by Brianna Crandall — September 24, 2014—The Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers (CIBSE) and the Combined Heat and Power Association (CHPA) are seeking industry feedback on the draft of the new publication Heat Networks: Code of Practice for the U.K. With recent research outlining the potential for heat networks to supply up to 14% of heat needs by 2030, it is an opportune time to develop and implement minimum standards for district heating, says CIBSE. These standards are designed to help enhance the quality of heat networks where necessary, and to reduce costs by helping to standardize procurement.
The first Code of Practice to be published by CIBSE and the CHPA, the new publication seeks to provide clear and measurable outputs that will ensure that the heat network operates effectively and meets client and customer expectations. Setting minimum standards is a key step to provide greater confidence for specifiers and clients, and these can also be included in the tendering/contracting process, notes CIBSE. It is hoped that the Code will provide a foundation for the CIBSE/CHPA partnership to provide specialist training, accreditation and registration in the sector.
CIBSE and the CHPA would particularly welcome feedback on the following areas:
- Whether the document is too prescriptive or too open to interpretation;
- The feasibility (both technical and economic) of the proposals;
- Particular issues for small players in the district heating market;
- Whether the Code of Practice properly addresses issues relating to the often fragmented stages of delivery of a heating network; and
- Expressions of interest in a potential training, accreditation and registration program managed by CIBSE/CHPA.
Phil Jones, chair of the Code of Practice Steering Committee and the CIBSE CHP-DH Group, commented, “The introduction of minimum standards for heat networks will be a step change in taking this sector to the next level. We are already working on supporting this with Training, Accreditation and Registration of heat network professionals to implement the standards and enhance the quality of district heating from design through to operation.”
CHPA Director Tim Rotheray added, “District heating is focused on delivering value for the consumer, putting them at the center of a more local, more efficient energy system. It is because of that value that more than 50 Local Authorities are considering new district heating investments, contributing to Government’s ambitions for heat networks to go from 2% to 14% of U.K. heating demand by 2030.
“If we are to meet that ambition, with district heating expanding to urban areas all around the country, we need to ensure these investments are being installed and operated with only the highest of standards so that the consumer sees the clear benefits this energy efficiency infrastructure can provide. This Code of Practice is an important step to providing that assurance for consumers, and we look forward to our continuing work with CIBSE and our members to make sure these standards can be adopted across the industry.”
To read the draft and provide feedback, visit the CHPA Web site.
