Public Funding for Icax Limited

**Project Aim:** The aim of this project is to achieve SAP (Standard Assessment Procedure) recognition for ICAX's Seren 10 heat pump, by listing it on the Product Characteristics Database (PCDB), helping to enhance its marketability. **Innovation and Market Need:** ICAX's Seren 10 heat pump is designed for net-zero retrofit installations, providing a seamless transition from traditional boilers to efficient, low-carbon heating. This air source heat pump, combined with the indoor Seren Hub unit, can supply hot water up to 75°C using a low Global Warming Potential (GWP) refrigerant (R290). Its ease of installation and maintenance, along with high performance and durable components, positions it as a leading solution for efficient, low-carbon heating. **Importance of SAP Recognition:** SAP recognition is vital because RdSAP calculations are used to determine EPC (Energy Performance Certificate) ratings for existing dwellings. EPC ratings have become increasingly important, particularly with the enforcement of the Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards (MEES) in England and Wales, which require a minimum EPC rating of 'E' for properties being let or sold. Various Government retrofit schemes such as SHDF, HUG and ECO require the property EPC rating to be upgraded. Without SAP recognition, the Seren 10's performance data cannot be used in EPC calculations, which would likely result in a lower EPC rating. This would contradict the actual benefits of the Seren 10, which include lower energy costs and reduced carbon emissions. SAP recognition will allow accurate performance data to be used, making the Seren 10 more attractive to homeowners, landlords, and property developers. **Project Execution:** The project involves equipment production, internal testing, external testing, and PCDB listing. Initially, the Seren 10 equipment will be produced and tested internally at ICAX's facilities to gather performance data and optimize controls. Subsequently, the Seren 10 and Seren Hub will undergo external testing at the Building Research Establishment (BRE) in Watford. BRE will perform tests according to EN 14825 standards and provide a comprehensive report. Upon successful testing, the Seren 10's performance data will be submitted for PCDB listing, achieving SAP recognition. Achieving SAP recognition for the Seren 10 heat pump will solidify ICAX's position in the low-carbon heating market and create new opportunities for growth and market expansion.

Let Zero is a project designed to help UK local authorities tackle the issue of poor housing conditions in the Private Rented Sector (PRS), including damp and mould and high carbon emissions. The project will develop an AI-enabled end-to-end solution incorporating an easily-accessible 'One-stop Shop' to support private landlords (especially in fuel-poor areas) in upgrading their properties. Powered by an 'optioneering tool' and integrated local supply chains for retrofit, landlords will have a 'trusted path' tailored to the needs of the property and its occupants. It will provide landlords with: * A trusted support service * A clear pathway to action based on quantified retrofit options * Support accessing grants and finance This will be achieved through the integration of a suite of innovative solutions brought by project partners: * Rapid analysis and characterisation of specific building requirements. * Better cost and energy saving estimations enabled by AI and building geometry data. * Response to design concerns such as space standards for tenants and accessibility using AI. * Innovative retrofit solutions deliverable via local supply chains, tailored to local needs. * Retrofit grant aggregator and new green finance solutions. The project will develop a proof-of-concept PRS One-stop Shop by: * Assessing the needs of landlords and tenants. * Initiating a 200 home renovation programme in South Yorkshire to generate data and learning on retrofit approaches, costs, challenges and performance. * Categorising homes according to building type. Survey and generate 3D models for selected properties. * Developing an AI tool that uses learning from properties in use, solution costs and needs of landlords and tenants to identify and design optimum solutions for retrofit. * Delivering innovation within supply chains, including creating innovative products and developing local installation capability. * Integrating grant funding and finance advice. The One-stop Shop will initially be deployed in South Yorkshire (not-for-profit business model) but designed to be replicated across the UK, tailored to specific needs and local housing types. It will drive growth, innovation and revenue in local supply chains. The 18-month project will be led by South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority, supported by a consortium with expertise in needs of landlords and tenants, provision of advice and guidance, data collation and analysis, optioneering, AI-generated retrofit design, together with manufacturers and installers from retrofit supply chains. This replicable and scalable solution will create commercial opportunities for solution providers as well as benefits to landlords and tenants across the UK, especially in fuel-poor areas, to facilitate a just transition to net-zero.

