Government figures report that methods of heating and powering buildings currently consume 40% of the UK’s total energy use, meaning that our industry has a huge role to play in reducing our total carbon emissions ahead of our goal to hit net-zero by 2050. 

However, even after the release of the Heat and Buildings Strategy, there are still many question marks hanging over what the UK’s heating systems of the future will look like. Although the government has backed heat pumps, hydrogen boilers definitely remain on the table as an option, with other emergent technologies and fuel sources still a possibility as well. With innovations regularly filtering through into the sector, it’s almost impossible to make any firm predictions at this stage about how we will be heating our homes in the next 10, 20, or 30 years.

And, although 2050 may still seem like an eternity away, getting the message out about the need to switch to more energy efficient and less carbon-intensive products is an important task to undertake sooner rather than later. This is especially true given the vital role heating engineers play in informing the public and beyond of the heating systems they should be installing in their homes and other buildings. So, be aware that what you’re installing for your customers now could be their heating choice for at least the next decade.

With this in mind, the HVP team is launching a new Future of Heat supplement, available as part of this issue. This supplement aims to unpack some of the complexities surrounding the subject, as well as keep engineers up to date with the latest sustainable developments, and how they will affect them and their businesses in the future.
The Future of Heat kicks off on p31 and includes a whole host of engaging articles on key topics, such as heat pumps, hydrogen, HVO, and heat networks, but also some surprises, including a profile on Thermify’s HeatHub, a boiler powered by cloud computing that swaps out gas pipes for data cables.