As we approach 2030, it will become increasingly important to deploy carbon efficient heating measures in order to meet the UK's commitment to reduce 68% of emissions by 2030.
In the UK, heating is responsible for a third of all carbon emissions and commercial buildings specifically account for 23% of the UK's built environment carbon emissions.
As a nation, we still have a long way to go before we are on track with meeting net zero by 2050.
As a measure to meet carbon targets, the government has been phasing out the installation of gas and oil boilers due to their significant contribution to carbon emissions.
Instead, they are pushing for low carbon heating technologies as an alternative to fossil fuel boilers.
One of the easiest ways for a building to cut emissions is to install heat pumps
Wranga Wardak Policy and Public Affairs Graduate.
Decarbonisation obligations
Ahead of the Future Homes and Buildings Standard 2025, non-domestic buildings will be obligated to decarbonise and reduce emissions by 27%. One of the easiest ways for a building to cut emissions is to install low carbon technologies.
Heat pumps, which rely on renewable sources of electricity instead of fossil fuels, are one of the leading low-carbon technologies in the UK. Research has reported that heat pumps can reduce 95% of annual carbon emissions compared to traditional gas boilers.
Efficiency levels
One of the widely known benefits of a commercial heat pump is how energy efficient they are. When compared with traditional heating systems such as gas or oil boilers, on average they are 3, 4 or 5 times more efficient as they provide around 3, 4 or 5 units of heat for each unit of electricity used.
A modern gas boiler on the other hand is typically around 95% efficient, as it will convert one unit of energy to approximately 0.95 units of heat. Older gas boilers will be even less efficient, running and 80% or less, depending on age and maintenance.
Similarly, electric boilers are known to be 99-100% energy efficient, making them slightly more efficient than gas boilers but still far less efficient than heat pumps.
The reason why heat pumps are significantly more efficient than traditional forms of heating is due to the way they operate - instead of creating heat, a heat pump simply transfers it.
An analogy that is often used to explain how heat pumps operate is to think of it as a refrigerator working in reverse. A heat pump and a fridge both transfer thermal energy using the vapour compression refrigeration cycle, which essentially means it is "moving" heat from one place to another.
Versatility
Although the most common use for heat pumps is to provide heating, it can also be used as a cooling system.
Heat is extracted from inside the building and is released outside – this is what an air conditioning unit does, or rather, what an ‘air-to-air’ heat pump does.
The dual-functionality of certain heat pumps exists if they contain a component called a reversing valve, which changes the direction of refrigerant flow.
This versatility is yet another reason why they work so well in a commercial setting – heat pumps can remove the need to have two separate systems to heat and cool a building as they can provide both in one system, ensuring year-round comfort.
These systems can also provide simultaneous heating and cooling and can transfer heat from an area that needs to be cooled down, such as a kitchen or server room, to other parts of the building that need heating, making them very efficient.
Lower operating costs
Alongside reducing carbon emissions, a heat pump can also reduce operating costs depending on the condition of your building and the climate you live in.
Businesses that utilise off-peak energy costs and proper insultation can benefit from reduced energy bills after installing a heat pump. Essentially, a heat pump can work as an investment as the installation cost is eventually covered by the cost savings over the years. In other words, a heat pump will pay for itself over time.
When compared with LPG boilers, air source heat pumps provide much higher efficiency levels which in turn lowers operating costs. These energy savings are especially significant when it comes to older LPG boilers, which can tend to operate at a mere 70% efficiency.
An interesting point to note here is that although gas boilers are not far off from LPG boilers in terms of efficiency, a gas boiler's operating costs are similar to that of a heat pump. Despite the fact that heat pumps are three times as efficient as gas boilers, the cost of electricity is almost four times the price of gas.
However, the government is expected to decouple the price of gas from electricity in the near future thanks to years of lobbying and the growth of the renewables sector.
Businesses with a heat pump system will then benefit from energy bill savings due to the efficiency of heat pumps, and will no longer be tied down to volatile gas prices.
Wranga Wardak is a Policy and Public Affairs Graduate.
