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Building Insights LIVE: Solutions for Futureproofi ng Grid Connections
H
ousebuilder & Developer staged a multi-disciplinary round table in association with E.ON in London to explore the issues being faced by developers in connecting new schemes
to the electricity grid. These challenges are becoming more acute as new homes are asked to decarbonise heating, introduce EV charging, and produce more electricity from solar. With margins continually tight, the ability to build out sites to the maximum units required is critical for viability. However, grid constraints and overestimates around the actual electricity demand required is currently proving a blocker for some developers.
The event saw a range of professionals working in the fi eld sharing knowledge and experience, as the industry takes steps in readiness for the Future Homes Standard. According to fi ndings from a recent survey undertaken by Housebuilder & Developer and E.ON, connecting to the grid was one of the most diffi cult challenges fi rms are currently facing. New peaks in demand and the cost of solutions are twin problems which our round table provided some rare cross-disciplinary insights on. This included exploration of a key solution soon to be launched by E.ON UK which enables developments’ low carbon tech to only take the power they really require at any given time.
The context
ROUND TABLE ATTENDEES • Luisa Mostarda, Senior Energy Consultant, Savills • Luke Osborne, Technical Director, Electrical Safety First, CIBSE
• Laurence Johnson, Director of Energy and Infrastructure, Hoare Lea
• Alex Jahanshahi-Edlin, Associate Director, Sustainability/ ESG & Net Zero, McBains
• Rico Wojtulewicz, Head of Policy & Market Insight, NFB (National Federation of Builders)
• Ben Tibbett, Director, BTSGB Property Consultancy • Tobias Burke, Policy Manager for Networks & Institutional Governance, Energy UK
• Dan Neasham, Head of Sustainability & Performance, Future Homes Hub
• Rebecca Harrison-Vickers, Head of Residential New Build Transformation, E.ON Next
• John Hadley, Growth & Transformation Manager, E.ON Energy
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Delivering 1.5 million new homes which meet the incoming Future Homes Standard will require a smart and fl exible electricity grid. From low carbon heating such as heat pumps using electricity to extra supply returned to the grid from roof-mounted solar PVs, to EV charging and battery storage, there will be a host of new grid constraints and higher demand peaks for developers, energy suppliers and consultants to consider when connecting schemes. While the recent round table we staged with ‘top six’ energy supplier E.ON identifi ed knowledge gaps in the housebuilding sector, it also discovered possible solutions. The event was itself an effort to help plug that gap, enabling specialist consultants to share innovative approaches to help developers with challenges in connecting projects. Approaches such as balancing homes’ demand to reduce peak loads could unlock stalled developments across the country.
The task of connecting developments may feel particularly daunting for SMEs, for example where housebuilding is perceived to fall down the pecking order in the queue for grid capacity. Delegates however agreed that sometimes the issues can be overstated, and
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