Flat 2, 111 Aldridge Road — ECO4 Retrofit & Solar PV

EmberSol delivered a multi-measure ECO4 retrofit at Flat 2, 111 Aldridge Road — a ground floor flat in Great Barr, Birmingham, built before 1900 with solid wall construction. The property was in EPC band F (SAP 37) at referral, with degraded loft insulation, old inefficient electric storage heaters, and no renewable energy generation.

The standout measure on this project was the installation of a 2.5kW Solar PV system — 5 monocrystalline panels mounted on the flat roof section of the property, facing south-east to maximise annual yield. The system uses a Solis S5 Series inverter and is MCS certified and G98/G99 compliant for grid connection. For a flat with electric heating, Solar PV provides a direct route to reducing electricity bills by offsetting daytime consumption.

The existing electric storage heaters were replaced with new high-retention electric storage heaters (ESH) — significantly more efficient models with digital programmable controllers. The new ESH units are designed to work in conjunction with the Solar PV system, using cheap overnight electricity for storage and solar-generated electricity during the day to reduce running costs.

Loft insulation was upgraded to 300mm Knauf mineral wool, replacing the degraded existing insulation. A Decentralised Mechanical Extract Ventilation (DMEV) system was installed to maintain healthy indoor air quality. The combined measures took the property from EPC F (SAP 37) to EPC B (SAP 86) — a 49-point SAP uplift, achieving EPC B status which is a significant outcome for a pre-1900 solid wall flat. All works were delivered under ECO4 with full PAS 2030 compliance and TrustMark lodgement.