News

As of 2025, new build houses in the UK will not be connected to the gas grid, this combined with the introduction of the Boiler Upgrade Scheme, in which homeowners can claim a voucher for £7,500 to improve the energy and heating performance of one’s home, means that the government’s target of achieving carbon neutrality by 2050 is looking more and more realistic with each day. With the green industrial revolution underway, one question remains to be answered, what will future housing look like? The fact that domestic boilers used to heat our homes make up 14% of our UK greenhouse gas emissions and that new build properties will have to be heated using a non-gas equivalent means that Air Source Heat Pumps will be a likely contender for new build home heating.

Cleaner air…

Although domestic heating is important, it is not the only factor to consider when speculating about our homes of the future. Most of us in the UK will continue to live and work in the cities, meaning that one of the main things to consider is how can we build houses in these areas that allow owners and tenants as much space as possible, and are equipped to keep them safe and healthy? One of the most important things to ensure in our new homes is indoor air quality, especially in apartment buildings/complexes.

As more and more of us find ourselves working from home the provision of fresh, clean air is a key. Some of us are lucky enough to have that in abundance by opening a window but for those of us living in the hearts of our cities, we will need to ensure proper air filtration and ventilation is included to prevent “Sick Building Syndrome” in which one person can spread viruses and infections to an entire building or complex thanks to poor air circulation. Fresh air and proper ventilation are key to any healthy living environment and should be one of the main things we implement.

Future housing and greener spaces…

Many of us over this year have learned the value of a garden or outdoor space. In fact, Rightmove found that the number of renters searching for homes or flats with gardens increased by 84% in May compared to the same month in 2019 and with many more of us choosing to work from home for the foreseeable future, we could see an increase in popularity for properties located nearer to parks and green spaces instead of public transport stops or main roads. We may also expect to see a big increase in rooftop gardens in our high-rise buildings and other synergies of nature and man-made objects.

Smarter homes…

It is expected “smart homes” will be the norm soon. Smart homes are homes that can monitor various factors of its environment (temperature, air quality, etc) and make changes automatically. Many Air Source Heat Pump owners have already seen the benefits of apps like the MELCloud, in which users can monitor and adjust the temperature of their home remotely. Systems like this, due to their efficiency and a greater degree of control, will become more and more common. Only time will tell what our homes of the future will look like, however with more and more people in the UK installing Air Source Heat Pumps and becoming more environmentally aware, the UK’s goal of becoming completely carbon neutral by 2050 seams realistic, achievable and huge step into a greener, warmer future.