Agenda item

Report of the City Surveyor.

The Committee received a report of the City Surveyor in respect of a proposed study to deliver a set of bespoke, data backed solutions that will address ongoing and longstanding issues and concerns with the performance and cost of the existing communal, electric underfloor heating system.

The Assistant Director advised the Committee that it was the BEO’s intention to commission a study by contractor Ambue Ltd using several apartments as a case studies to monitor temperature, air and heat loss. This data would be used to create a building information model (BIM) and identify areas where heating was being lost. The objective of the report was to understand the situation on terms of the “Four C’s”: cost, carbon, control and comfort. The Assistant Director said that solutions could only be devised with the benefit of objective data. The total cost of the study would be £234,900 which is service charge recoverable, however, £100,000 was available from the Climate Action Strategy Fund reducing the total cost to £134,9000 for long leaseholders.

Whilst a Member welcomed the proposal he asked for a re-wording of a paragraph in relation to the control mechanism and officers agreed to work with him before the next BRC meeting.

A Member requested that the study be broadened to include overheating caused by solar gain. Officers confirmed that monitoring was expected to be undertaken during the winter period into early spring 2025, however they were willing to explore whether it was possible to extend the study beyond this to investigate overheating in the summer.

A Member drew attention to work conducted by Westminster Council and an online application called “Building Atlas” and suggested that officers liaise with Westminster Council to help create a strategy for sustainability refits and energy sustainable measures.

A Member asked for further expansion on the BIM aspect of the exercise and the Assistant Director advised that it would be the first time that BEO had used BIM but confirmed that it could be more widely used for other work streams.

The Chair wanted to ensure that residents would be involved on the project team and encouraged anyone with a interest, be it RCC Member or resident, to volunteer. The Assistant Director confirmed that resident involvement was essential.

RESOLVED, that – the report and its contents be noted.