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Project to map the future of electric heat networks


UK Power Networks has announced the launch of HeatScape, a new project aimed at mapping and predicting the growth of electrified heat networks across the United Kingdom. The initiative is in response to the national target of increasing heat network coverage from just 3% of heating demand today to an anticipated 20% by 2050. HeatScape is being developed in


partnership with engineering firms Arup and Environmental Resources Management, as well as Bring Energy, which operates the East London Energy Distribution Heat Network. The project will use a combination of data analysis, advanced modelling and real-


central to reducing the UK’s carbon emissions, but it will also introduce new pressure on the UK’s electricity infrastructure. The results from HeatScape are


set to be integrated into UK Power Networks’ Strategic Forecasting System, allowing for more targeted and effective upgrades to the electricity network. Another goal is to explore flexible approaches to managing heating demand, such as using thermal storage to lower peak electricity usage. Luca Grella, head of innovation


world insights to help identify where heat networks currently exist, forecast where they are likely to develop, and estimate how much electricity these systems will require under different scenarios. Moving towards electrified heat networks is widely viewed as being


at UK Power Networks, says: “Decarbonising heat is one of the biggest opportunities we have to create a cleaner, more efficient energy future. With HeatScape, we’re taking a proactive approach, working with our partners to understand where heat networks will grow and how they’ll interact with the grid.”


Office buildings not able to cope with staff return


As many UK employers continue to call staff back to the office, energy efficiency experts are warning that office buildings themselves may not be ready. A new survey from the British Chambers of Commerce found that 48% of businesses now expect full- time in-office attendance within the next year, nearly double the share in 2023. Another 41% have tightened attendance rules in the past year. But the return brings more challenges than employers are ready to address, warn energy efficiency experts from Exergio, an energy efficiency company working with commercial buildings. They claim


that many office systems can’t match heating and cooling needs to actual occupancy, something that has to be solved “first and foremost”. Generally, an increasing number of people on-site means higher demand for consistent heating, cooling, and air quality. “Nowadays, a half-empty office


may still be cooled like it’s full, and the meeting room packed at 3 p.m. relies on a schedule set for 9 a.m. Static control made sense when occupancy was predictable, but now it’s not, and we must implement new solutions for that. That mismatch leads to wasted energy and uneven comfort,” says Donatas Karčiauskas, CEO of Exergio.


According to experts, many


offices are still unprepared to provide consistent comfort to their employees due to shifting occupancy patterns and more frequent extreme weather. It is argued that the first step is to invest in energy optimisation tools that adjust heating and cooling in response to actual occupancy and indoor conditions. “We’ve already solved the


technology part,” Karčiauskas adds. “You don’t need to rip out your systems or start a renovation. Installing systems that make your building smart enough to respond to climate change is the way to go.”


Schools urged to draw up climate action plans


Schools in England are being reminded to produce climate action plans, as part of a Department for Education (DfE) requirement that every education setting puts a strategy in place by the end of 2025. The national campaign, Let’s Go Zero, which brings


together more than 7,000 schools aiming to become zero carbon, is offering free support to help staff meet the government target. Its Climate Action Advisors work directly with schools to create tailored plans, secure funding and introduce practical measures. The DfE’s climate framework asks schools to address four


areas: preparing for climate impacts such as heat waves and flooding; improving biodiversity on school grounds; embedding sustainability into lessons and career guidance; and cutting emissions through energy efficiency and low- carbon choices. More than 1,200 schools have drawn up a climate action plan with Let’s Go Zero, while more than 5,500 have received one-to-one guidance. According to the group, schools working with its advisors have saved over 6,000 tonnes of carbon emissions and unlocked £1.6m in funding, with


EIBI | SEPTEMBER 2025


further savings projected as actions are implemented. Examples include Stathern School in Leicestershire, which


integrated sustainability into its three-year development plan after receiving advice on cutting energy waste, and the Finham Park Multi-Academy Trust in Coventry and Warwickshire, where an energy audit led to a 14% reduction in use at one secondary school and a 25% drop in carbon emissions.


Report calls for the roll out of minimum efficiency standards


Created by the government last October and tasked with establishing the best pathway to achieve Net Zero by 2050, the National Energy System Operator (NESO) has published its Future Energy Scenarios (FES) 2025. It defines four areas as providing


the keys to success, which include: switching to low carbon technologies, demand flexibility, and infrastructure and energy supply. But the first of these is strongly identified, namely “energy efficiency”. It states unequivocally that “energy efficiency can help manage demand growth and will reduce the cost of energy for consumers. Policy and innovation can enable efficiency improvements and adoption of measures across all sectors.” As well as extending established


energy efficiency measures, NESO is calling for “rolling out minimum efficiency standards, similar to those to improve lightbulb efficiency to other appliances.” The report stresses that: “energy efficiency measures are crucial to managing demand growth. Driving adoption of measures provides near-term benefits by reducing infrastructure needs, cutting emissions and lowering energy costs… in a decarbonised world without energy efficiency improvements across all sectors, energy demand would be 127 TWh higher. “Energy efficiency reduces energy


use at all times of the day. Many of these measures, such as thermal efficiency in buildings, reduce emissions in the short term while consumers remain heavily reliant on fossil fuels. Improvements to energy efficiency of buildings and appliances could cut electricity demand by up to 127 TWh, an 18% reduction in demand from 694 TWh to 567 TWh in 2050.” NESO is concerned about ensuring


actual rather than theoretical savings. It states that while 2024 saw a 56% increase in heat pump sales compared to 2023, this was around half the number of sales projected for 2024. FES 2025 has therefore slowed down the ramp-up of heat pump installations (leading to “lower heat pump stock until the late 2040s”) and the efficiency projections of heat pumps have also decreased for FES 2025 “based on stakeholder feedback”.


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NEWS UPDATE


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