CP1 (2020)

Heat networks: Code of Practice for the UK
The Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers
Heat networks:
222 Balham High Road, London, SW12 9BS
+44 (0) 20 8675 5211
www.cibse.org
Code of Practice for the UK

The Association for Decentralised Energy
10 Dean Farrar Street, London, SW1H 0DX
+44 (0) 20 3031 8740
www.theade.co.uk
Raising standards for heat supply
The Association for

Decentralised Energy
CP1
2020
CP1
Bringing Energy
Together
This publication is supplied by CIBSE for the sole use of the person making the download; it should not be copied or forwarded to any other person or information source.
Heat networks:
Code of Practice for the UK
Raising standards for heat supply
2nd edition
The authors have created a series of checklists to assist the

reader in documenting compliance with this Code of Practice.
These are available to download as an .xls file from
www.cibse.org/knowledge.
The Association for

CP1
2020
The rights of publication or translation are reserved.
No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or

transmitted in any form or by any means without prior permission.
© Second edition December 2020 Chartered Institution of Building Services

Engineers (CIBSE), London; Association for Decentralised Energy (ADE), London
CIBSE registered charity number: 278104
ISBN 978-1-912034-79-6 (book)

ISBN 978-1-912034-80-2 (PDF)
This document is based on the best knowledge available at the time of publication.
However no responsibility of any kind for any injury, death, loss, damage or delay
however caused resulting from the use of these recommendations can be accepted
by CIBSE, ADE, the authors or others involved in its publication. In adopting these
recommendations for use each adopter by doing so agrees to accept full
responsibility for any personal injury, death, loss, damage or delay arising out of or in
connection with their use by or on behalf of such adopter irrespective of the cause or
reason therefore and agrees to defend, indemnify and hold harmless CIBSE, ADE, the
authors and others involved in their publication from any and all liability arising out
of or in connection with such use as aforesaid and irrespective of any negligence on
the part of those indemnified.
Typesetting by Alasdair Deas for CIBSE Publications
Printed in England by Hobbs the Printers Ltd., Totton, Hampshire SO40 3WX
Information reproduced from Government publications is licensed under Open

Government Licence v3.0. To view this licence, visit http://www.nationalarchives.gov.
uk/doc/open-government-licence
Withdrawal from the European Union

The UK formally left the European Union on 31st January, 2020. The terms of the
UK–EU withdrawal agreement state that EU law will continue to apply in the UK, for
most purposes, until the end of the transition period. At the time of publication, this
transition period is set to end on 31st December 2020. Please ensure that you are
aware of all laws that currently apply.
Note from the publisher

This publication is not intended to be exhaustive or definitive and it will be necessary
for users to consult appropriate guidance and to exercise their own professional
judgement when applying the standards contained in the Code.
Any commercial products depicted or described within this publication are included
for the purposes of illustration only and their inclusion does not constitute
endorsement or recommendation by CIBSE or ADE.
Foreword
This new edition CP1 (2020) of the Heat Networks Code of Practice is a very
significant update to the 2015 version.
The previous CIBSE/ADE Heat Networks Code of Practice (2015) has been highly
successful in establishing minimum standards to improve the quality of district
heating projects from concept through to operation. CP1 has also begun to have a
strong influence on the procurement of heat networks and also underpins much of
the Heat Networks Delivery Unit (HNDU) and Heat Networks Investment Project
(HNIP) work by UK Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS).
However, it was always recognised that the Code of Practice would need to be
updated at intervals to reflect new experience and understanding, feedback from the
industry, changes in regulation and results from research projects. Probably the most
important update has been to make compliance with CP1 easier to verify and check.
A series of fully integrated checklists now presents a more structured and robust
toolkit for checking compliance with CP1 (2020). It is hoped that this Code of Practice
will support the development of a wider heat networks quality assurance scheme,
ultimately contributing to the regulation and decarbonisation of the heat sector.
This document CP1 (2020) and the associated checklists set out a major update to
CP1 (2015). However, this second edition still remains a work in progress on a longer
journey for the heat networks sector. There is a clear need to gather a more detailed
evidence base and much more work is needed to develop further guidance and
verification in the long term. But CP1 (2020) is a very significant step forward and
aims to take the heat network sector to the next level.
Phil Jones
Chair, CP1 Steering Committee; Chair, CIBSE CHP and District Heating Group
Authors
Phil Jones, Paul Woods and Martin Crane
Steering Committee members

Professor Phil Jones (formerly chair of the CIBSE CHP and DH Group/BESA HIU
Committee) (chair)
George Robinson (HNDU Investment and Finance, Department for Business, Energy
and Industrial Strategy)
Graham Wenden (Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy)
Ian Allan (Switch2 Energy Ltd)
Ali Bahar (Metropolitan/BESA HIU Committee)
Paul Barker (Bristol City Council)
Huw Blackwell (Anthesis)
Dominic Bowers (WSP)
Thomas Briault (ARUP)
John Bryant (Association for Decentralised Energy)
Martin Crane (Carbon Alternatives/BESA HIU Test Technical Lead)
Dave Culver (UKDEA representative)
Justin Etherington (Buro Happold)
Roberto Gagliardi La Gala (GLA)
Gabriel Gallagher (Sustainable Energy)
Ian Guest (Energetik)
Robert Hunter (L&Q)
Olof Jangsten (Ramboll)
Gareth Jones (FairHeat/BESA HIU Committee chair)
Paul Kay (Vital Energi)
Valeria Khnykina (FVB District Energy UK Ltd/BESA HIU Testing Technical Committee)
Nicholas Minnitt (SSE Enterprise)
Angela Murphy (Barbican Centre, City of London (previously of the Association for
Decentralised Energy))
Chris Parsloe (Parsloe Consulting)
Bethan Phillips (Verco)
Michael Ridge (FairHeat)
Tim Starley-Grainger (London Borough of Haringey)
Colin Taylor (ENETEQ)
Matthew Turner (AECOM)
David Walton (BUUK Infrastructure)
Paul Woods (independent consultant)
Corresponding Steering Committee members

Ross Anderson (Industrial and Commercial Energy Association/Manufacturers of
Equipment for Heat Networks Association)
Ashley Bateson (Hoare Lea, CIBSE Homes for the Future Group)
Rob Boyer (AECOM)
Marko Cosic (Coheat)
Neil Davis (Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy)
Jon Greaves (Hydro-X Group)
Craig Grobety (Heat Network Associates Ltd)
Richard Hanson-Graville (Thermal Integration Ltd)
Steve Harper (Galliard Homes/BESA HIU Testing Steering Group)
James Hemphill (Scottish Government)
Colin Judd (BSRIA)
Michael King (Aberdeen Heat and Power)
Peter Mildenstein (Pinnacle Power)
Minhajuddin Mohammed (Engie/CIBSE CHP-DH Group)
Bindi Patel (Heat Trust)
Nigel Shapland (NHBC)
Mark Whettall (CPV)
Simon Woodward (UK District Energy Association)
Acknowledgements
The authors would like to thank CIBSE and the ADE for their support in publishing
this updated Code of Practice, and BEIS for funding the work. We would also like to
acknowledge the dedicated voluntary work of the Steering Committee and offer
thanks to all those that contributed their own time in commenting on the Code.
Picture credits
We would also like to thank the following organisations for contributing pictures,
figures and data.
AECOM, Figures 7, 31, 40 and 41
BEIS, Figure 21
Cofely, Figure 6, 14 and 43
CPV, Figures 32 and 33
FairHeat, Figures 39 and 54
GLA, Figure 30
Guru Systems, Figure 19 (left)
Kensa Group, Figure 56
Max Fordham & Partners, Figures 5, 13 and 37
Orchard Partners, Figures 63 to 66
Phil Jones, Figures 1 and 52
REHAU, Figure 4
Royal Institute of British Architects, Figure 2
SAV Systems Ltd, Figures 18, 25, 38 and 46
Swedish District Heating Association, Figure 26
Switch 2, Figures 19 (right), 35 (right) and 47
Vital Energi, Figures 19 (centre), 35 (left), 48 and 67
Peer Reviewers
Matthew Bailey (Hodkinson Consultancy)
Huw Blackwell (Anthesis)
James Culbertson (The Keenan Consultancy)
Editors
Eileen Bell
Alasdair Deas
CIBSE Technical Director

Hywel Davies
Units for temperature

Temperatures are described in this Code of Practice as degrees Celsius (°C).
However, it should be noted that the Kelvin scale, K (which is the strictly correct SI
unit for temperature), is widely used in practice, often interchangeably with
degrees Celsius. This substitution is acceptable for these applications because the
magnitude of the degree Celsius is exactly equal to that of the kelvin. Subtracting
273.16 K from the temperature of the triple point of water (0.01 °C) makes
absolute zero (0 K) equivalent to −273.15 °C.
Contents
Part A: Understanding and using this Code

A1 Introduction 2
A1.1 Overall purpose 2
A1.2 The updated Code of Practice 3
A1.3 The structure of the Code of Practice 4
A2 Scope 7
A2.1 What is a heat network? 9
A2.2 Central plant 10
A2.3 District cooling 10
A2.4 Fourth and fifth generation heat networks 10
A3 Applications for heat networks: challenges and opportunities 11
A3.1 New-build applications 11
A3.2 Retrofit applications 12
A3.3 Mixed developments of new and existing 13
A4 Key themes of the Code of Practice 13
(A) Correct sizing of plant and network 13
(B) Achieving low network heat losses 13
(C) Achieving consistently low return temperatures and optimising
flow temperatures 14
(D) Use of variable flow control principles 14
(E) Optimising the use of low-carbon heat sources to supply the network 14
(F) Delivery of a safe, high-quality scheme where risks are managed
and environmental impacts controlled 14
(G) Providing customers with affordable heat and a reliable service 15
A5 Checking compliance 16
A5.1 Key outputs and client checklists 16
A5.2 How to use the checklists 18
A5.3 Measuring performance 22
A6 Responsibilities 23
Part B: The requirements

