Historic Social Housing Estate Wins Energy Efficiency Award

A groundbreaking project that brought low-carbon, low-cost heating to one of London’s oldest social housing estates has been named Regional Large-Scale Project of the Year at the 2025 Greater London Energy Efficiency Awards.

Sutton Dwellings, a historic Edwardian-era social housing estate in Kensington, received the prestigious award for the innovative approach taken by leading ground source heat pump specialists Kensa and housing provider Clarion Housing Group in retrofitting 81 flats at the central London location.

Each flat has undergone a significant transformation, receiving extensive energy efficiency upgrades and a modern networked ground source heat pump system. The project serves as a blueprint for social housing decarbonisation, proving that even ageing, ‘complex to decarbonise’ buildings can successfully transition to low-carbon heating.

At the heart of the project is a networked heat pump system, which saw Kensa’s Shoebox heat pumps discreetly fitted inside every flat and connected to a network of 27 boreholes drilled across the dense, urban estate. This system provides each home with a long-term renewable heat source, delivering low-cost heating and hot water while preserving the estate's historic character.

The project’s recognition comes as councils and social housing providers start to receive £1.29 billion in funding from the Warm Homes: Social Housing Fund, a government-backed initiative aimed at improving energy efficiency in social housing. With the fund set to support upgrades across the UK, the Sutton Dwellings project provides a proven model for decarbonising flats and older buildings, while ensuring resident energy bills remain affordable.

For many social housing residents, rising energy costs are an ongoing concern. At Sutton Dwellings, the new system is expected to reduce heating bills to as little as £300 per year for a one-bedroom flat, demonstrating the huge cost-saving potential that comes with fitting ground source heat pumps and improving energy efficiencies.

The UK’s ageing housing stock presents a major challenge to achieving net zero, but Sutton Dwellings is proof that solutions already exist – and work. The project builds on Kensa’s extensive experience in decarbonising thousands of UK social homes and highlights the critical role of networked heat pumps in the transition to clean, affordable heating at scale.

Stuart Gadsden, Commercial Director for Social Housing at Kensa, said:

"Winning this award is a fantastic recognition of the innovation and commitment that made this project a success and is a testament to the work Clarion has done to deliver quality homes for their residents while also cutting their carbon emissions.

“This project is proof that no home should be left behind in the transition to low-carbon heating. Any building can embrace modern heating technology, including ground source heat pumps, and social housing residents deserve homes that are warm, comfortable and future-proofed against rising energy costs.”

David Hunter, Director of Housing at Clarion Housing Group, said:

"At Clarion, we are committed to ensuring our homes are not only fit for the future but also remain affordable and comfortable for our residents today. Retrofitting historic estates like Sutton Dwellings with cutting-edge, energy-efficient solutions proves that every type of home can be decarbonised. This award is a testament to the power of collaboration and innovation in making social housing more sustainable while helping residents lower their energy costs."