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Calls grow for domestic hot water demand to be recognised in SAP
Properties built under the Future Homes Standard (FHS) could meet regulatory requirements without being fully optimised for real- world water and energy consumption, according to a British shower manufacturer
T
riton Showers is urging government and industry to place greater emphasis on reducing hot water demand, claiming that
current assessment methods focus heavily on how efficiently hot water is generated rather than how much is actually used. The warning comes as the firm’s latest research
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reveals a significant disconnect between regulatory requirements and real-world building performance. The report, Recognising Domestic Hot Water Demand Reduction in SAP 10.3, suggests that as homes become better insulated, hot water will account for a much larger proportion of domestic energy demand – more than half of household energy demand in FHS-compliant homes, compared with 35% previously. Much of the policy debate, however, continues to focus on heating systems,
building fabric and onsite generation, even though space-heating demand could drop from around 58% to 41% as building fabric improves. It also highlights that showers and baths are
responsible for more than half (55%) of domestic hot water demand, making them one of the most significant energy consumers in the home. Yet current Standard Assessment Procedure
(SAP) 10.3 calculations may enable developers to meet FHS targets through a combination of heat pumps, solar panels and batteries, even where little effort has been made to reduce underlying hot water demand. Paul Ravnbo-West, market development manager
at Triton, said: “There is a growing risk that we’re focusing too much on how efficiently hot water is heated and not enough on how much hot water
homes actually need in the first place. If we are serious about reducing bills and improving resource efficiency, we need compliance frameworks that recognise technologies capable of eliminating demand at source, rather than simply producing hot water more efficiently.” Paul also highlighted another area that Triton
believes requires greater attention. “SAP is primarily an energy assessment tool and does not account for the financial cost of mains water supply or wastewater disposal. This omission is becoming increasingly significant as water bills rise.
“Greater recognition of hot water demand alongside energy demand would provide a more holistic assessment of household resource use and running costs.”
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