Stage 1 Preparation and briefing 29
Objective 1.1 To commission the project in accordance with the
Code of Practice 30
Objective 1.2 To develop contracts that are fair and equitable for
customers 32
Objective 1.3 To define appropriate service levels for the heat supply 34
Objective 1.4 To develop a detailed CP1 monitoring plan and
feasibility study brief 36
Stage 2 Feasibility 39
Objective 2.1 To achieve sufficiently accurate estimates of peak
heat demands and annual heat consumptions 40
Objective 2.2 To identify the most suitable low-carbon heat sources
and location of an energy centre 43
Objective 2.3 To determine the location of top-up and standby
boilers and use of existing boilers 46
Objective 2.4 To select suitable operating temperatures 48
Objective 2.5 To determine heat network distribution routes, pipe
sizes and costs 51
Objective 2.6 To determine building connection costs, including heat
metering 54
Objective 2.7 To minimise the negative impacts of phasing the
development 56
Objective 2.8 To assess lifecycle operation, maintenance and
replacement requirements, costs and revenues 58
Objective 2.9 To conduct a consistent economic analysis and options
appraisal 59
Objective 2.10 To analyse risks and carry out a sensitivity analysis 61
Objective 2.11 To assess environmental impacts and benefits 62
Objective 2.12 To develop a comprehensive feasibility study report 64
Objective 2.13 To contribute to the development of business structure,
contract strategy and procurement strategy 65
Stage 3 Design 69
Objective 3.1 To design for safety in construction, operation and
maintenance and to achieve quality of design 70
Objective 3.2 To accurately assess and minimise peak heat demands
and annual heat consumptions 71
Objective 3.3 To select suitable building interfaces — direct or indirect
connections 78
Objective 3.4 To design or modify suitable space heating and
domestic hot water systems 82
Objective 3.5 To achieve an energy-efficient primary heat network 89
Objective 3.6 To achieve a low-cost network, optimisation of routes
and pipe sizing for minimum lifecycle cost 92
Objective 3.7 To achieve a reliable network with a long life and low
maintenance requirements 95
Objective 3.8 To define a metering strategy and select heat metering,
prepayment and billing systems that are accurate and
cost-effective 100
Objective 3.9 To achieve an efficient heat distribution system within
a multi-residential building and to reduce the risk of
overheating 104
Objective 3.10 To design cost-effective and efficient central plant 111
Objective 3.11 To optimise the use of thermal storage 115
Objective 3.12 To finalise the financial analysis, risk analysis and
sensitivities 119
Objective 3.13 To assess environmental impacts and benefits 121
Objective 3.14 To collaborate in establishing scheme investability 123
Stage 4 Construction and installation 125
Objective 4.1 To reduce health and safety risks to staff, customers
and the general public 126
Objective 4.2 To achieve a high-quality heat network construction
to deliver a long asset life 127
Objective 4.3 To provide a high-quality heat interface unit (HIU)
and building connection construction to provide
good customer service levels 130
Objective 4.4 To reduce adverse environmental impacts of
construction 131
Stage 5 Commissioning 133
Objective 5.1 To appoint a suitably qualified commissioning team
with a clear commissioning plan 134
Objective 5.2 To achieve consistently low return temperatures
through commissioning building heating systems/
controls 135
Objective 5.3 To provide HIU/substation commissioning and heat
network balancing to ensure demands are met at
all times 137
Objective 5.4 To commission the energy metering and meter reading
system to deliver accuracy and customer service 138
Objective 5.5 To commission the central plant and network to
deliver an efficient and reliable service 140
Objective 5.6 To provide a smooth handover and sufficient
information for the operations team 142
Objective 5.7 To carry out on-site acceptance tests to deliver an
efficient and reliable service 143
Stage 6 Operation and maintenance 147
Objective 6.1 To reduce health and safety risks to staff, customers
and the general public 148
Objective 6.2 To achieve cost-effective, accurate and reliable heat
metering, prepayment and billing systems 149
Objective 6.3 To maintain a high level of reliability and a long life for
the heat network 150
Objective 6.4 To provide cost-effective maintenance of heat network
assets resulting in efficient operation and long life 152
Objective 6.5 To provide appropriate monitoring and reporting of
the whole heat network 154
Objective 6.6 To maintain the building connections to provide good
customer service 156
Objective 6.7 To minimise environmental impacts of operation and
maintenance 158
Stage 7 Customer satisfaction and obligations 161
Objective 7.1 In residential and micro-business schemes, to provide
customer protection 162
Objective 7.2 In non-domestic schemes, to provide reports on energy
supply/use and bills that are clear and informative 163
Objective 7.3 In non-domestic schemes, to develop communications
with customers that meet customer expectations 165
Objective 7.4 To ensure customers are aware of their obligations 166
Annexes
Annex A Glossary of terms and abbreviations 170
Annex B Example commissioning procedure to ensure design return
temperatures are achieved in dwellings 174
Annex C Measuring performance 179
Annex D Pipe sizing worked example 183
Annex E Recommended water quality parameters for heat networks 188
Annex F Ambient temperature heat networks 193
Annex G Guidance on the use of SAP modelling of heat networks 195
Annex H Guidance on types of building connections and internal
heating systems for dwellings 197
Annex I Guidance on achieving an energy-efficient heat network 203
Annex J Legislation 206
Annex K References and further reading 215
List of figures and tables 223
Index 225
Part A: Understanding and
using this Code
Understanding and using this Code
A1 Introduction
A1.1 Overall purpose

The development of heat networks (or district heating) in the UK is increasingly
recognised as an important component in the UK’s Clean Growth Strategy: Leading
the way to a low carbon future (BEIS, 2017) and the decarbonisation of heat, based
on Clean Growth – Transforming Heating (BEIS, 2018a). This is supported by the
Committee on Climate Change in Net Zero – Technical Report (CCC, 2019). Heat
networks can address climate change and affordable heat challenges by focusing on
the following strategic aims:
(1) to reduce greenhouse gas emissions through the use of a wide range of low-
carbon and renewable heat sources
(2) to improve security of energy supply by diversifying energy sources for heating
and reducing dependence on fossil fuel imports
(3) to offer a supply of heat that is safe, good value, offers the lowest lifecycle cost
and contributes to reducing fuel poverty
(4) to provide a heating service that meets customer needs and offers a high
standard of customer satisfaction by being safe, reliable, efficient and well
maintained.
A major challenge will be to deliver a high standard of service to customers who will
have had good long-term experience using gas-fired boilers. Therefore, a safe, high-
quality installation offering good reliability, a long life, low carbon intensity of heat
supply and low operating costs will be key. The cost-effectiveness of the heat supply
will also depend on achieving low-cost finance over a long period of time and
funders will also be looking for long-term performance and reliability.
This updated Code of Practice CP1 (2020) is therefore written to:
— improve the quality of feasibility studies, design, construction, commissioning

and operation by setting minimum requirements for projects and identifying
best practice options
— deliver energy efficiency and environmental benefits
— provide a good level of customer service1
— promote long-lasting heat networks, in which customers and investors can have
confidence.
This Code of Practice applies both to heat networks designed to supply new
developments and to heat networks that are retrofitted to supply existing buildings.
Although many issues are common, networks for new buildings require careful design
to keep heat losses low (in percentage terms) whereas the design of networks for
existing buildings is often constrained by the existing heating systems in the buildings.
This updated CP1 (2020) is complementary to CIBSE/GSHPA Code of Practice CP2:

Surface water source heat pumps (CIBSE, 2016a) and CIBSE/GSHPA Code of Practice
CP3: Open-loop groundwater source heat pumps (CIBSE, 2019a).
1 The Heat Trust scheme (www.heattrust.org), established in March 2015, provides more detail on
2
minimum levels of customer protection and takes precedence over this Code of Practice in this regard.
A1.2 The updated Code of Practice

This is a new version of CP1 that addresses:
— technical issues: enhanced minimum and best practice requirements to

strengthen the Code
— new work: published work and standards have developed since the original
Code was written
— compliance: making the Code easier to verify/check.
The overall structure of the Code remains the same, but a number of new objectives
have been added. A significant number of new minimum requirements and best
practice options have been introduced, with some previous best practice now
becoming minimum requirements. CP1 (2020) has an associated set of checklists for
documenting compliance with the Code, which are available for download as an .xls
file from www.cibse.org/knowledge. ‘Key outputs’ have been introduced for each
objective in the document and these are central to the checklists and confirming
compliance. The checklists also include performance metrics/targets and a process for
building an evidence pack to monitor and audit progress throughout a project.
Where the previous (2015) version of CP1 has been used on a project that is already
underway, transition arrangements may be introduced. It may be appropriate for the
contracting parties to agree to use this version of the Code, particularly when
beginning a new stage. It would be particularly relevant to consider adoption of the
enhanced checklists, performance targets and evidence pack approach as soon as
possible. Where it is agreed to adopt this version of the Code then a transition review
should be carried out to agree when and how to move to the new Code. This may
reveal areas that need additional work.
Where different parts of a scheme are being developed by different organisations, it

may be appropriate to regard these separately from a CP1 perspective. For example,
different developers for the main heat network, the secondary network and the
tertiary sections may be working on different timescales or programmes. It might be
appropriate to treat these as separate CP1 projects, but it is essential that someone
(the client or main technical advisor) has an overview of the whole scheme and its
development as a single entity to provide continuity. It is also key that there is a
well-managed process for sharing information between these different organisations
and schemes.
The Code will be supported by a training and registration programme for those
delivering projects under the Code. Visit the CIBSE website (www.cibse.org/training)
for the latest information.
The Code has been developed to raise standards by setting minimum requirements
for projects, essentially providing a safeguard against poor systems while also
encouraging best practice. Overall responsibility for implementing the Code rests
with the client and there are great benefits to the client in following CP1. However,
clients need to implement the Code in a responsible manner to ensure heat networks
ultimately provide customer satisfaction, affordability, longevity, safety and
sustainability.
It is important to recognise that the Code does not provide a comprehensive design
template to be followed on a particular project. It sets out minimum requirements for
each project while allowing the designer to develop optimal solutions as appropriate
to their project. The Code is intended to be relevant to a wide range of projects of
different sizes, scales and situations. The Code does not define optimal designs or 3
promote particular solutions.
The client is expected to prepare, with appropriate advice, a Statement of
Applicability for the project, which sets out how each of the minimum requirements
applies to the specific project, and any modifications that may be applied. Designers
may depart from the Code if a different approach is demonstrated to be an
appropriate way to meet the overall aims of the Code: safety, low carbon, cost-
effectiveness, customer service and security of supply. Where an alternative approach
or variation is considered to be applicable to a specific project then the case and
justification should be documented and formally agreed to, and accepted by, the
client, developer or operator. The justification and record of agreement of the
alternative approach should be incorporated into the project evidence pack and in
the Statement of Applicability. This will provide a clear audit trail for future reference.
This documented case is referred to in the Code as a ‘Statement of Applicability’ (see
minimum requirement 1.1.10).
The Code enables innovation and gives designers freedom to go well beyond the
minimum requirements or to adopt innovative solutions on the project and to set out
how that will be done in the Statement of Applicability.
A1.3 The structure of the Code of Practice

