Prospecthill Court Retrofit
Sector: Housing
Client: River Clyde Homes
Framework: SCAPE Scotland Construction
Budget: £6m
Completion: September 2024
Location: Greenock
"We are proud to be working with River Clyde Homes on the redevelopment of Prospecthill Court in Greenock. The innovative works will not only revitalise the properties but also help to tackle fuel poverty in the area through a design solution that will improve the building’s thermal and airtight performance, reducing the need for tenants to heat their homes."
Phil McDowell
Regional Director, Kier Construction North & Scotland
A transformative retrofit of 90 homes within a 16-storey, 1960’s high-rise, achieving an AECB (Association for Environment Conscious Building) rating.
River Clyde Homes received a £1.65 million grant from the Scottish Government's Social Housing Net Zero Fund towards the overall cost of the £6 million retrofit and recladding project. Innovation takes centre stage as cutting-edge materials were employed to redefine the façade, ensuring heightened resilience against environmental elements. The recladding not only revitalizes the aesthetics of Prospecthill Court but also tackles fuel poverty by addressing energy efficiency concerns, contributing to a more sustainable living environment. This undertaking has elevated the overall quality of life of residents, repositioning Prospecthill Court as a symbol of progressive urban living.
Kier Construction was appointed to deliver the works through the SCAPE Scotland Construction framework, and the project not only achieved an AECB rating but also delivered significant social impact, modernising living spaces while enhancing the wellbeing of the community in Greenock.
Prospecthill Court, located in Greenock, one of Scotland's most deprived areas, consists of 90 one- and two-bedroom flats within a 16-storey building. The primary aim of this project was to obtain AECB accreditation by utilising advanced technologies and materials to create a sustainable and energy-efficient structure.
Through the SCAPE Scotland framework, the need for a lengthy procurement process was eliminated and allowed the project to move quickly from concept to delivery, ensuring that essential works began without delay and providing the best value to River Clyde Homes.
Early contractor engagement allowed for the project delivery team, from both River Clyde Homes and Kier Construction to specifically select components based on their proven performance in thermal efficiency, airtightness, and overall energy conservation.
As a result, the project achieved an energy consumption of less than 40 kWh/m² per annum, in accordance with Passive House Planning Package (PHPP) standards.
Undertaking significant recladding and retrofit works at height, within an occupied building can often pose significant challenges:
Minimising dust and disruption to residents: Kier's subcontractors, D&B Facades, utilised the Hilti Group TE-CD drill bit, TE-50 AVR, and a vacuum to effectively eliminate dust, thereby reducing disruption to residents.
Use of mast climbers: Mast climbers are considered a high-risk activity due to their connections to the ground, load-bearing capacity, and ties to occupied buildings. The design is complex and consists of three main components: mast climber designs, foundation design (which requires checking the ground's suitability for point loads, such as utilities, voids, and boreholes). When the scaffolders arrived on-site and set up early, unsuitable ground conditions were identified. To address this, the project team lifted the scaffold structure and inserted the necessary load-bearing battens underneath before lowering the structure back onto the battens.
Minimising tenant disruption through coordinated visits: Through employing Matterport surveys across all flats to aid in repair planning and execution, Kier were able to ensure that all necessary activities were completed in a single visit whenever possible. This helped to limit the number of visits to each flat were limited by coordinating internal work and therefore minimising tenant disruption.
By improving energy efficiency, the project significantly reduced heating costs for residents, helping to alleviate fuel poverty in one of Scotland’s most deprived areas. These enhancements complemented the recently installed district heating system, further supporting long-term affordability and sustainability.
Key outcomes included:
- Building life extended by more than 60 years
- Heating energy consumption reduced by 80%
- Operational carbon emissions reduced by 80%
Close collaboration throughout delivery ensured the project progressed whilst the building was fully occupied with minimal disruption to residents.
Significant energy savings: The project reduced the building’s energy demand from around 16,750 kWh per year per flat to approximately 2,680 kWh. This represents an 80% reduction in space heating and operational carbon emissions.
Innovative high energy performance techniques/achieving AECB standards: The project's primary objective was to achieve AECB accreditation by implementing cutting-edge technologies and materials to create a sustainable and energy-efficient building. Selected components were specifically chosen for their proven performance in thermal efficiency, airtightness, and overall energy conservation.
The project targeted and achieved a design that would attain an energy demand rating of less than 40kWh/m2/annum, in accordance with PHPP (Passive House Planning Package) standards.
CIH Housing Awards Winner: River Clyde Homes won the Net Zero in Housing award for the Retrofit of Prospecthill Court.
Social value delivery
Working with local community groups, Kier Construction's goal was to create a lasting legacy for the residents of Prospecthill Court. Several initiatives were completed including:
Regular Open Days: Residents were engaged with through public consultations and open days, ensuring the project aligned with the community’s needs and expectations. During one of these events, residents were invited to view the project's progress and meet the team.
Information Sessions: Sessions to explain the benefits of the retrofit were organised, highlighting energy savings and improved living conditions. Residents were also encouraged to share their thoughts and experiences, which provided valuable feedback for making necessary adjustments to the project.
Training Day: Kier Construction partnered with Built Environment Smarter Transformation (BE-ST) to facilitate a training day, allowing all operatives to earn a completely bespoke AECB Passport for this project.
Volunteering to Support the Local Community: In October 2024, a clean-up day at the Prospecthill Christian Fellowship Church in Greenock, located near the project site was held where many staff members volunteered for activities, including:
- Landscaping and clearing the church grounds
- Painting planters and benches alongside residents and children
- Leading arts and crafts and Lego activities organised by Rig Arts
- Providing refreshments and facilitating social interactions in the church hall
Flat Furnishing and Tenant Raffle: The project team's respite flat was furnished with items sourced from a local second-hand shop. Once the project was completed, a raffle was held among the tenants, with the furniture awarded to the lucky winner.
Food Bank Donation: The Prospecthill Court team donated items to Inverclyde Foodbank as part of their commitment to supporting the local community. Driven by a desire to make a meaningful contribution, they reached out to the food bank to identify its specific needs, with the site's Tenant Liaison Officer, Kate, presenting the donated items on behalf of the team.
The collaborative nature of the SCAPE Scotland Construction framework has allowed Kier to maximise their social value offering. Partnering with SCAPE Scotland, their local supply chain, community groups and local stakeholders, Kier are helping to create a legacy for local communities.
Why SCAPE Scotland?
The model of the SCAPE Scotland framework simplifies procurement processes, enabling projects to transition quickly from concept to delivery. This ensures that essential work can commence without delays, providing clients with the best value through the framework.
This collaborative framework allows Kier to maximise their social value by partnering with SCAPE Scotland, their local supply chain, community groups, and local stakeholders - to create a lasting legacy for our communities.
Social value outcomes
This project has been submitted by Kier as part of the collaborative Social Value in Construction Benchmarking Report (2024). This report captures the latest insight into the regional and national trends in social value delivery, learn more here.
80% reduction
Heating energy consumption
80% reduction
Operational carbon emissions
CIH Housing Awards
Net Zero in Housing | Winner
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Social Value in Construction
Benchmarking Report
SCAPE's annual report in collaboration with Social Value Portal that captures the latest insight into the regional and national trends in social value delivery.