In their aim to deliver outstanding homes and services Leeds Federated Housing Association (a registered charitable housing association) have recently introduced an Energy & Affordable Warmth Strategy designed to tackle fuel poverty by providing Affordable Warmth. Their recent installation of a boiler system by manufacturer Ravenheat is one of the many actions they have taken to fulfil this objective. Leeds Federated decided to replace the existing boiler at one of their homes in Middleton which has a higher demand for hot water. The property in question houses four residents with varying degrees of disabilities, which means that both efficiency and reliability of the new system were of the utmost importance.

Leeds Federated, in consultation with local contractor P. H. Jones, decided to install a Ravenheat CSI 120 Low NOx high efficiency condensing gas boiler fitted with the pioneering ENERGYCATCHER to achieve the greatest fuel efficiency.
Ravenheat’s CSI 120 Low NOx boiler on its own carries the SEDBUK ‘A’ rating that guarantees the highest return on fuel input, but the addition of the ingenious ENERGYCATCHER provides one further boost to fuel efficiency. What would normally be regarded as exhaust fumes to be discharged into the outside air are given one last squeeze, converting most of the remaining heat into hot water by recycling the heat from the fumes through ENERGYCATCHER and storing this thermal gain in a cylinder.
Whenever the boiler is used, the hot water tank temperature is boosted so that when the boiler is called on for, say a hot bath, it is no longer raising the temperature from cold, saving substantial amounts of energy and money.
In The Middleton hostel the Ravenheat boiler is used to heat water for the kitchen, for baths, showers, basins and for the radiators. Every time it switches on the ENERGYCATCHER gives an add-on saving that is claimed to be 40% on domestic hot water and well over 7% overall saving on the total gas bill. In monetary terms this will equate to around £150.00 per year saving, plus the appropriate 7% carbon emission reduction, which ENERGYCATCHER has delivered. Leeds Federated are delighted with the results to date since the system now provides ample hot water to satisfy all the hostel’s needs in the most fuel effective method possible; definitely a way of providing the “Affordable Warmth” called for in the long-term aims of the Housing Association.