This Code of Practice is written to cover all stages of the development cycle of a
project.
The core of the Code is structured as follows:
(1) The typical sequence of a project by stage, from the initial brief, through
feasibility, design, construction and commissioning stages, to operation and
maintenance.
(2) For each project stage a number of objectives are set.
(3) For each objective a number of minimum requirements are defined to achieve
the objective.
All of the minimum requirements will need to be met if the project is to comply fully
with the Code, unless it is clearly identified in the Statement of Applicability that a
minimum requirement is not applicable to the particular scheme. The Code may be
used either for the entire project or for a particular stage, but the greatest value will
be obtained when it is followed for all stages, and compliance with the Code can
only be claimed when it is followed for all stages.
Text in boxes is GUIDANCE, and does not form part of the minimum standards
required by the Code of Practice.
This Code of Practice also includes suggested best practice requirements, to

encourage clients to go beyond basic minimum standards. Clients should review these
on an item-by-item basis at the beginning of a project to see which they might aspire
to, but these should not be seen as part of basic compliance with CP1. Some best
practice items might not be applicable to every scheme. Any best practice items that
are included in the project should be clearly documented in the Statement of
Applicability, and the reasons for including should be documented in the evidence pack.
The project stages are described in Figure 1, which shows the heat networks Plan of
Work from briefing through feasibility, design, construction, commissioning and
operation. The Code is structured around the stages in this Plan of Work and each
section/stage is colour coded to reflect this. The new checklists also follow the same
structure and colour coding. Aiming for high levels of customer satisfaction should
4 underpin all stages of the project.
Themes
A. Correct sizing of plant and network
B. Achieving low network heat losses
C. Achieving consistently low return

temperatures and optimising flow
temperatures
D. Use of variable flow control principles
E. Optimising the use of low-carbon heat

sources to supply the network
F. Delivery of a safe, high-quality scheme Strategic
where risks are managed and
environmental impacts controlled aims:
G. Providing customers with affordable
heat and a reliable service Provide a
cost-competitive
reliable heat
Not supply
applicable

Figure 1 Typical Plan of Work for a heat network project

Of some Customer Maintain a
importance/ Preparation Construction Operation &
relevance Feasibility Design & installation Commissioning satisfaction & high level of
Stages and briefing maintenance
obligations heat supply
Important/
relevant
Highly Reduce CO2
important/
relevant emissions and
energy usage
Responsibilities
Developer/owner
Designer
Constructor The Association for

Operator
Customer
5
This publication is supplied by CIBSE for the sole use of the person making the download; it should not be copied or forwarded to any other person or information source. Understanding and using this Code
The RIBA Plan of Work

organises the process of
briefing, designing, delivering,
maintaining, operating and
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
using a building into eight
stages. It is a framework for
all disciplines on construction
RIBA projects and should be Strategic Preparation Concept Spatial Technical Manufacturing
used solely as guidance for Definition and Briefing Design Coordination Design and Construction Handover Use
Plan of Work the preparation of detailed
2020 professional services and
building contracts. Projects span from Stage 1 to Stage 6; the outcome of Stage 0 may be the decision to initiate a project and Stage 7 covers the ongoing use of the building.
Stage Boundaries: Stage Outcome The best means of achieving Project Brief approved by the Architectural Concept Architectural and engineering All design information Manufacturing, construction Building handed over, Building used, operated and
Stages 0-4 will generally at the end of the stage the Client Requirements client and confirmed that it approved by the client and information Spatially required to manufacture and Commissioning Aftercare initiated and maintained efficiently
be undertaken one after confirmed can be accommodated on aligned to the Project Brief Coordinated and construct the project completed Building Contract concluded
the other. the site completed
If the outcome determines that The brief remains “live” during
Stages 4 and 5 will overlap a building is the best means of Stage 2 and is derogated in There is no design work in Stage 5 Stage 7 starts concurrently with
in the Project Programme achieving the Client Requirements, response to the Architectural Stage 4 will overlap with Stage 5 other than responding to Site Stage 6 and lasts for the life of the
the client proceeds to Stage 1 Concept on most projects Queries building
for most projects.
Stage 5 commences
when the contractor takes Core Tasks Prepare Client Requirements Prepare Project Brief Prepare Architectural Undertake Design Studies, Develop architectural and Finalise Site Logistics Hand over building in line with Implement Facilities
possession of the site during the stage including Project Outcomes Concept incorporating Engineering Analysis and engineering technical design Plan for Use Strategy Management and
Develop Business Case for Manufacture Building
and finishes at Practical and Sustainability Outcomes, Strategic Engineering Cost Exercises to test Asset Management
feasible options including Prepare and coordinate Systems and construct Undertake review of Project
Completion. Quality Aspirations and requirements and aligned to Architectural Concept
review of Project Risks and design team Building building Performance Undertake Post Occupancy
Stage 6 starts with the Spatial Requirements Cost Plan, Project Strategies resulting in Spatially
Project Budget Systems information Evaluation of building
handover of the building to and Outline Specification Coordinated design aligned Monitor progress against Undertake seasonal
Undertake Feasibility Studies performance in use
the client immediately after Ratify option that best delivers to updated Cost Plan, Project Prepare and integrate Construction Programme Commissioning
Agree Project Brief
Practical Completion and Project Strategies might include: Client Requirements Agree Project Budget Strategies and Outline specialist subcontractor Verify Project Outcomes
Derogations Inspect Construction Quality Rectify defects
finishes at the end of the – Conservation (if applicable) Specification Building Systems including Sustainability
Review Feedback from Source Site Information
Defects Liability Period.
– Cost Undertake Design Reviews information Resolve Site Queries as Complete initial Aftercare Outcomes
– Fire Safety previous projects including Site Surveys Initiate Change Control
– Health and Safety with client and Project required tasks including light touch
Stage 7 starts concurrently Procedures Prepare stage Design
– Inclusive Design Undertake Site Appraisals Prepare Project Programme Stakeholders Post Occupancy Evaluation
with Stage 6 and lasts for – Planning Programme Undertake Commissioning
the life of the building. Prepare Project Execution Prepare stage Design of building
– Plan for Use Prepare stage Design
– Procurement Plan Programme
– Sustainability
Programme Prepare Building Manual
Planning Note: See RIBA Plan of Work 2020 No design team required for Stages 0 and 1. Client advisers may be appointed Specialist subcontractor designs Adaptation of a building (at the
Overview for detailed guidance to the client team to provide strategic advice and design thinking before Stage are prepared and reviewed during Building handover tasks bridge Stages 5 and 6 as set out in the Plan for Use end of its useful life) triggers a new
Planning Applications on Project Strategies 2 commences. Stage 4 Strategy Stage 0
are generally submitted
at the end of Stage 3 and
should only be submitted Core Statutory Strategic appraisal of Source pre-application Obtain pre-application Review design against Submit Building Regulations Carry out Construction Comply with Planning Comply with Planning
earlier when the threshold Processes Planning considerations Planning Advice Planning Advice Building Regulations Application Phase Plan Conditions as required Conditions as required
of information required has during the stage: Initiate collation of health Agree route to Building Prepare and submit Discharge pre- Comply with Planning
been met. If a Planning and safety Pre-construction Regulations compliance Planning Application commencement Planning Conditions related to
Application is made Planning Information Conditions construction
during Stage 3, a mid- Option: submit outline
Building Regulations
stage gateway should be Planning Application Prepare Construction
Health and Safety (CDM)
determined and it should Phase Plan
See Planning Note for guidance on
be clear to the project team submitting a Planning Application Submit form F10 to HSE if
which tasks and deliverables earlier than at end of Stage 3
applicable
will be required.
See Overview guidance. Procurement Tender
Appoint
Traditional contractor
Route
Appoint
Procurement: Design & Build 1 Stage ER CP contractor
The RIBA Plan of Work Appoint Appoint Appoint Appoint Facilities Management
is procurement neutral – Design & Build 2 Stage client team design team ER Pre-contract services agreement CP contractor and Asset Management teams, and
strategic advisers as needed
See Overview guidance for Management Contract Appoint
a detailed description of Construction Management contractor
how each stage might be Appoint
adjusted to accommodate Contractor-led ER Preferred bidder CP contractor
the requirements of the
Procurement Strategy. Information Client Requirements Project Brief Project Brief Derogations Signed off Stage Report Manufacturing Information Building Manual including Feedback on Project Feedback from Post
Employer’s Exchanges Health and Safety File and Performance Occupancy Evaluation
ER
Business Case Feasibility Studies Signed off Stage Report Project Strategies Construction Information
Requirements at the end of the stage Fire Safety Information
Final Certificate Updated Building Manual
Site Information Project Strategies Updated Outline Final Specifications
Contractor’s Practical Completion including Health and
Specification Feedback from light touch
CP
Proposals Project Budget Outline Specification Residual Project Strategies certificate including Safety File and Fire Safety
Post Occupancy Evaluation
Updated Cost Plan Defects List Information as necessary
Project Programme Cost Plan Building Regulations
Planning Application Application Asset Information
Procurement Strategy
Responsibility Matrix If Verified Construction
Information is required, verification
Information Requirements tasks must be defined
Core RIBA Plan of Work terms are defined in the RIBA Plan of Work 2020 Overview glossary and set in Bold Type. Further guidance and detailed stage descriptions are included in the RIBA Plan of Work 2020 Overview. © RIBA 2020
Figure 2 The RIBA Plan of Work 2020
Figure 1 also shows the key responsibilities (see Table 1 for further detail) and how
these relate to the major themes set out below. An intrinsic part of meeting the
requirements of this Code of Practice is to recognise the interlinked nature of the
whole process, i.e. it may only take one weak link for the whole heat network supply
chain to fail. This heat networks Plan of Work is similar to the RIBA Plan of Work
2020, shown in Figure 2.
A successful heat network project will only be realised when the key design principles
have been properly considered and implemented, from initial briefing and feasibility
through to operation, in an integrated manner.
This is often made more difficult by the fragmented nature of the industry and the
procurement of schemes. It is common to find that the feasibility work is carried out by
a consultant, the detailed design and construction by a design-and-build contractor and
the operation and maintenance by a separate operating company. The procurement
approach should consider the risks involved in this fragmentation and the lack of
incentives for each party involved to deliver an optimal scheme. Where such separation
cannot be avoided, the Code of Practice and the evidence pack should assist in:
— achieving a more optimised integrated design
— ensuring that operational costs are fully taken into account in the design/
development stages, and
— correct commissioning of the system prior to the operational phase.
This Code of Practice aims to identify minimum standards and key performance
indicators (KPIs) that will help to address some of these issues. Where appropriate,
these KPIs may be included in the Statement of Applicability for the project, but they
are a key part of the checklist process for each stage.
The Code gives examples of good outcomes and enables clients to include appropriate
6
incentives in the procurement and contract management processes for their projects.
Procurement route

