Smart heating stands out in Redrow’s Colindale Gardens homes

Reviewed: ad hoc news Accessory & Components desk. Edited and checked on 2026-06-17, 21:01. Details in the imprint.

With the smart heating and hot-water system at Colindale Gardens, Redrow turns a fairly standard London flat into something that feels more tuned to the way you actually live. Radiators warm up fast, controls respond without drama, and the app keeps an eye on energy use.

Where the system sits in the home

In Colindale Gardens, Redrow hides the smart heating and hot-water kit in tidy utility cupboards, behind flush white doors that disappear into the hallway. Pipework is boxed in, valves are labeled cleanly, and only a compact control panel breaks the calm lines of the wall.

The boilers and cylinders are sized for dense apartment living, so heat arrives quickly even on cold London mornings, without the roar or vibration of older systems. Residents mostly see the system through discreet room thermostats and an app rather than clunky dials or timer wheels.

How Redrow equips Colindale Gardens

Colindale Gardens is a long-running north-west London regeneration scheme with around 2,900 new homes planned across multiple phases, plus parks, shops and a residents’ gym according to Redrow’s development overview. Redrow’s official project page

New-build apartments in the scheme are typically specified with energy-efficient gas boilers or central plant, modern radiators, and programmable thermostats, wrapped in better insulation than many older London blocks. The result in daily life is less draft, a more even temperature and fewer cold corners.

Smart controls and daily use

The smart heating and hot-water system works with simple, zoned controls so residents can warm living areas while keeping bedrooms cooler at night. Timers let people align heat with commuting routines instead of running the system all day, which is especially helpful with London energy prices.

When combined with Colindale Gardens’ insulation and glazing package, these smarter controls aim to nudge EPC ratings higher than typical older stock in Barnet. That can translate into lower running costs and a quieter flat, because the system does not need to cycle on and off as aggressively.

Energy performance and net zero trends

Housebuilders across the UK, including the combined Barratt Redrow group, are under pressure to cut carbon and improve fabric efficiency in new schemes. Recent announcements highlight projects where every home includes solar PV and smart energy management platforms. A net zero housing project from Barratt Redrow

While Colindale Gardens is not marketed as a full net zero development, its heating and hot-water systems sit in that broader shift. Smarter controls, more efficient plant, and better envelopes are part of how large listed builders try to balance buyer comfort with increasingly tight energy regulations.

What buyers will like

For residents, the main win is straightforward: the flat gets warm quickly, and you do not wrestle with baffling controls. Once the app schedules are set, the system mostly disappears into the background, simply keeping the space at a steady, comfortable temperature.

Another plus is the quiet operation. Slim radiators and modern pipework mean fewer bangs and hisses, which matters in compact apartments where the living room wall can be one stud layer away from the neighbor’s bedroom.

Where the compromises lie

Some buyers will still wish for fully electric or heat-pump-only solutions, especially given London’s focus on decarbonisation. Gas-based systems, even efficient ones, look less future-proof to climate-conscious purchasers than all-electric alternatives tied to greener grids.

Service access is another point; hiding everything in a slim hallway cupboard looks tidy but can make maintenance feel cramped. Residents will rely heavily on Redrow’s customer service and management companies to keep the compact equipment running smoothly over the years.

Company context and share listing

Colindale Gardens forms part of Redrow’s wider London and South East portfolio, now sitting within the broader Barratt Redrow combination that pushes scale in UK housing while leaning on energy-efficiency messages in marketing and investor material. Redrow’s corporate site highlights its regional focus

Shares of Barratt Redrow (GB0007323586) trade in London on the London Stock Exchange, giving investors direct exposure to large-scale UK residential development, including higher-spec schemes such as Colindale Gardens.

This article was AI-assisted and editorially reviewed. Product information without guarantee; prices and availability may change at short notice. No investment advice, no buy or sell recommendation. Stock-market transactions involve risks up to total loss.