BCHG: Leading the way in hydrogen technology

• Feb. 24 by Lucas Coe (1)

Black Country Housing Group (BCHG) are the first agency in partnership with the University of Birmingham to launch the first hydrogen fuel cell system to power a house’s electricity, water and central heating – located in the West Midlands.

The agency are experts in economic and social regeneration, through building new affordable homes, providing care and health services to communities and supporting social enterprise.

The initiative was completed in October last year and BCHG are currently working on a series of eco-homes in Great Barr.

The £2 million hydrogen fuel cell project was jointly funded by Advantage West Midlands and the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council.

It has shown that hydrogen can be a viable alternative to carbon emitting fossil fuels and could be the method to power houses in the future.

Professor Kevin Kendall from the University of Birmingham’s School of Chemical Engineering and lead investigator said:

“Ultimately all our homes will have these units.  But first, more research and industry development is needed to optimise the technology.”

The achievement has been recognized from leading industry experts and national government.

Treasury Minister and MP for Dudley South, Ian Pearson, said: “This partnership between a university and a housing provider is exactly the kind of collaborative approach that brings ideas from the laboratory into the real world, delivering genuine benefits to local people and contributing to our efforts to fight climate change.”

These sentiments were shared by Dr Richard Hutchins, Corporate Director of Economic Development at Advantage West Midlands: “The creation of a low carbon economy is a priority of the regional economic strategy and energy is a key theme for Birmingham Science City.”

In addition, the group has embarked on a series of social housing projects around the Midlands.

The projects involve state of the art eco-homes, using the latest sustainable technology as part of their environmental consultancy service, e²S.

A recent example of the agencies’ work is in Stourbridge, where six affordable eco-homes were developed on a section of wasteland.

Sandra Spence, chief executive of Black Country Housing Group, said: “We pride ourselves on innovative designs and all of these houses meet the Eco Homes Standard of Excellence as well as enhancing the current regeneration schemes in and around Stourbridge.”

The part wood, part brick-built houses will have solar roof panels, low energy light fittings and recycling bins.

They are the first environmentally friendly homes to be built in the town with solar roof panels, low energy light fittings and recycling bins, with BCHG offering a half-share in the properties.