| High Efficiency Boilers to Reduce CO2 Emissions | | | | million old boilers which are significantly less |
| Thanks to Part L | | | | efficient than modern SEDBUK A rated boilers. |
| | | | Replacing such old boilers with an A rated boiler |
| Introduced in 2005 the new Building Regulations | | | | can reduce carbon emissions by around 30%. |
| Part L has changed the scene as far as boilers | | | | Each home in the UK produces an average of 5 |
| are concerned. According to the new requirement, | | | | tonnes of CO2 per annum. Across the whole |
| all boilers replaced or installed must be of high | | | | population, domestic heating accounts for around |
| efficiency rating. This includes condensing and | | | | 16% of the UK's CO2 emissions. |
| combination boilers which utilize a larger heat | | | | The government is trying to encourage carbon |
| exchanger (or a secondary heat exchanger) to | | | | reducing behaviour within the home heating sector. |
| recoup some of the heat that would normally be | | | | It has scrapped stamp duty for carbon neutral |
| released into the atmosphere with the exhaust | | | | homes and has introduced the home information |
| gases. Since some of the energy can be reused, | | | | packs which have an energy performance |
| the boiler can generate the same amount of heat | | | | certificate as part of the pack. However, the |
| with less fuel. | | | | stamp duty benefit does not apply to the vast |
| The new high efficiency heating unit introduced a | | | | majority of inefficient homes around the country |
| new level of professional requirements from the | | | | making it less effective. The home information |
| system designer and the operative installing it. | | | | packs (with their energy performance certificate |
| Each part of the system (such as the boiler, the | | | | component) also have drawbacks in that they are |
| radiators, the hot water cylinder and the heating | | | | only produced when the house is sold, and thus |
| controls) is fully integrated with the other | | | | not having enough of an impact at other times to |
| components, to maximize the system's efficiency | | | | encourage reduction in carbon emissions. |
| and heating output. As such, the design has to | | | | Other levers that can be pulled to reduce carbon |
| account for each component's specific set up and | | | | emissions from domestic heating in the UK are |
| consider their input and output demands. | | | | related to renewable and sustainable energy. The |
| Research shows that since the introduction of the | | | | government plans to build around 3 million new |
| new Part L, the domestic heating industry has | | | | homes between now and 2020. If just 10% of |
| made a major reduction in the amount of carbon | | | | these new homes use solar thermal heating or |
| emissions generated every year. Recent analysis | | | | heat pumps along with traditional (gas or oil) |
| conducted in the industry indicates that savings of | | | | boilers, around 150,000 tonnes of carbon |
| around 2.4 million tonnes of carbon have been | | | | emissions would be saved annually. |
| made since the new Building Regulations have | | | | The government applied a combination of carrots |
| been introduced. Furthermore, the analysis shows | | | | and sticks to force the domestic heating market |
| that had Part L not been introduced and with the | | | | to reduce its carbon emissions. The plumbing and |
| industry relying on SEDBUK D rated systems, the | | | | heating industry is largely keeping up with the |
| amount of carbon emissions would have increased | | | | trend with many companies investing in training |
| by over one million tonnes since 2005. | | | | and professional development on renewable |
| At current levels there is still large potential for | | | | energy technologies to address any market need |
| reducing the carbon emissions generated by the | | | | in those areas. |
| domestic boilers in the UK. There are around four | | | | |