HEATING, VENTILATION & SERVICES 47
Heating and cooling have to be part of the masterplan
David Patrick at Dimplex explains why key decisions around heating, hot water and comfort cooling must now be considered holistically at the masterplanning stage – including electricity load implications – rather than left until detailed design.
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or architects working on new residential developments in the UK, masterplanning has always been about more than simply arranging buildings on a site. It is the stage at which long-term performance, compliance and quality of life are established – as the sector moves rapidly toward all-electric, low-carbon homes. In today’s regulatory and environmental context, setting the framework for how a development functions as a whole, energy strategy is a core part of the masterplanning phase. The transition away from gas, combined with rising concerns about overheating, means architects must consider electric heating, hot water and low-carbon comfort cooling together from the outset. Electric heating and cooling systems offer clear benefi ts for carbon reduction and future compliance – however, it’s crucial to ensure early engagement with Distribution Network Operators (DNOs). Building this vital partnership early on enables accurate load modelling at the masterplanning stage, avoiding costly reinforcement or delays later. When these requirements are considered up front, architects can integrate them cleanly into building form, roofscapes and landscape design, allowing them to be accommodated without compromising internal layouts or external space.
Building orientation, massing, glazing Comfort cooling
Alongside heating and hot water, comfort cooling is emerging as a defi ning issue for UK housing design. Rising summer temperatures, increased airtightness and higher internal heat gains mean overheating risk is now a planning, compliance and reputational concern. The challenge is to address this without resorting to energy intensive air conditioning that undermines carbon targets.
ADF FEBRUARY 2026
ratios, shading and landscape design all infl uence cooling demand, so low-carbon comfort cooling technologies must also be considered at the masterplanning stage.
Meeting policy & future standards The proposed UK Future Homes Standard (FHS) and tightening local planning policies are pushing developments toward ultra- low-carbon operation. A site -ide approach to electric heating, hot water and comfort
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