This is a collaborative project undertaken by ICAX Limited and Welsh social housing provider (SHP), Valleys to Coast (V2C). We have identified through collaborative real-world work that there is a need for fast, efficient, reliable, and low-cost assessment of V2C's existing building stock as part of meeting their decarbonisation targets; to decarbonise 6,000 homes by 2033 and to switch all gas heated properties to electric heating where possible. Similar needs apply to other UK social housing organisations - in our investigation of the historically used assessment processes among SHPs, we have found that decision-making around decarbonisation spend has frequently been driven by episodic/one-off consultancy inputs, which are not necessarily replicable or affordable across large property portfolios. To date we have developed and deployed a prototype rapid assessment tool in spreadsheet form for V2C. This utilises data from their property management system to quantify existing building performance, based on fabric definition, to demonstrate how additional fabric measures/changes will affect overall building performance. The tool is used to iterate combinations of decarbonisation measures. The development of Lifespan/equivalent portals is an asset nearly all SHPs have already committed to for asset management. Their housing stock also tends to have limited typologies (based on age and size). V2C has successfully used the prototype tool to rapidly prioritise their selection of measures to apply to individual properties in their portfolio. Since both parties have a good level of confidence in the tool's effectiveness, we will a portable application version with enhanced/expanded features and improved accuracy and flexibility to meet the identified need. The tool is innovative because it creates a fast, efficient process of analysis by integrating property data management systems and assessment using building physics principles, providing analysis and optimized proposals. This minimises the requirement and costs associated with on-site/intrusive testing. This allows more budget to be allocated to building energy improvement measures. As part of the project development the data set in V2C's property management portfolio will be assessed, and revised if needed for better tool integration. A sample of properties will be surveyed, and on- site physical (heat loss and air tightness) testing carried out during and post fabric upgrade as a cross-checking exercise to assess the accuracy of the tool against real cases. After project completion this tool can be licensed out to other SHPs and be expanded/upgraded to work for owner occupiers and new build developers.

This is a collaborative project undertaken by ICAX and Intellegens to study the application of AI by machine learning into ICAX's product and service streams for the built environment. Areas of special interest have been identified by ICAX through their vast experience delivering innovative low carbon heating technologies for small- and large-scale construction projects. This feasibility study will aim to exploit opportunities for increased efficiencies in design, delivery, and operation of ICAX heat pump systems, exploring all facets of machine learning, including data quality, model training, and deployment (a successful proof of concept). As the UK endeavors to transition to a low carbon economy to meet climate commitments under the Paris agreement, various bottlenecks in heat pump system design, commissioning, and operation are slowing progress. Heating accounts for over 35% of all carbon emissions, so tackling this by implementing solutions for the built environment in the construction industry is how ICAX and Intellegens plan to make a positive impact, using AI as the driving technology. The project will create a catalyst for further implementation of AI through Intellegens' Alchemite platform.

"Smartgrids have not been deployed at scale due to the lack of 1) open architecture IoT systems linking generation and demand 2) stable markets for storage and demand shifting and quantifiable service revenue streams 3) local leadership in the deployment of smart grids enabling demand assurance and multi-vector approaches (IET2018, ADE 2018).Smarthubs SLES will tackle these innovation challenges via a large scale demonstrator. This demonstrator deploys hybrid systems across heat, power & transport connected via interoperable IoT layers that functions as a highly heterogeneous Virtual Private Network (VPP). The consortium is targeting a 30% reduction in future SLES deployment costs across the portfolio of technologies and business model innovations. The outputs of this demonstrator will lower provide evidence for the maintenance, operation and revenue profiles for these technologies and lead to SLES becoming self-fundable by the early 2020s."

The Balanced Energy Networks project will deliver both a physical and digital network to integrate systems that will enable the balancing of heating, cooling, electricity, and carbon, in a way that minimises costs. Addressing the energy trilemma - delivering security of supply, at low cost, and with low carbon emissions - is a key requirement for achieving a sustainable and prosperous economy. The Balanced Energy Networks project will build a working demonstration of the integrated system at London South Bank University (LSBU). This will involve the construction of an inter-seasonal thermal storage system to balance the production of heating and cooling throughout the year. It will also create a bi-directional network to balance electricity supply and demand. Attached to these physical and information and control networks will be a range of innovative technologies including one which can both generate electricity and remove carbon dioxide from the air, allowing the overall system to be carbon neutral.

‘Cold Water Heat Networks’ are a more cost effective, flexible, and scalable alternative to conventional heat network technology. Cold Water Heat Networks transfer heat at ground temperature and extract it via heat exchangers and heat pumps. This innovation allows the integration of diverse energy systems through the recovery of low grade waste heat, delivery of simultaneous heating and cooling, links to boreholes and other storage, and lower installation costs by making use of existing infrastructure, none of which are possible with conventional heat networks.

The public description for this project has been requested but has not yet been received.