The Future Is Electric
With falling electricity prices the gap between gas and electric consumption has never been closer, coupled with the fact that less heat is now required.
With the race to become zero carbon by 2050, London’s future appears to be electric. Combined Heat and Power (CHP) units have been the primary system of choice for developers and designers for several years. CHP is an energy efficient technology that generates electricity, usually from a fossil fuel source, and captures the heat that would otherwise be wasted for re-use. This year however the Draft London Plan recognised that the electric grid has now achieved de-carbonisation and consequently the benefit of using CHP is all but eradicated.
DEATH OF FOSSIL FUELS
Following the changes to the London plan (2019), I’ve seen the majority of engineering consultants specifying Heat Pumps as their main method to meet the carbon reduction requirements.
Notably they can provide cooling in addition to heating through one set of pipework, and can be either air source or water source, or a mixture of both. Depending upon the configuration, these systems can also offer affordable cooling solutions and offer greater flexibility, as underfloor heating can still be taken from them.
MORE SUSTAINABLE APPROACH
A typical air to water source heat pump system in an apartment block uses an ambient loop which circulates at 25°C as opposed to 80°C in a standard heating and hot water system. With this lower temperature, the overheating problems experienced in apartment corridors would be greatly reduced. It could also potentially remove the current need for ventilation and/or cooling installed in these spaces altogether. Overheating in corridors has become a common issue in new build developments.
In conclusion, future London residential developments will no longer be able to utilise gas for their heating and hot water. With falling electricity prices the gap between gas and electric consumption has never been closer, coupled with the fact that less heat is now required. A source that provides instantaneous heat either through fan coil units or electric underfloor or radiators, appears for now, the future.
