News

Heat and Buildings Strategy

Published: 19-10-2021

The Heat and Buildings Strategy has been published today, 19^th October 2021, which recognises that to meet net zero, there is a huge decarbonisation effort required with how buildings are heated.

 This presents huge opportunities for jobs, growth and technological advancements, if carried out correctly. However the priority for Government and those like ourselves in the industry is to identify how all consumers’ needs can be met.

There are still barriers we must overcome that this strategy does not yet solve.

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Carl Arntzen, our CEO, commented:

“Although the Government’s Heat and Buildings Strategy does look like a clear indication of ongoing investment, it doesn’t go far enough.

“When considering a heat pump there are many factors to assess which are not considered here, such as the property’s suitability. A home may need to be adapted to accommodate a heat pump, such as resizing radiators and making space for hot water cylinders, which carry cost implications. Therefore, the proposed grants may help with the cost to purchase a heat pump, but there will still be costly investment required from homeowners in existing properties.

“As for boilers, the strategy does not refer to any legislation behind a boiler ban, so it’s not surprising that there is confusion among installers and homeowners.

“Whilst it is encouraging to see that hydrogen is still on the agenda and is referred to within the Strategy, it is a shame to see that a decision around hydrogen won’t be made until five years from now. With hydrogen-ready boilers already successfully trialled, they could be a strong alternative to fossil fuel boilers on the market today – yet this strategy seems to omit them.

“We are committed to the decarbonisation of heating and hot water in the UK and will continue to work with Government and industry to offer a technology agnostic future, while educating and inspiring homeowners to make greener choices for home heating.”

We are excited at the prospect of a greener future for all, although there is still plenty of work for Government and the wider industry to do before we are able to welcome alternative technologies into consumers’ homes. We hope the Government recognise and support these efforts as we continue to head towards net zero.