Heat and Buildings Strategy requires major commitment. Let’s hope it works

As COP26 enters its final days and we hope for some big commitments from the world leaders, it seems appropriate to write about the Heat and Buildings Strategy which was published last month by the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy.

It is itself a big commitment from the government. It sets out the urgent need to reduce the heat energy requirements of buildings in the UK as well as to provide them with new low carbon heating systems.

在快速降低建筑物碳排放的需求和到2035年全国二氧化碳排放量在1990年的基础上减少78%的具有法律约束力的目标——以及到2050年实现净零排放——的推动下，该战略制定了政府实现此类削减的计划。

It is aimed primarily at existing buildings because they have the greatest impact in terms of operational carbon emissions and it covers domestic residential, public and non-domestic uses. New buildings are considered in the context of the proposed Future Homes Standard and Future Buildings Standard as well as the interim Part L changes that are proposed for introduction in June 2022.

With 30% of all UK carbon emissions coming from buildings and 23% of total emissions attributed to heat in buildings, heating is the primary target for carbon emission reduction. Heating in homes contributes 17% of the total UK carbon emissions.

There is an acknowledgement that many existing homes will not be suitable for a heat pump system without at least the undertaking of draft proofing works

Given that these are 2019 figures, the percentage relating to homes must have increased with greater levels of working from home. The strategy proposes a fabric-first approach, which of course is nothing new, but there is an acknowledgement that many existing homes will not be suitable for a heat pump system without at least the undertaking of draft proofing works.

Given that about 25 million homes in the UK are currently running on fossil fuel-supplied heating systems, the challenge to undertake fabric improvement work before heat pumps can be installed will be great.

该战略指出，从2035年起，现有家庭不能安装燃气锅炉。该模型假设锅炉的寿命一般为15年，因此，如果在2035年或之前将其改为热泵或其他低碳加热系统，将有助于实现2035年和2050年英国的减排目标。

The Future Homes Standard will not permit the installation of gas boilers in new homes from 2025. The potential future need for cooling in our homes is recognised and it is deemed that air source heat pumps will provide that cooling source.

Surely, if we are removing gas heating systems, we are removing gas cooking too

The target is for all homes is to have an EPC rating of C by 2035, but with so much dependent on the EPC rating, assessments will surely have to be more accurate to provide the baseline data for individual homes.

Another consideration is gas cooking. I have seen no mention of it and what will happen. Cooking with gas produces far fewer emissions than heating systems due to the amount of gas consumed, but surely, if we are removing gas heating systems, we are removing gas cooking too – and this will have a cost impact which I hope the government has considered.

氢可以作为房屋的燃料来源，这在织物性能方面很难处理，而且热泵也不适合。政府建议在未来几年内，在社区和地区范围内，包括非住宅建筑，试验这种供暖系统。

Let us hope that the solutions are viable and durable

The strategy outlines the desire for us to take “no regrets” action now which is cost effective with lasting benefit. While this makes absolute sense, let us hope that the solutions are viable and durable and that we are not decommissioning hydrogen systems in the near future or removing mass external wall insulation systems due to unintended harmful consequences.

There will be limited financial incentives to adopt the measures outlined in the strategy and it is proposed that costs will be driven down through innovation, including a new generation of heat pumps that are equal in cost to a domestic gas boiler by 2035. It is of course imperative that we upgrade our existing building stock as soon as possible, but the fear is that many building owners will not be able to afford to do so.

It is of course not only heating systems that we need to consider relative to building retrofit. Quality of homes, building safety, electric vehicle charging and climate change adaptation (flooding and stronger wind protection) are other matters that must also be considered relatively soon.

Considering any one of these in isolation will have financial, human resource, time and environmental impacts and it makes absolute sense for building owners to take a holistic approach to the retrofit of buildings to meet future needs. It will undoubtedly cost more for those who do not do so.