Daikin Heat Pump Transformation Delivers 75% Energy Cost Savings For Hull Social Housing Resident
In a significant step toward sustainable social housing, Pickering & Ferens Homes has partnered with Daikin UK and The Gas Company UK Ltd to transform heating systems at Arden Court in Hull, with remarkable results for residents.
Retiree Sharron Dobson, one of the first volunteers for the innovative heating upgrade program, has reported an impressive 75% reduction in energy costs following the installation of a Daikin air source heat pump combined with rooftop solar panels.
“If I compare like-for-like between December 2023 and December 2024, there’s a genuine saving of about 75% on my energy costs,” said Dobson, who lives with her whippet, Buddy, in the specialist housing development for those aged 60 and over.
Fast Completion A Key Highlight
The complete system transformation—which included removing the old gas central heating system and installing new Daikin equipment with an unvented cylinder, new radiators, and pipework alongside solar PV panels—was completed in just four days.
Dobson, who had previous positive experiences with heat pumps, noted significant improvements in her home environment: “The performance is great. The hot water system is much better than previously with more pressure that stays constant.
Before I had to set my thermostat at 21 degrees to keep the house comfortably warm, but now I set it to 18 degrees and it’s constantly perfect.
Lee Pearson, Contract Manager at The Gas Company UK Ltd, highlighted the progressive nature of the installation: “What’s very progressive in this case is also building in Solar PV units with a Daikin Switchover System, so when the sun is shining, properties generate energy via the Solar PV panels. When more energy is being created than used, the switchover kit directs surplus energy back to the heat pump to top up hot water or central heating, rather than sending it back to the national grid.”
Daikin Proud of Energy Efficiency
Ben Andrew, Installer Sales at Daikin UK, emphasised the efficiency of the systems: “The Altherma range are some of the most efficient systems on the market, with every pound spent on electricity utilised and turned into heat. The heat pump provides heating and hot water even at minus 25°C, meaning even in the cold depths of a UK winter, homeowners are kept warm.”
Pickering & Ferens Homes, which manages the exclusive estate of approximately 25 bungalows at Arden Court, sent letters to residents seeking volunteers to trial this new approach to heating—part of a broader initiative by local authorities and private companies to phase out gas heating systems in social housing properties over a planned period of time.
The successful installation used the Daikin Altherma Monobloc low capacity 4kW system and a Daikin Pre-plumbed hot water cylinder, demonstrating the viability of heat pump technology in well-insulated social housing properties.
