Solar panels and heated skirting boards are among new technologies being trialled in military family homes at Pirbright.
AFF Housing Specialist Cat Calder was given a chance to inspect some of the SFA modernisation work under way at the base in Surrey.
She said: “It was great to see some genuinely innovative approaches being considered, including solar technology, ceiling‑based heating and heated skirting boards instead of radiators.
“Alongside this, the overall finish, including various potential options from flooring to doors and bannisters, felt like a real step forward. Practical additions such as loft access will also make a difference.”
She added: “The key will now be seeing how these homes work for families day‑to‑day, and whether that high standard can be replicated across larger programmes.”
Her visit included an opportunity to meet the VIVO customer service team in Aldershot. There she was given an insight into the system for allocating work and could listen in to calls from customers reporting issues.
The improvements at Pirbright are part of MOD’s nationwide SFA modernisation programme. So far around 1,250 homes have been upgraded around the country.
Responsibility for building new SFA and improving existing homes is passing to the new Defence Housing Service, which launches in April 2027.
PUBLISHED 18 JUNE 2026