We need ratings for cooling, not just retaining heat. Houses in this country are still built like the winter is coming
toomuchtodo · 5h ago
Also need heat pumps in every home.
mytailorisrich · 5h ago
Heat pumps are very impractical to install in many existing homes.
toomuchtodo · 5h ago
Most UK homes built after 1920 are readily converted to using air source heat pumps. I concede older housing stock is challenging to retrofit, have an efficient thermal envelope, etc.
_dain_ · 5h ago
As the article points out, the govt goes out of their way to make cooling heat-pumps unattractive:
>The government offers subsidies worth £7,500 to people replacing a gas boiler with an electric heat pump, but only if it produces solely heat. A system that can heat in winter and cool in summer receives nothing.
No comments yet
bell-cot · 4h ago
Unfortunately, heat pumps in every home is the sort of absolutist policy that simplistic politicians and bureaucrats love.
"Proving that gov't can make the cure far worse than the disease is a tough job, but somebody's gotta do it."
toomuchtodo · 3h ago
What leads you to this conclusion? Heat pumps can replace existing fossil fuel boiler units for heat, while also providing cooling as global warming continues to expose the UK to increased heating year after year.
Perhaps a home than can maintain temperature passively does not require a heat pump, but any home that requires active conditioning of either heating or cooling will benefit.
>The government offers subsidies worth £7,500 to people replacing a gas boiler with an electric heat pump, but only if it produces solely heat. A system that can heat in winter and cool in summer receives nothing.
No comments yet
"Proving that gov't can make the cure far worse than the disease is a tough job, but somebody's gotta do it."
Perhaps a home than can maintain temperature passively does not require a heat pump, but any home that requires active conditioning of either heating or cooling will benefit.
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2024/sep/28/heat-pum...