Loughborough University is part of a new partnership aiming to drive energy efficiency refurbishment in homes across Britain.

The University has joined forces with Kingfisher, Europe’s largest home improvement retail group, BSI, the world’s leading business standards company, and leading product manufacturers to form the iQE Product Alliance.  The alliance will pool resources and knowledge to develop a fully integrated range of products that will drive performance, usability and energy efficiency.

Loughborough’s School of Civil and Building Engineering is leading the initiative for the University.  The School is home to the Building Energy Research Group, one of the country’s leading centres in the development of energy reduction techniques.  Academics from the group will be providing energy modelling work to iQE that will help identify the packages of measures needed to help individual households save energy.  They will also rigorously test and evaluate products.

Loughborough University’s role in the iQE initiative is being led by Professor Kevin Lomas and Professor Dennis Loveday. Professor Lomas said: “We are delighted to be working with iQE to provide our technical expertise. We look forward to commencing the modelling work." 

Professor Loveday added: "We have the skills, experience and facilities to test and evaluate products so that iQE customers can feel confident that the measures installed will help them improve the energy efficiency of their homes. We are delighted that Dr Stephen Porritt has joined us to spearhead these activities, as a Kingfisher Research Associate.”

The Kingfisher companies will exclusively distribute iQE products.  Homeowners can access them through B&Q Energy Saving, which also provides a full installation service, while trade customers can access the products through Screwfix and TradePoint.

The product manufacturers have developed a comprehensive range of products including boilers, solar energy and control systems, heat pumps and insulation materials.

In a formal launch of the Alliance yesterday (Thursday 25 September) it was announced that the first ever BSI Kitemark™ for energy efficient buildings has been awarded to a boiler from iQE. The creation of BSI Kitemark™ schemes are driven by the societal needs of today and tomorrow and this scheme has been developed to reassure consumers that the products and services awarded the BSI Kitemark™ for Energy Efficient Buildings are safe, reliable and energy efficient.

Ian Draisey, Chairman of the iQE Product Alliance, commented; “Here at iQE we’ve beenworking hard on creating the most energy efficient range of boilers to help households save both energy and money on their heating bills.

“We’ve been developing our range with our academic partner Loughborough University to test, research and develop the very latest in product efficiency, and the award of the Kitemark shows how we are leading the way in energy saving.”

Howard Kerr, Chief Executive of BSI commented: “Today’s achievement of the first BSI Kitemark for Energy Efficient Buildings will give home owners the confidence to invest in boosting the thermal efficiency of their homes, helping address energy waste and reducing our heating bills.

“Industry initiatives such as iQE, will be an important element in helping the UK reach its 2020 carbon reduction targets.”

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