Traditional Briefing
Feasibility
Design Appoint
Procure /
tender docs
Tender Design
Construct
Commission
Briefing Operate
Design, build,
Feasibility Appoint?
operate and
maintain (DBOM), Procure / Appoint
tender docs
or possibly build, own
and operate (BOO) Tender
Design Design
Construct
Commission
Client/ownership
Operate
Traditional local authority
and private sector energy Local authority ESCo
service company (ESCo)
ESCo
Developer appoints may
Developer ESCo
ESCo to BOO have
role
Client owns and does
Same throughout
DBOM
Figure 3 Typical examples of project programmes for different procurement routes showing timing,
activities and ownership
Heat networks can have very different procurement routes and timing, with
responsibilities often changing during the project lifecycle. Even ownership of the
project can change, requiring handover of responsibility both for the project and for
CP1 compliance. Examples of two procurement routes, ‘traditional’ and ‘design,
build, operate and maintain’, are shown in Figure 3, alongside the likely changes to
client and ownership over the course of a project. Although only two examples are
presented, it does indicate how procurement can be very different across a range of
heat network schemes. See section A6 on responsibilities around changes in
ownership etc. The CP1 (2020) evidence pack builds an audit trail throughout the
project and provides transition/handover between different stage and ownerships.
This Code of Practice is designed to be as prescriptive as possible around the minimum

requirements so that heat networks will achieve the minimum acceptable standards.
However, it is recognised that an important duty of the designer is to identify options
for decision by the client body, together with the costs and benefits for each option. In
most cases, within each objective further information is provided on what could
represent best practice, which the various parties should also consider adopting.
A2 Scope
This Code of Practice is designed to cover heat networks of any scale. In principle, it
applies to any project that involves the linking of heat supply to more than one
dwelling or customer, or more than one building. The Code is intended to cover all
types of scheme for both existing buildings and new buildings, and for residential,
commercial and institutional buildings. The key issues that impact on each of these
sectors are discussed in section A3.
The Code is not intended to provide general design guidance; rather, it aims to set
minimum standards for all aspects the heat networks. Users should consult published 7
guidance and, in particular, Annex K of this Code (References and futher reading).
The client is responsible for ensuring that all relevant legislation is met. Annex J of this
Code includes a summary of legislation that is likely to be encountered in the course of

developing a heat network project. This is provided for general guidance and readers
should consult government sources directly to confirm the current position.
Energy
input
Energy
centre
(a) A typical district-wide heat network
Thermal
substation
HIU
HIU
HIU
HIU
(b) Typical locations of thermal substations and heat interface units (HIUs)
8
Figure 4 Typical district-wide heat networks
A2.1 What is a heat network?

In order to understand the scope of this Code of Practice, it is essential to understand
what a heat network actually is. A heat network usually comprises the flow and
return pipes that convey heat from a heat source (energy centre) to the customers.
The pipes are frequently buried, but they may be above ground or within buildings.
Heat networks include both communal heating and district heating:
— Communal heating is defined as a heat network that serves a single building,

with more than one customer (the building does not need to contain the plant).
— District heating is defined as a heat network that serves more than one
building (building owners are not necessarily the asset owners).
A typical district heat network, supplying both commercial and residential buildings,
is shown in Figure 4a, with typical building connections shown in Figure 4b.
The following terminology has been used throughout this Code of Practice in order
to identify the different parts of the overall heat network:
— primary heat network: the distribution pipes that connect the energy centre
to buildings — mostly buried pre-insulated pipe
— secondary systems: the pipes within the buildings, and up to each dwelling in
residential blocks, even if no hydraulic break is installed
— tertiary systems: the dwelling internal circuits, radiators etc., even if no

hydraulic break is installed.
This approach for domestic properties is shown in Figure 5. A non-domestic building

is generally served by a primary and secondary system. An individual house is served
by a primary and tertiary system. A block of apartments is served by primary,
secondary and tertiary systems.
TERTIARY
heat network
SECONDARY
heat network
TERTIARY
PRIMARY
heat network
SECONDARY
Energy
centre
PRIMARY
9
Figure 5 Component parts of a heat network
Figure 6 Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, which features an 18 km district energy network
A2.2 Central plant

Although the emphasis in this Code of Practice is on the development of the heat
network itself, reference is also made to minimum requirements for the heat source at
the central plant or energy centre in as far as these impact on the overall heat network
system. More detailed guidance for the design of energy centre plant can be found in
other documents published by CIBSE and other bodies (see Annex K: References and
futher reading).
The Code excludes requirements for the building that houses the energy centre plant
or other equipment and associated building services, where the Building Regulations
need to be followed.
A2.3 District cooling

This Code of Practice does not set requirements for district cooling as such systems
are generally of a more bespoke nature and supply specific buildings. However,
where appropriate, mention is made of district cooling systems where the
requirements in the Code are equally applicable to district cooling or to highlight
design issues that are unique to district cooling. Guidance on the design of district
cooling systems is available from ASHRAE’s District Cooling Guide (ASHRAE, 2019),
reflecting the greater use of district cooling in the USA.
A2.4 Fourth and fifth generation heat networks

This edition of the Code of Practice does not set specific requirements for low-
temperature fourth generation heat networks or ultra-low-temperature fifth generation
systems, including ‘ambient loops’ (see Annex F). Although much of this Code is
applicable to these systems, there will be areas where very particular minimum
standards will be required. It is anticipated that future editions of this Code of Practice,
and supporting guidance documents, will cover fourth and fifth generation heat
networks. Outline definitions of third, fourth and fifth generation district heating and
10
cooling (DHC) systems are provided below (see Jones et al., 2019).
Third generation (3DHC): Traditional centralised topology with energy centre(s)
supplying heat outwards to buildings. Supplying at around 90–60 ºC and with
return temperatures at around 50–40 ºC, 3DHC would generally consist of well-
insulated, pre-insulated pipework with significant centralised thermal storage.
3DHC can supply domestic hot water (DHW) directly, but cooling would be a
separate system. No interchange/transfer of heat between buildings is possible.
Fourth generation (4DHC): Traditional centralised topology with energy centre(s)

supplying heat outwards to buildings. Supplying at around 60–45 ºC with a wider
DT and return temperatures at around 30–15 ºC, 4DHC would generally consist of
highly insulated, pre-insulated pipework that is more likely to be plastic, with very
large centralised thermal storage. 4DHC will usually need supplementary boosting
to supply DHW, and cooling would be a separate system. No interchange/transfer
of heat between buildings is possible.
Fifth generation (5DHC): Is a non-traditional topology with decentralised plant

(usually heat pumps) supplying heat along ultra-low-temperature headers in a
spine/backbone (ambient loops may be possible in smaller systems). Supplying at
<45 ºC, the DT is less relevant with return temperatures around 25–15 ºC. 5DHC
often consists of uninsulated plastic pipework with very low heat losses. 5DHC
usually includes seasonal thermal storage and perhaps some short-term localised
thermal storage. 5DHC will always need supplementary boosting to supply DHW
temperatures. 5DHC has a built-in cooling supply and can interchange heating/
cooling between buildings across the network.
A3 Applications for heat networks: challenges and

opportunities
A3.1 New-build applications

For new-build applications the major consideration is usually how the heat network
can contribute to meeting planning policies, Building Regulations and other client
requirements, e.g. those defined by reference to the BREEAM sustainability
assessment methods or similar schemes for dwellings or communities.
New buildings will have much higher standards of fabric insulation and airtightness
than existing buildings. Consequently, the heat losses from the network will be more
significant as a proportion of the total heat supplied. Minimising such heat losses
needs careful consideration in the design, to reduce operating costs and prevent
summer overheating in blocks of flats. In this context, the heat network is not just
the buried primary network between any residential blocks, but also the secondary
pipework from any block entry point up to each dwelling. Indeed, it is this latter
element which contributes most to heat losses. Poor design can lead not just to
excessive heat losses, but also to overheating in corridors and other common areas.
New buildings offer important opportunities to utilise optimal (perhaps lower)

operating temperatures, as the new heating systems can be designed accordingly,
with the consequent benefits of lower network losses and more efficient heat
production plant.
At the feasibility stage it can be difficult to estimate with accuracy the peak heat
demands and annual heat consumption and reliance must be made on modelling,
often with limited information. Wherever possible the designer should check 11
estimates against operational data from similar schemes.
A heat network project is likely to be developed in phases and so full occupancy
might not be achieved initially. In such cases the heat demand will build up slowly
over time. In some prestige London developments occupancy levels are low, which
might impact negatively on the operation of the scheme for some years to come. This
leads to a need to future-proof heat networks, whereby designs provide for future
flexibility without significantly increasing the costs for the early phases.
Ensuring suitable customer protection is key to any new heat network because they
are effectively unregulated monopolies. Key to the success of networks generally will
be the development of suitable customer protection schemes, such as the Heat Trust
scheme. Heat Trust is a customer protection scheme that sets service standards that
are comparable to those in the gas and electricity markets and provides access to an
independent ombudsman service. Providing clear information on heat prices,
predicted heating costs and comparisons with alternative heating systems will be
important to achieve customer satisfaction. Clients, designers and operators need to
ensure that heat network operating costs are minimised, so that the heat charges to
customers are fair, and not higher than the counterfactual.
A3.2 Retrofit applications

