Alex Jahanshahi-Edlin is an associate director of McBains and a member of the UK Green Building Council
The government’s newly announced intention to create a strategic “spatial plan” for the UK’s energy transition is welcome, but it needs to include a sufficient expansion of the National Grid to support build targets, and to join up current thinking around homebuilding and retrofit.
On 22 October, energy minister Michael Shanks announced that the newly launched National Energy System Operator would produce a strategic spatial plan for energy, to transition away from fossil fuels and deliver clean power by 2030.
“It is unlikely that we will quickly improve the design of new homes to a point where their energy demand is lower than renewable energy produced on site”
This will have been of particular interest to those engaged in meeting the government’s lofty target of building 1.5 million homes during this parliament. Current best practice in the design of new homes, and the tightening of associated regulations, is expected to lead to the near wholesale electrification of building services. The retrofitting of existing housing stock is also heading in the direction of electrification. Together with the move to electric transport solutions and the electrification of industry, it amounts to significant demand.
We urgently need to expand the capacity of the National Grid so that it is able to match this demand. In October’s plan, the government promised a “more strategic approach [that] will help cut grid connection waiting times”. And on 5 November, the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) issued a joint open letter with regulator Ofgem further clarifying the expectations of the strategic plans for energy infrastructure. “[We] need to connect new clean power projects and low-carbon flexibility such as energy storage in a timely way,” it stated. “And the new demand projects [such as] housing will also need accelerated connection to the grid.”
It is very welcome that this letter recognises the demands that housing will place upon the National Grid. The Future Homes Standard (2025) will promote the electrification of heating, cooling and hot water systems. As a result, homebuilders will likely take a two-pronged approach to energy efficiency.
Firstly, they will reduce the energy demand of new homes as far as possible through fabric design measures. Secondly, they will ensure that any residual demand is supplied by onsite renewables or fully electrified systems.
Taken in tandem with smart systems in homes, the proliferation of the internet of things and an ever-increasing role for automated technologies, the thirst for electricity supply is only likely to grow if a strategic plan does not hit the right spots.
It is unlikely in the immediate term that we will be able to improve the design of new homes to a point where their energy demand is lower or equivalent to renewable energy produced on site. This is particularly true for high-rise apartment complexes, which at certain heights suffer from diminishing returns due to space constraints for renewables. We have already seen cases – for example, in west London – where proposed developments have been restricted because of limited grid capacity.
A unified government brief
The announcement by the energy minister rightly focused on attracting investment in our energy systems and was led by DESNZ. However, if the intention is to have a coordinated plan for decarbonising the UK, the government should appoint a cabinet minister to oversee a systems approach rather than having separate ministers responsible for housing delivery, net zero and infrastructure projects.
A key part of such a strategic approach should consider innovative ways to reduce energy demand from both new and existing housing stock. In addition to increased grid capacity, we need to understand the potential role of demand-led smart solutions, such as the use of electric cars as batteries that respond to demand, and an energy system that doesn’t waste the renewable energy produced at its peaks.
It is also critical to reduce travel-related energy demands by considering the connectivity and location of new homes.
If the target of delivering 1.5 million homes doesn’t contribute to our emission-reduction targets or mitigate the very real dangers of climate change, it will be an opportunity lost for our economy, society and the environment.
