Trial / Demo
Amidst growing climate change concerns, the United Kingdom finds itself at a pivotal moment in its heating landscape. At present, heating our buildings makes up nearly a quarter (23%) of the UK’s total greenhouse gas emissions. Undoubtedly, engineers will play a vital role in re-designing conventional heating systems to tackle these emissions.
As the nation strives to reduce its carbon impact and enhance energy security, one area of focus is heat networks. These systems, which distribute heat generated from a central source to multiple residences, blocks or buildings, are becoming increasingly vital in the UK's transition to cleaner energy sources.
The introduction of the Energy Act 2023 will significantly change the design and implantation of heat networks. While heat networks currently meet roughly 2% of UK heat demand, the government aims to increase this to around 20% by 2050. Energy simulation will be crucial in understanding how to achieve these targets.
Heat networks, also known as district heating or communal heating systems, operate by supplying heat from a central source, such as a combined heat and power plant, biomass boiler, or geothermal well, to multiple buildings through a network of insulated pipes. This centralised approach to heating offers several advantages over individual heating systems. These include improved energy efficiency, reduced carbon emissions, streamlined maintenance and lower operating costs.
In the UK, heat networks have gained traction as a viable solution to decarbonise heating in urban areas and reduce reliance on fossil fuels. According to government data, there are over 14,000 existing communal or district heat networks in the UK. These currently provide heating to millions of public buildings, homes and businesses. However, the expansion and optimisation of these networks are crucial to achieving climate goals and ensuring energy security.
The Energy Act 2023 aims to strengthen the nation's energy resilience and reduce dependence on imported fossil fuels. One key aspect of the legislation is its provisions for heat networks.
Under the Energy Act, heat networks will be subject to new regulations aimed at improving efficiency, reliability, and resilience. These regulations are designed to protect consumer interests, whilst promoting competition between commercial heat network operators and suppliers.
Ofgem has been appointed as the regulator for heat networks, with the power to grant authorisation for operators or suppliers to work within this market. These regulatory powers also allow Ofgem to investigate disproportionate pricing for customers, issue or revoke licenses, and enforce fines and penalties for non-compliant or unauthorised networks, to ensure standards are met and consumers are protected.
The Energy Act will introduce mandatory minimum technical standards and decarbonisation requirements to enhance heat network operation, system design, and maintenance. Alongside these standards, heat network zones will also be implemented, aiming to expand networks across areas with higher building density, greater heat demand or higher availability of central heat sources.
Once a zone has been established, certain building types will be required to connect to the network within a specified time to expand the network further. This applies to new, large public, large non-domestic, and domestic buildings.
However, the heat network market requires large scale investment to sustain its expansion. The UK government have pledged to invest £338 million by 2025, into the Heat Network Transformation Programme. As part of this programme, funding has been provided to public, private or third sector heat network projects across England and Wales through the Heat Network Efficiency Scheme (HNES).
The Heat Network Technical Assurance Scheme (HNTAS) is a forthcoming initiative, designed by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) to enhance the reliability and regulation of heat networks.
Set to launch in 2025, HNTAS aims to establish a standardised framework for the development and operation of heat networks across the country. The scheme will provide rigorous technical guidelines and certification processes to ensure that heat networks meet high standards of performance and safety, thus fostering greater consumer confidence and investment.
In addition to setting technical standards, the HNTAS will offer support and resources for network operators and developers. This will include best practice guides, training programs, and access to funding opportunities.
By creating a robust regulatory environment and promoting innovation in heat network technologies, the scheme is expected to accelerate the deployment of efficient heat networks, contributing to the UK’s broader goals of decarbonising its energy system and achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. The HNTAS represents a critical step towards modernising the country's heating infrastructure, ensuring that it is both environmentally sustainable and resilient to future energy demands.
As the UK moves towards a more sustainable and resilient energy future, the role of energy simulation in designing heat networks becomes increasingly critical. Energy simulation involves using computer models to analyse and optimise the performance of buildings and energy systems, considering factors such as building design, operation, occupancy patterns, and climate conditions.
By simulating various scenarios, heat network designers and engineers can identify opportunities to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of heat networks. This includes optimising the layout of distribution networks, selecting the most appropriate heat source, and integrating renewable energy technologies such as solar thermal and heat pumps. Energy simulation also enables heat suppliers and stakeholders to assess the impact of different design choices. Helping to determine energy consumption, carbon emissions, and operating costs over the lifetime of the system.
Furthermore, energy simulation plays a crucial role in ensuring compliance with regulatory requirements and achieving certification standards. IES have over 30 years of experience in producing internationally validated tools to streamline regional compliance requirements, automate workflows and generate reports for buildings. By accurately predicting energy performance and operational outcomes, simulation tools empower decision-makers to make informed choices. This can now apply to heat networks, with our current tools aligning with the upcoming HNTAS scheme as outlined below:
Phase 1 - Feasibility |
iCD and iVNiCD and iVN support high-level energy and carbon assessments and technology feasibility studies for multiple buildings, sites and campuses. They enable assessment of different technologies at the earliest stages and can be used to explore potential retrofit scenarios to reduce heating demand. For new sites these tools can provide building loads for network analysis during detailed design. |
Phase 2 - Design |
VE and iVNIESVE, our dynamic energy simulation tool, can be used to conduct a comprehensive energy analysis of the buildings that are being supplied by the heat network. This will include thermal simulations to assess the building's performance under various scenarios to identify energy saving opportunities. iVN is a network modelling tool which can model and simulate the energy centre to help with the network optioneering design. Energy flows between the building, energy centre and network can be optimised and visualised using both tools to minimize energy costs and enhance sustainability. |
Phase 3 - Construction |
iSCAN and IES LiveiSCAN is a data analytics tool that can be used for in-use building performance analysis, commissioning and reporting. With iSCAN you can review data to check that all systems are performing as specified and identify any anomalies in equipment, operations procedures or user habits after construction completion. This ensures the heat network is operating as it should be after construction. iSCAN not only collects data but can improve maintenance and operation by tracking network-specific KPIs and enablingroot cause analysis of any issues. Furthermore, iSCAN can be used to set up rules and alerts based off the measured data. This can help with maintenance and allow the proactive tracking of maintenance issues. Finally, for ongoing monitoring in the future, IES Live is a cloud-based platform that provides energy teams with actionable insights to track their energy and carbon performance along with operational costs in the long-term. |
Phase 4 Operation (Operation & Maintenance) |
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Phase 5 Operation (Ongoing) |
Heat networks have emerged as a key component of the UK's efforts to decarbonise heating and enhance energy security. With the introduction of the Energy Act 2023, the design and operation of heat networks are set to undergo significant changes. However, by leveraging simulation tools to optimise system design, stakeholders can unlock greater energy efficiency, resilience, and sustainability. Paving the way for a cleaner and more secure energy future for all.
As we navigate the challenges of climate change and strive towards a more sustainable future, heat networks stand as a beacon of innovation and progress in the UK's energy landscape. Through strategic investments, regulatory reforms, and the integration of advanced simulation technologies, we can unlock the full potential of heat networks to deliver reliable, affordable, and low carbon heating solutions for generations to come.
To learn more about IES’s dynamic simulation capabilities and their application throughout the building lifecycle, check out our tools or schedule a one-to-one meeting with me to discuss.