In retrofit applications, heat demands can often be estimated using actual fuel-use
data. The selection of heat network operating temperatures will typically be
determined or constrained by the highest temperatures used in certain buildings.
Working with owners/operators of these buildings to reduce operating temperatures
will mean that lower network return temperatures are achieved, which will benefit
the whole scheme. What may have become common operating practice in an existing
building might not align with the original design criteria. It may be possible for the
building to be operated with variable temperatures, providing more flexibility for the
heat network operation. The building itself may have been upgraded to reduce the
12
Figure 7 Existing buildings supplied by a new heat network, Stafford Cripps Estate, Islington
heat demand, thereby enabling lower mean (average of flow and return)

temperatures to be adopted with no loss of service.
A suitable location for a central plant (and with room for future expansion) is often
difficult to find in retrofit situations, especially in a city centre area. Consideration
should always be given to using distributed peak and standby capacity and existing
boilers to reduce the space needed at the energy centre.
Without the policy support from planning or defined client requirements commonly
found with new-build, customers are only likely to connect if there is a clear
commercial benefit, although in some sectors the low carbon intensity of heat
supplied from the network will also be a factor in the decision.
A3.3 Mixed developments of new and existing

Mixed developments are seen where a new development is subject to policies that
promote heat networks, which can then be used as a catalyst to initiate a heat
network to supply adjacent existing buildings. Alternatively, some schemes have
started by serving existing buildings, such as council offices, and then extended to
supply adjacent new developments.
The developer of the new-build may have to provide additional space on site for
plant to supply a wider area. Again, consideration should be given to using the boiler
plant in existing buildings for top-up and standby use.
Commercial and contractual issues are typically more complex in mixed

developments. However, for any heat network to grow over the long term it will
naturally contain a mix of new and existing buildings, therefore these issues should
not be considered as insurmountable.
A4 Key themes of the Code of Practice
The high-level strategic aims of this Code of Practice are achieved through the
following broad themes, which run throughout the whole document and need to be
considered at each stage of the project.
(A) Correct sizing of plant and network
When dealing with unfamiliar technology, designers will naturally be cautious, and
this can give rise to conservative designs that are more costly and have lower
performance. However, it is also necessary to consider the potential for expansion of
the scheme to adjacent buildings, especially when planning energy centre layouts
and sizing the primary network branches. Establishing a balance between sensible
future-proofing and disadvantageous oversizing is an important strategic
consideration.
(B) Achieving low network heat losses
There is evidence that network heat losses in many schemes are higher than they
should be, especially for distribution systems within newly constructed apartment
blocks. The economic and environmental impact of network heat losses depends on
the type of heat source — a low-carbon and low-cost source would have less impact
than a high-cost or high-carbon source. However, in most cases, high heat losses will
lead to higher carbon emissions, higher operating costs and a higher risk of
overheating, so designers need to adopt approaches that reduce the heat losses as 13
far as is practical.
(C) Achieving consistently low return temperatures and optimising flow
temperatures
A system designed with a low return temperature will have reduced peak volume
flow rates and therefore need smaller pipes, leading to lower heat losses and reduced
pumping energy. Maintaining low return temperatures under part-load conditions is
important for keeping heat losses and pumping energy low. This requires the
avoidance of any bypass flow, unless it is thermostatically controlled. Also, if the
design return temperatures are not achieved in practice then the heat network
capacity will be reduced.
— In existing buildings, the sizing of the existing heating systems will constrain
the choice of temperatures.
— In new developments, the designer has the opportunity to optimise the

operating temperatures.
— The selection of secondary/tertiary operating temperatures within buildings,

particularly in residential blocks, has a major impact on the selection/
optimisation of primary heat network temperatures.
Achieving low return temperatures requires the correct selection and balancing of
radiators, other heat emitters within the building and associated control valves. This
is often the responsibility of the building owner/designer and not the heat network
owner/operator.
The flow temperature for peak and part-load conditions needs to be optimised,
taking account of both the heat network and the heat sources. Lower flow
temperatures may result in a more efficient heat source, for example where heat
pumps are used. However, a lower flow temperature for peak design conditions
increases network costs as the DT is smaller and so pipe sizes are larger. Larger pipe
sizes will have higher heat losses for a given fluid temperature. The combination of a
wide DT, to reduce pipe sizes, and reducing the flow temperature at part load, to
minimise heat loss, will lead to good heat network efficiency.
(D) Use of variable flow control principles
Using variable flow control systems will result in lower flow rates and lower return
temperatures at part load. Variable speed pumps should be used, and should be
controlled such that the pump pressure differential reduces at part load to a level just
sufficient to maintain minimum design pressure differentials at the extremities of the
network. This important control principle will reduce heat losses and pumping energy.
(E) Optimising the use of low-carbon heat sources to supply the network
A primary driver for using heat networks is to enable low-carbon heat sources to be
used. These need to be sized to deliver a high proportion of the annual heat demand.
The control systems and any thermal storage should be designed to maximise the
contribution of low-carbon heat and to ensure the efficient and cost-effective
operation of these heat sources. Economic optimisation is key. Design and
specification of many elements of the heat network, but particularly the main heat
sources and thermal storage, should be driven by economic evaluation to establish
which option results in the lowest lifecycle cost.
(F) Delivery of a safe, high-quality scheme where risks are managed and
environmental impacts controlled
At all stages from feasibility through to operation, safety, quality and environmental
14
impacts need to be a priority. This could involve the adoption of international standards:
— BS EN ISO 9001(BSI, 2015a) for quality management

— BS EN ISO 14001 (BSI, 2015b) for environmental management
— BS ISO 45001 (BSI, 2018a) for occupational safety
— BS ISO 31000 (BSI, 2018b) for risk management
— BS ISO 55000 (BSI, 2014a) for asset management.
(G) Providing customers with affordable heat and a reliable service
Heat networks are natural monopolies and are currently unregulated. It is essential
that all heat network customers have access to dependable heat supplies and
excellent customer service. Issues relating to the quality of heat networks, particularly
reliability, have the potential to cause serious harm to customers. Also, the
affordability of heat depends on the overall efficiency and lifecycle costs of district
heating. A recent report by the UK Competition and Markets Authority (CMA, 2018)
recommends that heat networks should be regulated and that customers should be
provided with similar protections available to customers in the gas and electricity
sectors. Setting clearly defined levels of customer service is key to addressing this
problem. Delivering affordable heat through a reliable service that gives customer
satisfaction is one of the ultimate goals for any heat network and is a theme that
runs through this Code of Practice.
By focusing on these themes throughout the project, the heat network will be better
able to deliver efficient, cost-effective and low-carbon heat to customers.
Energy Heat Building Building heating

centre network connections systems
Space
heating
Hot water
heating
• Correctly-sized plant • Variable speed pumps • Two-port control valve • Two-port control valves
• Low-carbon heat • Surveillance system • Peak flow is limited • Heat emitters and DHW
source supplies a high • Optimised route, • Heat exchanger sized systems sized for low
proportion of demand temperatures, for low return return temperatures
• Thermal store used to diameters and temperatures • Heat emitters balanced
optimise operation insulation thickness • Heat meter to achieve design return
• Ability to vary flow temperatures
• Bypasses are
temperature temperature • Pipework designed with
controlled reduced sizes, reduced
lengths and increased
insulation thickness
Figure 8 Some typical features of a heat network
Figure 8 shows some of the typical features within each part of the system that are
needed for an efficient heat network. Further guidance on the design of heat
networks can be found in the References and Further reading sections of this Code of
Practice (Annex K), and especially in:
— CIBSE’s forthcoming Design Guide: Heat networks, currently in preparation
— Guidelines for Connecting to Heat Networks (Islington Council, 2015a, 2015b)

• Part 1: A guide for developers and building owners
15
• Part 2: A guide for building services designers
— Connecting to the Bristol Heat Network (Bristol City Council, 2018a, 2018b)
• Part 1: A guide for developers, building owners and architects

• Part 2: A technical guide for designers of building services
— District Heating Manual for London (GLA, 2014; update in progress)
— Community-led Heat Projects: A toolkit for heat networks (Regen SW, 2016)
— Assessment of the Costs, Performance and Characteristics of UK Heat Networks

(DECC, 2015)
— A Technical Guide to District Heating (Wiltshire et al., 2014)
— CIBSE AM12: Combined heat and power for buildings (CIBSE, 2013a)
A series of case studies on different types of heat network can be found in Heat
Networks Investment Project: Case study brochure (BEIS, 2018b).
A5 Checking compliance
A5.1 Key outputs and client checklists

