Heat and Buildings Strategy 2021 Heat and Buildings Strategy 2021 Heat and Buildings Strategy 2021

The UK Government has launched its much-anticipated Heat and Buildings Strategy. This sets out the plan to drive down costs of key low-carbon technologies, in particular heat pumps, to ensure cost parity with gas boilers. The Strategy also sets a timeframe for banning the installation of new gas boilers, with the expectation that from 2035 all new heating systems will be low-carbon, and pledges to consult on requiring hydrogen-ready boilers by 2026. Our Energy experts take a closer look at the plans and give their view on what will be required to see them become reality.

Key points of the plan.

• Making rapid progress on decarbonisation of heat and buildings will require much greater engagement with the public, at a national and local level 
• New funding is a welcome step, but large amounts of additional spending will be required to drive the decarbonisation of heat at scale
• The Strategy’s targets for cost reduction are very ambitious and sit alongside wider policy action to rebalance energy levies away from electricity towards gas over time
• Decarbonisation of heat will require a mix of locality-specific solutions. Despite the headline emphasis on heat pumps, the Strategy leaves all options on the table
• More funding will be required to drive the required step change in energy efficiency in homes and buildings