Heating and Ventilation

by Russell Dean, Head of the Residential Product Group at Mitsubishi Electric

The Government recently brought forward an Energy Security Bill as part of the Queen’s Speech, which sets out the policies and the proposed legislative programme for the new Parliamentary session.

Although the news was full of the fact that this was the first time the Queen had been unable to deliver the speech since 1963, with Prince Charles stepping in to deliver the address in place of his mother, there was another important omission that hasn’t yet gained any coverage.

The Energy Security Bill is designed to deliver the transition to cheaper, cleaner, and more secure energy and will deliver the Government’s commitments in the British Energy Security Strategy and the Ten Point Plan for a Green Industrial Revolution to build a more secure, homegrown energy system that is cleaner and more affordable.

Although the bill focuses on new proposed legislation, there was no mention of how this builds on existing plans, such as the recently published ECO4 initiative, which is the fourth and final phase of the Government’s Energy Company Obligation (ECO).

The UK Government has identified that heat networks have an important part to play in the provision of low carbon heating. This is supported by government grant schemes like the Heat Network Delivery Unit (HNDU), the Heat Network Efficiency Scheme (HNES) and the Green Heat Network Fund (GHNF). There is also a separate scheme in Scotland providing £300m of funding for heat networks.

As we drive towards reducing our carbon footprint, the inference to insulate Britain is a topical encounter. However, it should be understood how this status could be met with such a myriad of dwelling periods and styles throughout the United Kingdom.

Similar constructions built in opposing ends of the country can and do, behave differently due to their geographical location and indeed, their orientation. This therefore makes the process of insulating homes a more complex issue such that, without due understanding and individual assessments of each dwelling, we will have to be mindful of Ventilating Britain.

Leading ventilation manufacturer Vent-Axia is hosting a webinar aimed at the social housing sector on the recently launched Building Regulations. ‘Domestic Retrofit Legislation and Guidance for Ventilation’, will update delegates on the recent changes to the legislation and explain how these changes will affect ventilation in domestic retrofit, especially when adding energy efficiency measures to existing housing stock.

Richard Bishop, Head of Marketing for UK and Ireland at Panasonic Heating & Cooling Solutions, calls for social housing providers to tackle fuel poverty by collaborating to deliver more sustainable energy solutions for the homes of the future.

The Building Engineering Services Association (BESA) has completed its trilogy of free guides designed to help building owners and managers turn their buildings into ‘safe havens’ that protect occupants from health risks linked to airborne contaminants and viruses.

‘Buildings as Safe Havens – a practical guide’ is the third in its suite of guidance for measuring, monitoring, and improving indoor air quality (IAQ) and the second produced with the support of Mitsubishi Electric.

The impact of increasing global gas and electricity prices has already plunged hundreds of thousands more UK families into fuel poverty.

Estimates suggest the current average fuel poverty gap of £233 per home* could more than double in the coming year.  As a result, fuel poverty has arguably never been higher on the agenda for registered providers.  

Unfortunately residents connected to communal heat networks will not be immune, as their monthly (and pre-payment) heat bills are typically tied directly to gas prices.

So, faced with an almost perfect storm; and against a backdrop of traditionally poorly performing communal heat networks – how can the performance of existing installations be improved to both urgently reduce tenant energy costs and prepare them for the transition to low carbon heat?