The very existence of this Code of Practice begs the question ‘How does the client
check that the Code of Practice has been met?’ The Code therefore includes a series
of key outputs for each of the objectives — these are to be used as checks to prove
compliance. A series of associated checklists, available for download in .xls format
from www.cibse.org/knowledge, allows clients to check that outputs have been
produced and that expected performance is being met. The checklists are on a stage-
by-stage basis; an example from Stage 1 is shown in Figure 9.
This checklist approach provides a methodology for assessing whether the Code has
been met, as set out in the Statement of Applicability. It provides a means of
demonstrating throughout the project that the minimum requirements and those
aspects of best practice adopted by the project have been included in the design and
delivered in operation. This will provide a further step change for the sector in
showing that schemes have been designed, built and operated to the appropriate
standard. This will give confidence to developers, investors and customers that their
scheme is of high quality and will provide safe, low-cost, low-carbon heat. In
particular, it should underpin investment decisions and ensure operational outcomes.
This checklist approach helps build an evidence pack across all the stages of
development to help integrate the supply chain. The checklists also include
performance measurement throughout the whole development process, allowing
clients to set initial targets and then monitor against these at each stage. Clients may
wish to use registered heat network assessors/auditors (details can be found at
www.cibsecertification.co.uk) to check that the checklists/processes have been
completed correctly. However, heat network experts may also be called upon to advise
on detailed technical issues that arise, and on the modifications required to mitigate
these. We also anticipate a future market for self-assessment and for assessment by
third parties under a relevant quality assurance scheme. The combination of audits,
checklists, an evidence pack and performance measurement should result in better
heat networks and greater confidence for developers/investors. The stage-by-stage
performance monitoring and use of the evidence pack is shown in Figure 10.
16
CP1 STAGE 1 Preparation & Briefing checklist Use the drop-down to colour code columns D-G as per the key and include changes/explanation for variance/exceptions in column H
OBJECTIVE KEY OUTPUTS CP1 output Included in Output signed- RISK level Risk mitigation Change/Reason for variance/Exception
developed? evidence off?
1.1 To commission the project in accordance with pack?
the Code of Practice
Output 1.1a - Project brief/specification for the project N/A YES YES HIGH
Output 1.1b - Client plan for monitoring progress and
begin the initial evidence pack
N/A YES YES LOW
Output 1.1c - Team roles, responsibilities and
qualifications log
YES YES NO MEDIUM
1.2 To develop contracts that are fair and equitable Output 1.2a – Proposed service level plan in line with the
with customers Heat Trust requirements
YES YES YES MEDIUM
Output 1.2b – Heat, cooling & power sales proposed
contracts
YES YES YES LOW
Output 1.2c – Target heat price YES YES YES LOW
Output 1.2d – Intention to join Heat Trust or equivalent
customer protection scheme
YES YES YES MEDIUM
1.3 To define appropriate service levels for the heat
supply
Output 1.3a - Proposed heat supply service levels YES YES YES HIGH
Output 1.3b - Proposed metering & monitoring
arrangements
YES YES YES HIGH
1.4 To develop a detailed CP1 monitoring plan and
feasibility study brief
Output 1.4a – A detailed CP1 monitoring plan YES YES YES HIGH
Output 1.4b – Statement of applicability YES YES YES HIGH
Output 1.4c – Feasibility study brief YES YES YES HIGH
STAGE 1 Preparation & Briefing performance aims/targets Initial Aims Estimated & Output signed- RISK level Risk mitigation Change/Reason for variance/Exception
included in off?
evidence
pack?
ENERGY CENTRE - Average variable cost (p/kWh) YES YES MEDIUM
ENERGY CENTRE - Average fixed costs (£/yr) YES YES HIGH
BUILDING/BLOCK (Additional to EC) - Average variable

ECONOMIC VIABILITY Cost of heat cost (p/kWh) [Block by block if different]
YES YES HIGH
delivered p/kWh
BUILDING/BLOCK (Additional to EC) - Average fixed cost
(Annual average all inclusive) (£/yr) [Block by block if different]
YES YES HIGH
DWELLING - Average variable cost (p/kWh) YES YES HIGH
DWELLING - Average fixed costs (£/dwelling/yr) YES YES HIGH
ENERGY CENTRE EFFICIENCY (% annual ENERGY CENTRE PLANT EFFICIENCY (%) of each plant item
YES YES HIGH
average all inclusive) e.g. LZC1, LZC2, Boilers etc
ENERGY CENTRE - Primary heat network loss (kWh/yr) YES YES HIGH
BUILDING/BLOCK - Average primary Summer return

temperature at the building/block (°C)
YES YES HIGH
BUILDING/BLOCK - Average primary Winter return

YES YES HIGH
NETWORK HEAT LOSSES BUILDING/BLOCK - Secondary heat network loss
YES YES HIGH
(Annual average kWh/yr) (kWh/dwelling/yr)
DWELLING - HIU Average return temperature based on

HIU performance and space heating design and set up (°C)
YES YES HIGH
DWELLING - HIU standby heat losses (W) YES YES HIGH
DWELLING - Time to deliver 50°C to the kitchen tap YES YES HIGH
ENVIRONMENTAL
Heat carbon intensity ENERGY CENTRE - Kg CO2 /kWh heat
YES YES HIGH
Kg CO2 /kWh heat (Annual average all inclusive)
(Annual average all inclusive)
STAGE 1 Preparation & Briefing SIGN-OFF STAGE 1 fully Date both KEY Risk mitigation actions KEY Ch anges/Reason for variance/Exception
signed-off? fully
signed-off?
Have all the CP1 outputs been produced for STAGE 1?
Client signature Client technical advisor signature YES
Have all the agreed performance targets been set for
STAGE 1 ? Client signature Client technical advisor signature NO
Have the STAGE 1 outputs/targets been included in
the evidence pack? Client signature Client technical advisor signature NO
Has the level of risk been allocated to the STAGE 1
outputs/targets? Client signature Client technical advisor signature N/A
Figure 9 Example from the CP1 checklists

CP1 Heat Networks Code of Practice checklist Draft v2 April 2018
Client sets
initial
performance
targets PERFORMANCE MONITORING

Stages
Construction Customer
Preparation Operation &
Feasibility Design & installation Commissioning satisfaction &
and briefing maintenance
obligations
EVIDENCE PACK
An evidence
pack that builds
throughout the
project
Figure 10 Continual performance monitoring and use of the evidence pack
17
Use of this Code of Practice is voluntary and so, in order for standards to be raised,
clients need to specify its use in briefs and contracts. The client checklists are an integral
part of demonstrating compliance and support the overall aims of the Code by:
— encouraging the setting of performance targets by the client at the outset of a
project, which should be agreed by all parties involved and tracked throughout
the project
— allowing the client and suppliers to record actual measured performance and
confirm that it meets the agreed targets
— allowing the client and suppliers to record the completion of the Code’s
objectives for inclusion in an evidence pack (which can then be passed on to
the next stage of the project).
There may be some objectives within the Code that cannot be identified as fully
completed at the end of the stage in which they occur as ongoing monitoring/
measurement is required. For example, only in-use performance will ultimately
confirm whether targets have been met or not. In these instances, the checklist
should be used to record that reasonable efforts have been made to ensure that the
minimum requirements, or any variations as agreed in the Statement of Applicability,
have been met.
It is the client’s responsibility to use these checklists in a responsible and appropriate

manner. CIBSE and the ADE bear no responsibility for the performance of a heat
network at any stage or for the advice or recommendations made by individual
assessors on any particular project.
It is the client’s responsibility to set the performance targets. The performance targets
agreed will vary according to specific project requirements (such as connection to
existing buildings or allowing for future development) and care needs to be taken
when comparing different schemes.
A5.2 How to use the checklists

The checklists should be used by clients as a tool to monitor and ensure correct use
of the Code of Practice. This can be done for individual stages and/or across an entire
project. A suggested process for using the checklists is as follows:
(1) The client decides to apply the Code across a heat network project. At the
outset a clear brief and performance targets are agreed for the project and
suppliers agree to adhere to the Code. The client should also make clear
whether any best practice items are to be included in the design. A Statement
of Applicability should also be developed to identify any parts of the Code that
are not relevant to the particular scheme and also any additional items to be
included and any best practice items that the client requests.
(2) Optionally at this stage, the client could employ a heat network assessor (or other
qualified third party) to complete these checklists and oversee the project,
including assessment of performance at Stages 5, 6 and 7. Ideally, checking should
start before the end of each phase so that there is time to rectify any issues arising.
(3) At key milestones the client and the client’s technical advisors should check
progress and performance targets (notably at the end of each stage) and
re-assess/update/measure evidence of adherence to the Code, which should be
compiled into an evidence pack.
(4) Where the Code has not been successfully applied or performance targets not
18
met, this should be explained by the client’s technical advisors and suggestions
made for remedial action. The client may choose to accept the justifications and

sign off the stage as completed, or take other appropriate action.
(5) Each Code objective has a series of key outputs and these should be entered
into the evidence pack when complete.
(6) Each stage of the process should be signed off by the client and the client’s
technical advisors. The stage sheet and evidence pack should then be formally
handed over to those carrying out the next stage of work to ensure continuity
during the project.
The checklists are provided in an Excel workbook (.xls file), which contains the
following worksheets:
— Project: to record overall project and assessment details
— How to use this document
— STAGE 1: Preparation and briefing checklist
— STAGE 2: Feasibility checklist
— STAGE 3: Design checklist
— STAGE 4: Construction and installation checklist
— STAGE 5: Commissioning checklist
— STAGE 6: Operation and maintenance checklist
— STAGE 7: Customer satisfaction and obligations checklist
— Overall Project Summary
— Performance Metrics: a summary of project KPIs with outline definitions
— Evidence Pack Contents: a list of items required in the evidence pack
— Building Connection Checklist: an example of the information required about

each building connection
— Dwelling HIU Commissioning Checklist: an example commissioning sheet.
For each stage of the project the checklists are used to record whether:
— the Code objectives have been met and the key outputs developed
— the client performance targets have been set/met
— the evidence pack includes all the outputs and performance targets
— all of the above have been signed off by the client and/or the client’s technical
advisors
— any exceptions/changes have been logged and justified and remedial action
taken as appropriate.
The staged approach in the checklists includes:
— Applicability: The Code of Practice is designed to be applicable to a range of

