Strategic Evaluation of Domestic Heating Systems

Tender description

As part of informing the development of its strategy for future heating systems including its aim of net-zero, Wheatley Group are seeking to engage with the market, to undertake a strategic evaluation of the heating systems in place currently in its customer homes, with particular emphasis on low/zero carbon, district and communal systems. The overall objective of the evaluation is to allow Wheatley to understand the effectiveness of the systems in place currently and to inform its thinking on use of technologies in the future including the skills and capabilities necessary to deliver maximum value for its tenants and business. A key requirement is for a consultant to be able to evaluate the effectiveness of the heating systems we have in place currently. Current situation Wheatley Group is Scotland’s largest affordable housing provider with around 63,000 properties for rent in Glasgow, Edinburgh, Dumfries and Galloway, and elsewhere in central Scotland. Wheatley, through its various housing associations, make use of low carbon and alternative heating systems including ASHP, GSHP, district heating networks, as well as gas and electric. Systems in use currently include: -Individual Gas Boilers = 45,326 units -Electric Storage Heating = 9,742 units -District Heating networks (gas,ASHP,biomass) = 3,515 units -Gas Fired Communal Boiler (Heat with Rent) = 2,631 units -Air Source heat Pump = 1,633 units -Connected Response (electric storage controls) = 1,500 units - Ground Source Heat Pump = 16 units - Oil = 15 units - Other = 119 units Wheatley also has Solar PV, and some battery storage. Requirements As part of informing the development of its strategy for future heating systems including its aim of net-zero, Wheatley want a third party to undertake a strategic evaluation of the heating systems in place currently in its customer homes, with particular emphasis on low/zero carbon, district and communal systems. The overall objective of the evaluation is to allow Wheatley to understand the effectiveness of the systems in place currently and to inform its thinking on use of technologies in the future including the skills and capabilities necessary to deliver maximum value for its tenants and business. As such, the evaluation should provide a rounded understanding of the heating systems that are in place currently through bringing together different perspectives on their effectiveness. Perspectives of particular interest include: -tenants including value for money, ease of use and thermal comfort. -operations including ease and costs of management and maintenance, reliability, component lifecycles and skills availability -expectations of technical and financial performance at outset relative to real world experience. Capabilities and capacities in Wheatley and its repairs and maintenance operations in specifying, evaluating, managing and maintaining systems should also be considered as part of the evaluation. Findings from the evaluation of current systems, along with the likely evolution of heating system technologies, skills and legislative requirements, should be used to develop a high-level framework for Wheatley to use in making decisions on the applicability of particular heating systems for its properties in the future. This framework should allow value judgements to be made on different heating system scenarios and cover replacement of existing systems and introduction of new system. The scenarios to be used will be agreed with Wheatley as part of the consultancy, and are likely to cover different combinations of property architype, heating options and timing for when the decision is needed. Initial Proposal The provider of this service should bring an understanding of various low carbon heating technologies and their operations, as well as experience in evaluating the real world performance based on capturing and assessing the views of users of these systems and those that operate and maintain them. As part of your proposal, you should detail -The approach you will use in carrying out this work including a project plan showing the main activities to be undertaken, how long these are expect to take, who will do them and the effort involved. -The challenges and issues you expect to encounter in performing the work, and how you propose to overcome these -The experience of your organisation in undertaking similar work -The skills of the staff who will be directly involved in performing the work -Any added-value beyond the requirements specified in this document that you will bring.