Solihull Community Housing has approximately 1200 high rise flats that have heating and hot water supplied by a Biomass District Heating system.

The Biomass District Heating System has been designed to achieve a room temperature of 21°C in the lounge and bathroom and 18°C in the other rooms with an outside temperature of -5°C.

What is Biomass?

Biomass is the main heating and hot water supply in 23 of our 37 high rise buildings.

We have 13 Plant Rooms that generate the heating and hot water Biomass supply.

Our largest Plant Room is located on Forth Drive and provides four high rise buildings with Biomass. Those flats are Bangor House, Keele House, Westham House and Wedgewood House.

How does Biomass work?

Biomass works when a Biomass boiler in our Plant Rooms burns wood pellets to produce heating and hot water to individual flats.

Each flat has an individual Heat Interface Unit (HIU) installed, this operates and regulates the heating system via radiators and hot water through the hot water taps in the kitchen and bathroom.

There is a room thermostat installed to each flat that turns the heating system on and off.

There is also an EE Monitor (billing unit) installed in each flat. This is a pre-payment system which means you need to pay in advance by putting credit on your meter to obtain heating and hot water.

To find out how to top up your meter, click here.