different projects, at different scales and applications. The client (with advisors 19
where appropriate) should complete a Statement of Applicability at the outset
of the project, in order to define which of the minimum requirements from the
Code will be applied and, for those that are applicable, whether or not they
require modification. Where it is decided to amend or exclude a requirement
then the Statement of Applicability should provide a full justification of the
decision, which is included in the evidence pack for the project. The Statement
of Applicability can also be used to record any additional requirements that
need to be included and any best practice elements that the client requests. The
stage checklists allow ‘N/A’ to be selected from a pull-down list to indicate
aspects that are not applicable.
— Key outputs: Each stage of the project has a number of key outputs, which are
used to record whether the Code objectives have been met. Supporting notes
and/or guidance should be provided, particularly where suggestions can be
made for improvement. Where software modelling has been carried out then
copies of the model should also be included in the evidence pack.
— Performance targets: Each stage of the project must have a record of whether
performance targets have been set, reviewed or met (as appropriate for the
stage). (These are set as Initial aims by the client at Stage 1; updated as Client
targets during Stages 2 and 3; and then as Confirmed client targets when
actual performance is measured during Stages 5, 6 and 7.) During Stages 2, 3
and 4, the assessment will be based on whether the design is likely to achieve
the performance targets, with areas of risk highlighted (e.g. where certain
aspects of the design could result in targets being missed). A summary of the
performance metrics is provided in the Performance Metrics worksheet, which
includes an outline definition for each key performance indicator (KPI). These
outline definitions may need to be tailored to meet unusual aspects of a
particular scheme, and any tailoring should be recorded in the checklists and
evidence pack. Where software has been used to calculate performance targets
then copies of the model should also be included in the evidence pack.
— Evidence pack: Key outputs and the printed/signed checklists need to be

included in an ongoing evidence pack to record progress and to provide an
audit trail. This evidence pack should then be formally handed over to those
with lead responsibility for the next stage of work. The evidence pack will be
owned by the client and sensitive cost information might be redacted for wider
circulation. A full list of items to include in the evidence pack is shown in the
Evidence Pack Contents worksheet. Where possible, it may be advantageous to
develop a ‘digital twin’ of the scheme and include this in the evidence pack,
although this should support, not replace, key outputs.
— Stage sign-off forms: At the end of each stage, the client and the client’s
technical advisors should sign off the stage as completed, along with the lead
designer/contractor for that stage (e.g. feasibility consultant). If an independent
assessor has been appointed to oversee the project according to the Code of
Practice, they should also sign off the stage. If agreed performance targets have
not been met, or are assessed to be ‘at risk’, or if aspects of the Code have not
been adhered to, the client may still choose to sign off the stage if acceptable
justifications have been made by their technical advisors. Otherwise remedial
action must be taken as appropriate.
— The overall project summary shall be completed at the end of each individual
stage to provide a summary of how the project has performed against the Code
objectives and the client’s requirements.
Additional guidance to support setting and monitoring of performance targets, such

as recommended methodologies for metering, commissioning and acceptance
testing, is provided in Annexes B and C. The steps in a typical stage of the Code of
20
Practice are shown in Figure 11.
Stage 1
Statement of Applicability
Performance CP1 Evidence

targets objectives pack
Sign-off sheet
Handover to next stage
Stage 2
Figure 11 Typical steps in each stage of the Code

Customer
Stages
Preparation Construction Operation &

Feasibility Design Commissioning satisfaction &
and briefing & installation maintenance
obligations
CHECK CHECK CHECK CHECK CHECK Annual Annual Heat

Final brief Final Final design Final Final operational Trust check
feasibility construction commissioning check and and report
and handover report
Figure 12 Possible timing of the CP1 checks
Figure 12 shows some key milestones that could be used by the client or assessor for
monitoring the progress of the project and completing the checklists. However, these
are illustrative only, and alternative approaches could be agreed between the key
parties as required. Each stage is likely to be an iterative process and it may be
necessary to check individual elements as they are completed. Also, it may be
appropriate to carry out intermediate checks, e.g. during the design stage, as only
checking at the end of the stage may mean it is too late to challenge early design
assumptions.
Where a project is already underway, it is acceptable to introduce the CP1 process at

any stage, although, where possible, every effort should be made to complete the
checklists and evidence pack for the stages already carried out. Where a project is
being built-out in phases the checklists should be applied to each phase, such that
the final overall scheme complies with the Code.
Where ownership of scheme development changes during the project lifecycle (e.g. if
a local authority promoter hands over a project to a design, build and operate energy
service company, as shown in Figure 3) then clear handover procedures will need to
be put in place to ensure continuity in application of the Code. The original project
promoter/client will need to require the new owner to be compliant with CP1. The
new owner will then need to review work to date and the evidence pack in order to
be content that they can take on the obligation to be CP1 compliant. There may also 21
need to be a sign-on form at the start of a stage where there is a change in owner.
A5.3 Measuring performance
The checklists provide a framework for a client to set performance targets for a heat
network project. Annex C provides additional guidance on recommended
performance metrics and their measurement.
Metering requirements
The use of data is key to ensuring optimal performance of a heat network —
consultants should therefore follow the principle that ‘if you can’t measure it, you
can’t manage it’.
Due to legislation, almost all new and existing buildings connected to a heat network
will need to incorporate heat meters. Therefore, metering infrastructure in new
developments will need to be installed by default. Through the introduction of a few
additional meters and temperature sensors, much more information can be gathered
about the behaviour of the heat network. Early consideration of the planned
metering approach is recommended. This should include installing incoming
electricity and gas meters, energy generation meters, heat output and heat consumer
meters, and also electricity meters to monitor pumping and other parasitic
consumption, which can contribute significantly to the cost of running a heat
network. Meter points should be specified in order to substantiate design
assumptions and be linked to performance assumptions used in cost models.
The financial value of metering is dependent on the potential energy savings that can
be obtained by using the data. Most meters are only used to record energy data
whereas the monitoring of volume flow rate and flow and return temperatures is also
of great value in providing information that will help improve the efficiency of the
heat network. A small fault in a heat network has the potential to greatly increase
the return temperatures and, in turn, significantly increase the heat loss of the
network. Installing a few extra heat meters and temperature sensors in critical
locations on the network is almost always economically justified.
Heat metering is addressed throughout this Code of Practice, particularly in

Objectives 2.6, 3.8, 5.4 and 6.2. Further information is provided in Annex C. Figure 13
shows the basic heat metering required at the energy centre, building/block and,
normally, in each dwelling. It is essential that the metering strategy provides a good
understanding of the primary, secondary and tertiary parts of the heat network
separately, as shown in Figure 5.
Performance requirements
As part of the commissioning process, tests must be carried out to verify that the
system conforms to minimum performance requirements agreed by the client, as
recorded in the checklists. These tests should be conducted by a suitably trained/
qualified commissioning engineer with heat network experience. See Stage 5.
Tests will be carried out for each dwelling or thermal substation and for the overall
system. The test methodology to be used for dwellings is set out in Annex B. Where
measured performance is below requirement performance, performance deficiencies
must be remedied by the contractor before practical completion and recorded in the
evidence pack.
A second analysis of system performance, using metered data, should be carried out
by a suitably trained/qualified commissioning engineer throughout the defects
liability period, in order to ensure that performance requirements are being met.
Further information is provided in Annex C.
As heat networks vary in type and scale, the metering/measurement strategy will
22
need to be carefully tailored to each scheme.
Thermal
substation
HM3
M M HM7
M HM6
M HM5
HM4
M
Energy
input HM1
M
Energy
centre
M
HIU
M HM2
M HM Heat metering measurement points
Figure 13 General heat metering arrangement
Acceptance testing
As part of the commissioning process, tests must be carried out to verify that the
system actually provides the expected service and conforms to the minimum
performance requirements agreed by the client, as recorded in the checklists. These
acceptance tests are detailed in Objective 5.7.
Acceptance tests are to be carried out for the energy centre, the on-site heat
network, the district heating network (where applicable) and for each individual
dwelling or thermal substation (where applicable). Further information on
commissioning and acceptance testing is provided in Annex B.
A6 Responsibilities
A typical heat network project involves several different organisations that all need to
work together to achieve a successful scheme. In general, the responsibilities will be
clear from the context of the minimum requirements in this Code of Practice. The Code
needs to be adopted by all parties involved in developing and operating the heat
network. It is not an appropriate use of the Code to seek to make it a contractual
requirement on one party. The evidence pack builds an audit trail throughout the
project and provides transition/handover between the different parties involved.
Each project will be different, but Table 1 describes some of the typical
23
responsibilities that may be carried out by each organisation.
Table 1 Typical responsibilities during a heat network project
Organisation Responsibility
Central government • Central government sets overall heat policy, develops appropriate
incentive mechanisms and works to remove barriers to heat networks.
Local government • Local government promotes the strategic vision and develops supporting
(including devolved and policies, especially in relation to planning to enable local connections.
combined authorities) Local government may also be able to overcome land ownership issues
where multiple owners would hinder the development of a single network.
Client or owner/ • Take ownership of the scheme development process and make key
developer of the heat decisions to progress the project.
network • Define the strategic scope and future-proofing requirements for the
systems.
This may be a local • Agree/approve the Statement of Applicability to confirm the scope of
authority, a housing the project.
association, a building • Agree key performance targets, responsibilities and service level
management agreements (SLAs) for the scheme.
organisation, a private
sector energy service • Appoint the project team, including the Principal Designer and Principal
Contractor (under the CDM Regulations).
company (ESCo), a
public–private • Arrange finance.
partnership or a • Lead the planning application process for new building.
community energy • Lead on compliance, planning conditions/obligations, post planning
company. approval.
• Commission a feasibility study.
(The role of the
• Commission the designer.
developer and/or owner
may change during the • Appoint the construction contractor.
project, see Figure 3.) • Determine how the scheme will be operated and appoint an operating
contractor and heat supplier.
• Develop and sign the contracts for construction, operation and heat sales.
• Comply with all relevant legislation, in particular the Heat Network
(Metering and Billing) Regulations 2014 (currently under consultation).
Client or owner/ • Agree the expected future peak demands in consultation with the design
developer of new team and the proposed heat network operator.
buildings • Estimate projected annual consumptions and heat demand profiles
where possible (by the project design team) and agree with the heat
network operator.
• Define design operating temperatures for the building services and losses
in the secondary network and agree with the heat network operator.
• Ensure that the operating temperatures have been selected to be optimal
for the scheme and the building services design with the aim of achieving
the desired return temperatures in practice and under all load conditions.
• Establish a phasing plan for the development.
• Lead the planning application process for the new buildings.
• Lead on compliance, planning conditions/obligations, post planning
approval.
• Commission the building services correctly.
• Operate the building in accordance with the heat network operator
recommendations (or instruct their facilities manager to do so).
• Consider whether the scheme could also supply adjacent buildings to
bring added value.
• Agree connection and supply agreements with larger heat networks.
• Ensure arrangements for onward supply of heat to customers are in
place, where necessary.
Owner of existing • Determine/agree current and future peak demands and agree with the
buildings heat network operator, taking account of any planned energy efficiency
measures.
• Estimate projected annual consumptions and heat demand profiles
where possible, and agree with the heat network operator, taking
account of any planned energy efficiency measures.
• Determine opportunities to modify the building’s heating system and its
operation to benefit the heat network.
• Ensure arrangements for onward supply of heat to final customers are
24 in place, where necessary.
Table 1 Typical responsibilities during a heat network project — continued

