
A new, data-informed approach to low carbon
heating system design and retrofit is needed to help social landlords minimise upgrade
costs and deliver better outcomes for their residents, according to a study.
By analysing data on the energy efficiency
of real homes and what residents want from their heating, Energy Systems
Catapult calculated the most efficient low carbon heating upgrade pathways for
five common UK housing types in a first-of-its-kind modelling study.
This new approach could provide landlords
and housing associations with a clear, evidence-based way to plan future property
improvements and prioritise upgrades which deliver the greatest energy
efficiency and comfort.
It could also help identify the root causes and
innovative solutions to problems that right now are not being addressed
effectively and suggest new ways to improve domestic heating performance and
control.
The study follows the Committee on Climate
Change ‘Net-Zero’ report that advised that improvements to building efficiency
and adoption of low carbon heating systems, such as heat pumps, district
heating and hydrogen boilers, were required for the UK to reduce carbon
emissions to zero by 2050.
With two-thirds of UK homes currently
suffering from damp, drafting or overheating, the study found smart heating
controls combined with energy efficiency retrofit could ensure the switch to
low carbon heating also delivers improved outcomes for householders.
The study utilised the Catapult’s new Home
Energy Dynamics (HED)
tool that takes data from heating systems, radiators and pipe
networks, building fabric, consumer choices/behaviour and
weather, to target the right retrofit solutions for different housing types.
HED has initially modelled five UK housing types
- using data from the
Catapult’s ‘Living Lab’ of over 100 connected homes - to explore low
carbon upgrade pathways that satisfy consumer needs in terms of
comfort and practical installation while minimising disruption, energy waste
and CO₂ emissions (see notes for
details).
The study highlighted a number of possibilities for the
design of low carbon heating systems that deliver good comfort, including:
·
Smart heating controls, with an ability to set different
temperatures in individual rooms, were found to be key to the design of low
carbon systems, as they could attract consumers through offering a better
experience while improving energy efficiency.
·
Electric heat pumps can provide good levels of comfort
in all the modelled gas-heated homes if sized and operated effectively and combined
with building fabric upgrades.
·
Hybrid heating systems could also play an important role in
transitioning to low carbon heat, as these provide the option of replacing
natural gas boilers with thermal storage, lower carbon gas or hydrogen boilers.
·
Thermal storage could help manage the demand placed
on energy networks, particularly at peak times. However, the space required for
thermal storage is typically larger than the space made available for hot water
storage in most homes. Innovations, such as the use of phase change materials
or deeper levels of fabric retrofit, could make this solution more viable in
future
Richard Halsey, Director of Capabilities at
Energy Systems Catapult, said: “To
meet 2050 climate
change targets we must eliminate the 20% of UK carbon
emissions that come from heating homes, which means in the next
decade we will need to be converting millions of
homes to low carbon heating every year.
“This will be much easier if
the solutions provide households with heating outcomes that are
better than what they have today.
“We found that integrating low
carbon heating solutions, such as electric heat pumps, hybrid and district
heating systems, with smart heating controls and targeted
retrofit measures such as improving insulation or upgrading
radiators, can deliver better heating outcomes for consumers living in existing
housing stock.
“Our research has
previously found that 85% of households that trialled smart heating controls, were
open to switching to low carbon technology – compared to just 36% of
the general population – as long as current or improved levels of comfort and
cost could be guaranteed.
“This represents a huge
opportunity for the development of better integrated heating solutions and
related products and services to deliver low carbon heating at home.
“And the Catapult’s new Home Energy
Dynamics tool can help stakeholders assess a range of data in order to choose
the right low carbon upgrade pathways for housing stock across the UK.”
The full report, undertaken
as part of the Smart Systems and Heat programme, Pathways to Low Carbon
Heating: Dynamic Modelling of Five UK Homes, can be accessed below.