CPD PROGRAMME | HEAT PUMPS The UK generated a record 80% of electricity from low carbon energy sources on 5 April 2021 39% from wind power 2030, 37% of public and commercial heat demand is met by low carbon sources, with around two-thirds of this met by heat pumps, and just under one-third by heat networks. The Ten Point Plan proposals for buildings and a drive towards 600,000 heat pump installations per year by 2028 (compared with the 27,000 that were installed in 2019). Part of the CCCs overall vision is that high-carbon options for heating in buildings are phased out, which may then be switched to electric alternatives, with an aim for UK electricity production to be zero carbon by 2035, and offshore wind growing from a projected 40GW by 2030 to 100GW or pathways that aim to reduce emissions in buildings to zero by 2050 at the latest. The main, so-called Balanced Net Zero Pathway is noted by CCC as requiring a major ramp-up from what is happening today in supply chains for insulation, heat pumps and heat networks, but its detailed analysis four priorities over the coming decade or so: Upgrade all buildings to EPC level C over the next 10 to 15 years Scale up the market for heat pumps as a critical technology for decarbonising space heating while maintaining quality Expand the use of heat networks in areas such as cities using anchor loads such as schools and hospitals. Shift away from using fossil fuel CHP as a supply source towards low carbon and waste heat by preference from the mid 2020s Prepare for a potential role for hydrogen heat through a set of trials building on the current innovation programme. Anticipated updates to the Building Regulations supporting documents generating electricity. As well as low carbon heating, there is also an increasing interest in reducing the embodied carbon of buildings and their systems. The CCC6 proposes that the UK government should introduce mandatory disclosure of whole-life carbon in buildings and infrastructure to facilitate benchmarking as soon as possible. Environmental product declarations (EPDs) that comply to BS EN 15804:2012+A2:20197 can be used to show the embodied carbon of a product. If an EPD is not available, manufacturers can supply information for a carbon calculation such as that for a mid-level assessment as set out in CIBSE TM65: Embodied carbon of building services equipment calculation methodology and guidance. The example calculation in TM65 for an air-source heat pump illustrates that the choice of refrigerant and refrigerant leakage rates will make a leakage is an optional inclusion for an EPD). Heat pumps that employ low global warming potential (GWP) refrigerants such as those discussed in CIBSE Journal cycle carbon emissions. The recent consultation on the Future Buildings Standard8 (which closed in April 2021) will be used to inform the development of the next iteration of Part L of the Building Regulations relating to non-dwellings (new and existing). Although this The aim will be to deliver a 27% improvement on new non-dwellings compared with current Part L standards and, practically, reduce the demand on heating of 55o networks easing the transition to low carbon technologies. Application of heat pumps in buildings, combined with the greening of the UKs fuel generated electricity. As the CCC indicates, meeting the 2050 net zero target for the built environment requires minimising costs and disruption [which] means working as much as possible with existing technology lifetimes particularly the heating technology stock while also noting we want to move quickly enough to be able to reach Net Zero without scrapping existing heating systems. The CCC estimates that there is a need to support the heat pump sector on a steep growth curve, from 27,000 units in 2019 to one million units a year by 2030. 58 May 2021 www.cibsejournal.com CIBSE May 21 pp57-60 CPD Supp 178.indd 58 23/04/2021 16:10