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Why heat pumps are key to sustainable buildings


John Felgate, managing director, Stiebel Eltron UK looks back on London’s historical battle for clean air and explains why heat pumps are central to the future of sustainable buildings


L


ondon earned the nickname ‘the Big Smoke’ due to the dense smog caused by widespread coal burning during the Industrial Revolution,


which often blanketed the city in a thick, smoky haze.


During the 19th and early 20th Centuries, London became a global hub of industry, trade, and innovation, and coal was the lifeblood of the city’s energy supply. But the pollution was more than a persistent aesthetic problem, it was deadly too. The infamous Great Smog of 1952, exacerbated by a cocktail of cold weather and stagnant air, caused an estimated 12,000 deaths and led to a public health crisis which spurred the introduction of the Clean Air Act of 1956. Today, London’s air is getting cleaner but not clean enough. While the smog is gone and traffic-


related nitrogen oxides (NOx) have dropped by 73 per cent since 2016 according to a recent study from the University of York, a new culprit has emerged - gas boilers. The same study found that gas boilers have filled


the void, accounting for 72% of the capital’s NOx emissions. The shift represents a pressing and


overlooked issue. Our reliance on boilers is not only a climate concern, but a public health challenge too. So acute is the air quality situation in some parts of London that local authorities mandate the


installation of NOx detectors and require lower-level floors to have air purification systems and windows that cannot be opened. With around 23 million households across the UK using a boiler for its central heating system, London is not alone in this regard.


The case for heat pumps


Heat pumps represent the most viable and sustainable alternative to replace gas boilers, yet significant action to inspire their adoption universally across the country is lacking, despite the benefits being plain to see.


Using gas to heat the UK’s homes adds a huge amount to the country’s carbon footprint; home heating accounted for 18% of all UK greenhouse gas emissions in 2021, and the average UK gas boiler is responsible for more CO2-equivalent emissions in a year than taking seven transatlantic flights.


the default choice for all new builds. Unlike gas and oil boilers, heat pumps do not produce on-site emissions, making them a cleaner alternative for heating buildings. They extract heat from the air, ground, or water and transfer it indoors, providing efficient and sustainable heating. It also worth noting that whilst CHP (combined heat and power) systems and biomass boilers can have benefits in terms of carbon emissions, they usually give rise to significantly higher emissions of NOx and/or PM10 emissions than regular gas boilers and thus cannot be considered a green solution for mass urban use. Transitioning to heat pumps is thus our best option


to reduce NOx emissions, improving air quality and public health. Moreover, they align with the UK’s Net


Now, previous government plans will be scrapped


altogether and there will be no requirement to replace a gas boiler with an environmentally friendly alternative. Government sources confirmed the future homes standard (FHS), expected to be published soon, will not include a ban on gas boilers. They also confirmed there will not be a ban on the sale of gas boilers by 2035 and people will not have to remove them from their homes. However, minimum standards for energy efficiency


in newly built properties under the rules will preclude the installation of gas boilers. The government is also extending the £7,500 grant for people to install heat pumps, hoping this will boost uptake. The FHS will mandate that developers build homes


in a low-carbon way. Previous briefing on what it would include suggested it means all new homes would have to be built with equipment including heat pumps and solar panels. Countries across Europe are trying to encourage heat pump uptake amid negative media campaigns against the technology. Colder Nordic countries have embraced heat pumps; Norway has 635 for every 1,000 households, while Germany has 47 and the UK just 15.


While much of the UK grapples with future policies,


Scotland has taken a pioneering regulatory step that will drive the heat pump revolution. Starting from January 2025, the New Build Heat Standard (NBHS) requires that all new buildings and certain conversions in Scotland install climate-friendly heating systems, effectively making heat pumps


Zero goals by reducing carbon emissions associated with heating.


A collaborative effort


Achieving cleaner air and meeting climate targets require a collective effort. Policymakers, industry leaders, and consumers must work together to facilitate the transition to cleaner heating solutions. This includes revisiting regulations, providing incentives, and ensuring that the infrastructure supports widespread heat pump adoption. According to a recent report by the Royal College


of Physicians, around 30,000 deaths annually in the UK are attributed to air pollution, with an estimated economic cost of £27 billion due to healthcare costs, lost productivity, and reduced quality of life. These staggering figures underline the health


imperative of reducing emissions from domestic heating and accelerating the shift to low-emission technologies such as heat pumps.


Conclusion


The data is clear: to continue improving air quality and protect public health, we must address the pollution from gas boilers and incorporate IAQ considerations into broader sustainability measures. Heat pumps present a practical and effective solution. By embracing this technology and addressing ventilation challenges in retrofits, we can take a significant step toward a cleaner, healthier, and more sustainable London.


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