can affect the wider community, and we’re always looking at ways to make our customers’ homes more affordable. Our customers in Felixstowe have already seen a difference in their prices, and we’re delighted we can help to make a difference.”