The UK government has set an ambitious target of reaching net zero carbon emissions by 2050, and achieving this goal requires significant changes across many sectors, including housing. John Marsh, COO of multi-utility network provider, GTC, explains the roles that heat networks and heat pumps can play in helping the housing industry reach the required level.
The Future Homes Standard (FHS), introduced as a cornerstone policy in 2019, outlines the government’s vision for ensuring that all new homes contribute to this goal. The two notional specifications of the Future Homes Standard, heat networks and heat pumps, are pivotal in helping housebuilders meet these ambitious objectives while reducing carbon emissions across the UK’s housing stock.
The blueprint for home decarbonisation
The Future Homes Standard aims to make all new homes built in the UK highly energy-efficient and capable of operating with low-carbon heating systems. The government’s vision is to ensure that the homes of tomorrow are equipped to handle the transition to a low-carbon economy while reducing the energy bills of residents. The core of the standard revolves around improving energy efficiency, reducing reliance on fossil fuels, and ultimately achieving net zero emissions by 2050.
What is a heat network?
Heat networks are proven around the world. Until recently, building regulations set a high temperature for water in properties. This meant steel pipe had to be used, which is expensive. Consequently, heat networks were used in high-density sites, typically in towns and cities, as they need less heat. Building regulations now set a lower temperature for hot water in homes, which allows the use of insulated plastic pipe. This significantly reduces the cost and means heat networks, and their proven technology, are a very competitive option for low-density housing sites.
Heat networks provide an efficient method of heating large numbers of homes without relying on natural gas. By connecting multiple homes to a central, low-carbon heat source, such as a Community Heat Hub or Networked Ground Source Heat Pumps, heat networks significantly reduce carbon emissions. These systems are powered by renewable energy sources, typically large heat pumps, which removes the need for fossil fuel combustion.
The UK government is increasingly looking toward heat networks as a key solution to decarbonising heating. The government expect that heat networks could provide low-carbon heat to around 20% of the UK’s heating demand by 2050. This makes them an essential component of the energy transition for new buildings.
What are the challenges?
Heat networks are different to traditional gas networks and need a bit of adjustment to the way we approach sites. Building infrastructure to support heat networks requires planning for the central heat generation facility, the pipe network and connections to individual homes. For housebuilders, this means working with utility experts who are experienced in adopting new approaches to site layout and long-term operational management. This initial work more than pays off later, as heat networks are simply extended as the site builds out, and homes plugged in with a simple heat interface unit in each home.
We encourage housebuilders to collaborate with utility infrastructure partners, energy providers and local authorities to integrate the heat networks into planning. Networks are recognised by local authorities as a great sustainable solution, so they support planning applications. The utility partner will manage the regulatory frameworks and ensure that networks meet high standards for efficiency and environmental performance.
Solutions available to housebuilders
Community Heat Hubs use large-scale air source heat pumps and thermal stores to produce hot water in a site central Heat Hub. Heat is then delivered into homes through a site network of highly insulated pipes. Community Heat Hubs remove the need for individual air source heat pumps to be mounted outside every home and crucially they:
- Meet the Future Homes Standard, reducing carbon emissions by 75-80% from day one
- Address grid capacity issues, using the thermal stores to flatten the site’s grid demand. This significantly lowers a site’s overall peak demand compared with individual heat pumps
- Lower costs for housebuilders and lower customer bills by up to 20% compared to individual air source heat pumps
- Will be regulated by OFGEM from 2026 offering homeowners the ultimate protection on price and service levels
In a bid to accelerate heat network rollout, it is vital that that choice is offered. Community Heat Hubs are one option; Networked Ground Source Heat Pumps are another.
Networked Ground Source Heat Pumps work by extracting naturally occurring, stored thermal energy from the ground to provide consistent, energy-efficient heating.
The solution offers a clean alternative to gas through a ground source heat pump installed within each property which is connected to a shared network of hidden underground pipes. The small, compact heat pump sits inside the home, saving valuable space and eliminating the need for any external kit.
Networked Ground Source Heat Pumps:
- Only need the same grid electricity capacity as homes heated by gas, removing the risk of grid capacity constraint
- Bring a complete end-to-end heating, hot water and cooling solution. This inclusion of passive cooling helps Part L Building Regulation compliance
- Meet the Future Homes Standard, reducing carbon emissions by 75-80% from day one
- Offer up to five times the efficiency of gas and a 30% increased efficiency than an equivalent individual air source heat pump
- Will be regulated by OFGEM from 2026 offering homeowners the ultimate protection on price and service levels
Why heat networks?
The inclusion of heat networks and heat pumps in the Future Homes Standard is not only important for reducing carbon emissions but also for shaping the future of the UK’s housing industry. Housebuilders will need to adapt to new regulatory standards and technologies that are better suited to a low-carbon economy.
The Future Homes Standard provides a clear signal to the housing sector about the direction of travel and the need to build homes that are energy-efficient and low-carbon. By focusing on heat networks and heat pumps, the policy ensures that the UK’s housing stock is prepared for the future, aligning with both the 2050 net zero goals and the wider transition to a sustainable, low-carbon economy.
The Future Homes Standard’s emphasis on heat networks and heat pumps highlights the significant role that these technologies will play in the UK’s drive to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2050. By providing housebuilders with clear specifications for low-carbon heating systems, the standard ensures that new homes will be both energy-efficient and future-proofed. For housebuilders, adopting these technologies represents an opportunity to lead the way in the green building revolution and contribute to the UK’s broader sustainability agenda.
