www.heatingandventilating.net


Left: Any organisations are looking to their M&E contractors for help and advice about how to keep costs down


Below: Around 99.2% of customers now pay for their energy online


INDUSTRY INSIGHT


boilingpoint W


Water efficiency and its role within Net Zero


e’re all used to hearing about Net Zero and the strategy to decarbonise the UK by 2050, but the water industry also has ambitious plans to achieve Net Zero carbon emissions by 2030. The contribution that water consumption can have on reducing


greenhouse gas emissions is often overlooked. Water consumption and energy are strongly linked. Pumping, treating, heating, and supplying water and wastewater consumes energy and releases greenhouse gas emissions such as CO2, there are then separate emissions that come from water being used in homes and buildings. The 2030 Net Zero goal for the water industry is to minimise total water


consumption, utilise alternative water sources and improve water efficiency all in a bid to reduce the amount of greenhouse gases the industry produces. The industry has already cut its operational emissions by 43% since 2011


We’re also seeing a big difference in levels of consumption. At a development


of 50 KURVE-enabled residential units in North London, monthly energy usage from July-October 2021 was 21%-43% lower than that of a comparable 46-unit South-London site that is credit billed. At another 89-unit property in South London, the difference was even more pronounced; usage was 29%-55% lower each month compared to a similar 84-unit credit-billed property in Wembley. If you compare these substantial differences to the findings of a 2015 Department of Energy & Climate Change (DECC) study which showed smart meters generate a reduction of just 1.5% in gas consumption compared to traditional meters, you can get a sense of the importance of convenience when it comes to accessing energy usage data. Our research shows that 98% (as of Dec 2021) of customers now pay for their energy online, so having a visual, real-time presentation of their consumption when the amount they’re paying is at the forefront of their mind is powerful. Residents in credit-billed properties, meanwhile, have no way of knowing what behavioural changes could really impact their bill, or by how much. Of course, slashing bills by half, or even a quarter is bound to be very


welcome when gas prices are as high as they are today. But another big advantage of deploying an app-based system is that the CapEx, OpEx and RepEx costs are also on average up to 60%, 20%, and 97% lower respectively compared to other kinds of smart meters that require in-home display (IHD) devices. This is because much less time is spent on installation, commissioning, service, maintenance, and administration. As well as reducing residents’ energy consumption, real-time data from smart technology also gives energy managers oversight of occupancy levels, peak usage times and potential issues within the network – all of which can be applied to stop waste and act fast to nip any costly problems in the bud. It should be noted that, in many social housing settings, you can’t assume


that every resident/property has a Wi-Fi-enabled device. The COVID pandemic has foregrounded the negative impacts on home, school, and work life that those without adequate access to one may experience. It’s important to ensure any smart building controls are fully inclusive for all. However, at a time when housing providers need to be seen to be doing something practical to help people impacted by price hikes, upgrading to smart meters is a very constructive, measurable, and accountable way of demonstrating care for most residents, while also fulfilling corporate sustainability goals.


but still around 6% of the UK’s total greenhouse gas emissions are from household water supply use and 1% of businesses in England use over 50% of non-household water. The biggest proportion, approximately 89%, of greenhouse gas emissions associated with water supply comes from heating water for general water usage in domestic housing, usually through white goods such as washing machines and dishwashers. Over the next decade as buildings become more energy efficient, CO2 emissions from hot water will start to exceed those from space heating and CO2 emissions from water use in a home using electrical heating will be approximately double of a home with a gas boiler. Making emissions cuts through improving water efficiency in our homes


will become increasingly important as we move towards Net Zero 2050 and move away from fossil fuels to heat up our water. By reducing our water consumption and improving water efficiency in our homes we can help to work towards reducing our emissions and delivering the Net Zero 2030 targets as well as saving water and money. If total water consumption is reduced then less energy is used, this means emissions are reduced and that contributes towards Net Zero targets. Reducing the emissions caused by the operational process of supplying


water is also important in order to reach the ambitious emissions targets. The water industry has already outlined plans and made impressive progress


in operations including increasing self-generated renewables, purchasing green electricity, moving to electric-powered construction equipment, rolling-out electric and alternative fuel vehicles and reducing leakage. It’s clear that reducing water consumption and improving operational efficiency can help deliver significant reductions in greenhouse gas emissions. Curbing water usage also helps us all to save money and secure the supply of water for the future. Water efficiency has an important role in helping us to reduce our emissions, limit the effects of climate change and reach Net Zero. Raising awareness of the link between


greenhouse gas emissions and water use will help to re-enforce the importance of water efficiency in the drive to Net Zero. www.aphc.co.uk


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