Retrofit at Scale – Warmworks and the AirEx Floorvent System
Challenge: Help households in Scotland reduce heating costs and stay warm in colder months.
Warmworks is dedicated to reducing fuel poverty and enhancing living conditions across the UK. Through a partnership with AirEx, Warmworks introduced the Floorvent system, which is now included in the Scottish Government’s Warmer Homes Scotland scheme, which offers funding and support to households struggling to stay warm and keep on top of energy bills.
Why AirEx? A Simple, Effective Solution for Retrofit Projects
AirEx’s Floorvent system offers a low-cost, minimally disruptive solution that adjusts ventilation smartly to prevent heat loss, making it ideal for homes with suspended ground floors. By reducing unwanted draughts and retaining warmth, AirEx can cut heat loss, improve energy efficiency ratings, and boost a household’s EPC (energy performance certificate) rating by 2-5 SAP points (Standard Assessment Procedure) helping families achieve noticeable energy savings.
This case study explores how AirEx’s technology has been successfully integrated into the Warmer Homes Scotland programme, making it easier for vulnerable households to stay warm, reduce fuel bills, and benefit from government-backed funding for essential energy efficiency improvements.
Implementation: Piloting the Floorvent System
Warmworks initially launched their partnership by installing AirEx Floorvent in 40 homes. The goal was to gauge how residents perceived the system and assess the ease of installation. Both residents and installers responded positively, reporting that the installation was quick and minimally invasive, with immediate benefits in improved home comfort.
This successful pilot demonstrated that Floorvent could save energy and deliver practical value, paving the way for a larger rollout, which has now surpassed 2400 households in Scotland as part of the Warmer Homes Scotland programme. Warmworks prioritises end-user satisfaction, so finding a measure that would cause minimal disruption to residents was a big win for its team.
“The first bit of feedback we always get is ‘I can’t believe the immediate reduction in draughts’ and ‘I can’t believe that it was installed without any real disruption’
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Smooth Implementation
Those installing AirEx as part of the Warmer Homes Scotland scheme are having great success due to the quick and clean process. Most work happens outside the home, and each installation takes around one hour to complete.
“I saw this advertised on television and said I’m going to apply. So then they suggested fitting [AirEx]. They came out and were very good and fitted in the new bricks. I’ve been quite happy and not had to put my heating on yet. I’ve felt that the house has been warmer.”
Scaling Up: Full programme Integration
Following the pilot, Warmworks integrated the Floorvent system into the Warmer Homes Scotland programme, reaching thousands of households. Now, alongside other heating and energy efficiency measures, Floorvent technology is offered to eligible customers with homes suitable for its installation across Scotland.
“Including Floorvent as an energy efficiency measure on the Warmer Homes Scotland scheme offers us an effective way to provide underfloor ventilation to homes to reduce draughts and retain warmth. AirEx smart vents are helping to improve energy efficiency while keeping costs down for customers.”
Measurable Impact: Financial and Environmental Benefits
More than 2,400 homes have had AirEx Floorvent installed as part of the Warmer Homes Scotland programme, saving households a total of £600,000 in annual energy costs. Residents report greater comfort and lower energy bills, while reduced heating needs translate into a smaller carbon footprint, a win for both the environment and fuel-poor households.
“AirEx Smart Ventilation is really helping us on our mission to tackle fuel poverty. It’s already helped us reduce draughts, improve comfort and reduce energy bills for thousands of households throughout Scotland. We really believe that AirEx will continue to be a key partner of Warmworks in the future.”
Strengthening Local Communities
Warmworks’ work with AirEx extends beyond households. By increasing demand for local installers, this initiative has created employment opportunities across Scotland, contributing to local economic growth. Skilled workers in insulation and heating have benefited, strengthening the industry while meeting community needs for energy-efficient housing.
“We started off quite small and we’ve just kind of grown over the last eight years with Warmworks. Working on retrofit projects, you look at the whole house approach, AirEx fits in really well with suspended flooring and where you can’t get underfloor insulation, you can fit AirEx bricks and it makes a big difference to the property.”
“20,000 units have been deployed all over the UK from Cornwall all the way to the Shetland Islands. But what’s also really heartwarming to see is how we can actually help local businesses, not just the resident side but also installers who are actively installing AirEx under the Warmer Home Scotland programme. We are really proud to support the local economy.”
A Proven, Scalable Solution for Retrofit Projects
The Warmworks-AirEx partnership showcases how targeted, new retrofit solutions like Floorvent can deliver wide-reaching benefits. By adding AirEx to large-scale retrofit programmes, social landlords, consultancies, and contractors can help tackle fuel poverty, boost energy efficiency, and drive local employment.
With this successful deployment model at scale, AirEx Floorvent is now a compelling addition to retrofit programmes across the UK, helping make homes warmer, more affordable, and more sustainable for the future.
To find out more about including AirEx in your next retrofit scheme, reach out to the team at https://www.airex.tech/contact