QUICK GUIDE TO BOILERS
Although we are in the age of renewables, boilers are still a premier heating and hot water choice. Here’s what you need to know before you specify a system
With output levels from 25kW up to 32kW, the Vitodens 200-W wall-mounted gas condensing boilers from Viessmann are equally suitable for new and existing buildings
According to the Office for National Statistics, 85% of UK households are heated with a boiler-based mains gas central heating system. With the UK committed to reducing carbon emissions to zero by 2050, a key part of the government’s plans is to minimise household energy consumption. One facet of this may be a de-facto ban on fossil fuel boilers in new homes from around 2025.
The details are outlined in the proposed Future Homes and Buildings Standard, in which the government sets out a range of landmark changes intended to improve the energy efficiency of new build homes in the UK. As well as the prospective ban, the standard also outlines a 10-year mission to boost the use of alternative heating systems – with a focus on domestic heat pumps. The intention is that from around the mid-2030s, no new or replacement fossil-fuel powered boilers are expected to be permitted in either new builds or renovations.
So, what does this mean for self builders and renovators now? If you’re worried about having to ditch your existing oil or gas boiler – don’t be. The details are outlined in the proposed Future Homes and Buildings Standard, in which the government sets out a range of landmark changes intended to improve the energy efficiency of new build homes in the UK.