At UPUK, we speak with our delivery partners regularly about what the future holds for the industry. The ‘hot’ topic at the moment is how new builds will be heated as gas is phased out to meet the requirements of the 2025 Future Homes Standard. Much of the talk so far has been around heat pumps (both air and ground source), hydrogen and the old classic solar. The latest offering from GTC uses Community Heat Hubs to ensure new developments meet the required standards and produce enough hot water to satisfy demand.

In simple terms, the hub (a bit like a small power station) will receive water from the local water network and a number of air-source heat pumps will heat the water which is then pumped to the nearby houses. The hot water will be transported via insulated plastic pipes which offer a more cost-effective alternative to the steel pipes used previously.

GTC COO had the following to say: “We provide utility infrastructure for new housing sites, so we are delighted to offer this alternative to gas. Our business owns and operates heat networks across London. We have built on this experience to extend heat networks to low-density sites for GTC installation. This provides a simple, competitive option for housebuilders and homeowners. It reduces carbon emission by 75-80% and becomes zero-carbon when the grid gets to zero carbon. This is a viable, sustainable, cost-effective solution, which is available now.”

I’m sure there will be many more twists and turns as we move towards more sustainable solutions but this one sounds like it definitely has legs.

Read more here.