We want to understand how to move beyond planning to design commercially viable and sustainable coordinated switching schemes while presenting homeowners with a compelling offer.

Currently, households generally switch their heating individually. Where a single building owner owns a large portion of housing stock, they may dictate how a building changes its heating. This presents barriers to households.

Some households may find it difficult to decarbonise without access to shared infrastructure. Other homes may find it difficult to navigate finding information, installers and technology options. We think a coordinated approach may improve and simplify the user journey, and enable shared infrastructure systems (such as heat networks and shared ambient ground arrays). There may also be cost reductions associated with the economies of scale from a larger project.

How could a local or combined authority move beyond energy planning to proactively design an area-based scheme for low-carbon heating? Does that vary for different heating technologies? What involvement from the private sector is necessary, and at what stage? What potential powers may need to be devolved, regulations changed or subsidy structures enable future delivery models?

How would approaches differ depending on the technology, delivery models and different contexts? What collaboration is required between local authorities, suppliers and residents in a community to accelerate decarbonisation?

We aim to identify and amplify the best practices in the area of scheme design and coordinated switching. We intend to share case studies and build playbooks for different contexts and types of technologies. Additionally, we will have clarity on the roles required from multiple actors, such as local authorities and policymakers, share our suggestions for any enabling regulation, and articulate our views on how to best communicate scheme designs to potential households. 

We’re also interested in the following:

• What market incentives may be needed in the near term, and how may these evolve? 
• What role could the public sector play in de-risking approaches or particular scheme designs?
• For different technologies and contexts, where do the responsibilities lie for aspects of feasibility and procurement?
• What level of commitment, if any, is required from households to start to move from scheme design towards delivery?

We want to hear from you, so this may be appealing if you are:

• a company offering or developing collective purchase schemes for low-carbon technologies
• a financial institution with experience in developing public-private schemes
• a private or institutional landlord
• a community group interested in acquiring low-carbon heating technologies through a collective purchase scheme or wanting to acquire communal heating infrastructure
• a local authority interested in low-carbon heating
• a low-carbon heating manufacturer
• an infrastructure provider looking at future business models and potential efficiencies of coordinating works.

We’re looking to start projects as soon as possible, with the view of capturing the first learnings from projects by summer 2025.

If you’re interested in discussing any of the briefs that follow, or have a project that you wish to share, please reach out to [email protected].