Posted on 07 August 2024
Heat Pumps: The Future of Home Heating in the UK
Fitting heat pump technology in UK homes is a government-backed strategy to decarbonise housing, improve energy efficiency, and reduce household bills. An alternative to fossil fuel-powered heating, heat pumps have been in use since 1930 but have become increasingly important and relevant in the 21st century due to their efficiency and low carbon emission status.
All UK governments have now agreed that heat pumps will be the main replacement for natural gas heating, which is being phased out of the energy mix. Currently there are no other credible alternatives offering the same combination of economy, energy efficiency, and low carbon emitting technology that fit with our existing infrastructure. Properly installed, heat pumps can provide three times more energy than they consume and produce 73% fewer emissions than gas boilers.
Funding to encourage heat pump installations
Various funding schemes have been made available; The Boiler Upgrade Scheme (BUS), the Home Upgrade Grant (HUG2) targeting low-income households, and funding for low-income and social housing. Funding is also available for schools via the Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme (PSDS) and the Condition Improvement Fund (CIF) schemes.
Yet, despite these funding initiatives to encourage uptake of this technology overall outcomes to date have been unimpressive. Consumer barriers, such as the higher cost of heat pumps compared to gas boilers, and a lack of competent installers, persist. Furthermore, misinformation and the complexity of heat pump technology hinders adoption.
In a comprehensive feature article on heat pumps, James Cole, a chartered surveyor at Hookway, considers the challenges and the opportunities associated with funding, installing and learning how to use heat pumps as an alternative to gas heating. Read more
This article was originally published in the August 2024 edition of stronger, the ALARM journal. ALARM is a not-for-profit professional membership association that has supported risk management practitioners since 1991. They provide members with outstanding support to achieve professional excellence, including education, training, guidance and best practice, networking, and industry recognition for best practice across risk management. For more information, visit alarmrisk.com and follow @ALARMrisk on Twitter and LinkedIn.