Huntly Drive - Greenock

Case study: Whole house retrofit for net zero social housing

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Client: River Clyde Homes
Main contractor: AC White & Co Ltd
Insulation product: IndiTherm (loft and internal wall applications)
Scale: Retrofit pilot to support Social Housing Net Zero Standard
Location: Huntly Drive, Greenock

Project overview

The Huntly Drive retrofit pilot, led by River Clyde Homes, demonstrates how whole house retrofits can transform social housing to meet the Scottish Government’s Social Housing Net Zero Standard.

IndiTherm industrial hemp-based insulation was selected for loft and internal wall applications, offering thermal and acoustic benefits while significantly reducing embodied carbon. Alongside renewable heating and ventilation upgrades, the project combines innovative materials and low-carbon technologies to create resilient, affordable homes that address fuel poverty and climate challenges.

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Project objectives

• Meet the Net Zero Standard

  Retrofit homes to align with Scotland’s ambitious targets on energy demand and carbon emissions.

• Tackle fuel poverty

  Reduce household energy costs to support tenants.

• Cut carbon

  Incorporate low-carbon materials like IndiTherm insulation to reduce embodied carbon while transitioning to renewable heating systems to reduce operational carbon.

• Deliver comfort and health

  Improve thermal comfort, air quality, and overall tenant well-being.

• Inform future retrofit programmes

  Use learnings from this pilot to guide future projects, optimising cost, phasing, and measures across varied housing stock

Why IndiTherm?

Performance

• Exceptional vapour transport - keeping buildings dry and healthy. Ideal for traditional retrofits

• Acoustic benefits, supporting healthier and quieter homes

• Excellent rigidity to resist slumping, reducing cold bridging

Ease of installation

• Designed for fast, friction fit installation in walls, roofs, and floors, enabling rapid decarbonisation of existing buildings

• Installer-friendly, non-irritant, easy to handle

Sustainability

• Carbon-negative insulation made from UK-grown industrial hemp and manufactured in Scotland

• Supports embodied carbon reduction targets

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Key takeaways

Huntly Drive shows how whole house retrofit pilots can lead the way in social housing transformation. By using IndiTherm insulation in tandem with renewable technologies, River Clyde Homes demonstrated a model for delivering energy-efficient, low-carbon, and comfortable homes. A crucial step towards Scotland’s Social Housing Net Zero Standard. homes

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Ready to specify?

Our technical team can provide:

• Technical guidance for social housing retrofit

• Product samples

• Thermal calculations

• Surface and interstitial condensation risk analysis*

• Advice on compatible materials and construction systems

*Condensation risk analysis is carried out using the Glaser method and carried out under BS EN ISO 13788.