GTC January 2024 News Round-Up

Since our last news round-up, we have seen one year come to an end and another one begin, and what a start we’ve had to 2024.

Future Homes Standard

December saw the highly anticipated Future Homes Standard (FHS) enter Government consultation phase.  At the time, we looked at one of the main headlines – how low-carbon, communal heat networks are likely to become the preferred method of providing heat and hot water.

GTC welcomed the FHS consultation, and we are delighted that the Government has recognised the huge contribution that heat networks will make in the UK’s energy transformation drive.

This follows hot on the heels of the recent Ofgem consultation on heat networks regulation, which will give key protections on service and cost to end-users.

The focus on heat networks within the consultation headlines provides clarity that our 4th generation heat networks, which use centralised air-source heat pumps alongside a thermal store, have a big role to play in replacing gas networks and de-carbonising homes.

We are ahead of the game and are already offering customers a solution that meets the proposed standards – our networked heat pump solution, the Community Heat Hub, which achieves a 75-80% carbon saving from day one.

The Community Heat Hub is in place and ready to go, in fact, we already have the heat network and central plant installed at a Taylor Wimpey site in Sudbury, Suffolk.

Our Vistry partnership

January then saw GTC announce its partnership with the Vistry Group to deliver another Community Heat Hub at a new build site in Bexhill, Sussex.

The Community Heat Hub recently gained planning from Rother District Council. It will be constructed at the Vistry Kent development this year. When complete, it will supply heat and hot water to over 800 homes plus a community centre and retail offering.

Brendan Evans, Managing Director at Vistry Kent said: “Vistry Kent is committed to environmental sustainability and GTC’s networked heat pump solution provides an exciting opportunity to help deliver these objectives at our site in Bexhill. We look forward to working with GTC and Metropolitan to deliver the heat network and provide an excellent, government-regulated, service for our new customers on this important scheme.’’

Future Homes Hub

GTC also announced that it had joined the Future Homes Hub as part of its commitment to sustainability and net zero.

Future Homes Hub brings together all those involved in home building to achieve the climate and environment goals for the sector in line with the Government’s legally binding net zero and wider environmental targets.

Edward Lockhart-Mummery, CEO of The Future Homes Hub said: “We have a collective responsibility to deliver the sector’s climate and environmental targets while building higher quality homes at the scale needed. We can only do this if we all work together. I am therefore delighted that GTC has joined the Future Homes Hub to be part of this positive change.”

GTC is focused on sustainable solutions for the delivery of utility and energy infrastructure. This includes our smart networked heat pump solution, our work on water neutrality, our low-impact open-access fibre, and our smart home services.

We are looking forward to working with the Future Homes Hub, and to sharing and learning across the sector.

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