Technical feasibility study • Identify the scope and extent of the heat network along with any scope
consultant gaps.
• Survey existing buildings and model any potential new developments.
• Determine peak demands and annual consumptions and provide an
independent view of these.
• Carry out masterplanning to establish clusters/phasing and potential
connection routes.
• Develop the concept design and operational philosophy.
• Estimate projected annual consumptions.
• Evaluate existing, new and future heat sources.
• Prepare capital expenditure and operational expenditure estimates.
• Determine future cost of heat.
• Conduct whole-life cost analysis and prepare an investable business
case.
• Establish environmental benefits and impacts.
• Identify key planning issues.
• Develop outline risk register and mitigation strategies.
• Produce a common strategy, requirements and specifications that are to
be applied to all future stages/phases.
• Work with the legal and financial feasibility consultants to develop an
investable business case.
• Recommend preferred design options and associated performance
targets.
Legal and financial Workstreams (defined outside CP1) are likely to cover the following:
advisors
• Development of the technical advisors’ economic model into a full financial
model which examines the project in nominal terms, inclusive of tax, and
Detailed consideration of allows for options depending on commercial and funding structures.
the legal and financial
workstreams is beyond • Advice on the availability of different sources of funding available to
different commercial structures.
the scope of this Code of
Practice, which is a • State aid advice, including consideration of the General Block Exemption
technical compliance Regulation.
document. However, it is • Commercial advice around the structuring of the heat network business,
worth noting that: including consideration of an exit strategy and development of
strategies for procurement, heat pricing and developing/negotiating
• heat network projects contractual terms, as necessary.
are expected to
include legal and • General legal advice around planning, property law, procurement
regulations, consumer protection, competition law, Heat Network
financial advisors
(Metering and Billing) Regulations etc.
alongside technical
advisors to ensure • For public sector bodies, advice on statutory powers (e.g. local authority
schemes are powers to operate heat networks) and public procurement constraints.
investable
Technical/legal crossover will include areas such as:
• the technical
workstream will • KPIs and accompanying SLAs with the design, build, commissioning and
intersect with the operation of the network and its associated assets.
legal and financial • Considering compliance with health and wellbeing requirements relating
workstreams in a to the scheme, in particular air quality and acoustic requirements.
number of areas • Considering compliance with health and safety and building safety
(notably see legislation, including the Building Regulations.
Objectives 2.13 and
3.14). Technical/financial crossover will include areas such as:
• The capital cost of the scheme and therefore the funding requirement.
• Analysis of where operating costs can be reduced to deliver a scheme
with a reduced whole-life cost, i.e. analyse where higher efficiency plant
can be used to ensure low operation and maintenance costs.
• The operating cost of the scheme: how volatile are those costs and how
can volatility be managed? (e.g. through contractual arrangement).
• The operating performance of the scheme: how sensitive are the
scheme’s economics to unplanned operating outcomes? (e.g. worse
distribution losses, unplanned outages, less operating capacity than
forecast, compliance with scheme rules for financial incentives etc.).
• The tariff, connection charges, developer contributions, power revenues
etc. that make up the revenue stack.
25
Table 1 Typical responsibilities during a heat network project — continued
Legal and financial All three roles intersect in commercial areas such as:
advisors
• Procurement strategy, where technical advice could cover the route to
— continued
market, contractor capabilities, subcontracting, cost control, packaging
of contracts etc.
• Legal and commercial structures can have technical issues, e.g.
commercial separation may influence hydraulic separation, which has
technical pros and cons.
• Costs of ongoing compliance with building safety legislation.
Heat network designer • Produce the designer’s health and safety risk assessments.
• Design to achieve a safe, cost-effective and efficient network.
• Select optimum routes and resolve infrastructure obstacles.
• Select pipe types/trenching methods.
• Specify quality requirements, including developing KPIs and SLAs.
• Check design intent is implemented throughout construction.
• Assist in the planning application process.
• Make allowance for future expansion.
• Make allowance for future changes in network operating temperature
and the impact on pipework sizes, heat exchangers etc.
• Make allowance for future low-carbon heat sources.
• Prepare a commissioning plan/programme and KPIs to be demonstrated.
Heat network • Manage health and safety on site.

construction contractor • Control the quality of installation.
• Demonstrate through the CP1 checking process that the installation
meets the original specification and performance and delivery standards.
• Liaise with other utilities and highways authority, building control and
other regulatory bodies (e.g. Environment Agency).
• Liaise with the designer for route variations and ensure stress analysis is
carried out on any changes.
Commissioning • Develop and conduct detailed commissioning procedures to ensure the

contractor design intent is realised and enable a smooth handover.
• Demonstrate commissioning KPIs are achieved.
Heat network operator • Ensure health and safety for operatives, customers and the public.
and maintenance • Provide input and advice during design development and construction.
contractor • Provide a reliable heat service.
• Operate a procedure for handling customer complaints.
• Maintain water treatment.
• Maintain energy centre plant and equipment in accordance with
planned preventative maintenance (PPM) schedules.
• Operate the system in accordance with the design.
• Continually monitor and review the system for efficient operation.
• Carry out lifecycle maintenance and repair of plant.
• Monitor network alarms and rectify faults.
• Maintain statistics and provide reports.
• Provide billing and operational information to customers.
Heat supplier • Develop heat supply contracts, especially with anchor customers that
may have long-term contracts.
• Ensure service provision is in line with the Heat Trust scheme or equivalent.
• Provide metering and billing services for customers.
• Provide customers with good information and instructions.
• Review credit risk for non-payment.
• Plan and undertake actions to reduce heat costs and CO2 emissions.
• Create and manage a plant capital replacement fund.
• Enable plant replacement at end of life.
• Enable plant upgrade works based on performance and regulations.
Final customer for the • Enter into contracts for the purchase of heat and recognise and fulfil
heat their own obligations under the contract.
26
Part B: The requirements
1: Preparation and briefing
Objectives:
1.1 To commission the project in accordance with the Code of Practice
1.2 To develop contracts that are fair and equitable for customers
1.3 To define appropriate service levels for the heat supply
1.4 To develop a detailed CP1 monitoring plan and feasibility study brief
The requirements — Stage 1: Preparation and briefing
Objective 1.1: To commission the project in accordance with the

Code of Practice
Why is this objective important?
The client organisation will wish to procure a heat network that will provide a high
level of service for customers and be safe, reliable and cost-effective. The owner/
developer will also need to comply with planning conditions set for new
developments and in many cases will require a low-carbon supply with other
environmental and sustainability benefits. This client organisation may be a local
authority, an energy service company (ESCo), a property developer or a community
organisation, but all will ultimately be responsible for the performance of the project
and should therefore take the lead in implementing this Code of Practice. There are
very different technical and commercial routes to reaching a successful heat network;
examples are shown in a series of case studies on different types of heat networks in
Heat Networks Investment Project: Case study brochure (BEIS, 2018b).
Minimum requirements
1.1.1 The client shall ensure that this Code of Practice is included as a key
requirement in briefs and specifications, as appropriate for the delivery of:
• masterplanning and feasibility studies
• design services
• construction contracts
• commissioning contracts
• operation and maintenance contracts
• comprehensive energy services contracts or concession agreements.
1.1.2 The client shall monitor implementation of this Code of Practice on a regular
basis, and in particular at the end of each stage of the project. This shall be
achieved using the associated CP1 checklists to establish compliance of the
heat network scheme against the minimum requirements listed under each
objective. Clear evidence shall be collected throughout the project into an
evidence pack to provide an audit trail to demonstrate that the Code
requirements have been met. It is likely that the value of the checklists/Code
review process will be directly proportional to the heat network knowledge
and experience of the person undertaking the assessment. The requirements
of BS ISO 31000: Risk management. Guidelines (BSI, 2018b) should be
followed throughout this stage.
1.1.3 The client and the client’s technical advisors shall develop a clear
specification and set of assumptions about the proposed heat network. This
shall include the buildings/dwellings to be connected, expected occupancy
levels and proposed build-out dates.
1.1.4 The client shall monitor the predicted and actual performance against the
metrics shown in the associated CP1 checklists. This should be done, at a
minimum, at the end of each stage of the project to ensure that
performance targets set at the briefing stage are achieved in operation.
1.1.5 The client shall ensure that the evidence pack is signed off as complete at the end
of each stage and formally handed over to the technical lead on the subsequent
stage to ensure a connected supply chain throughout the whole project.
1.1.6 The client shall ensure that all those working on the project are fully
conversant with their CP1 responsibilities, in particular to conduct an
effective handover process between each stage, and this shall be clearly
30
documented in the evidence pack.
1.1.7 The client shall provide feedback to CIBSE/ADE as to the operation of the

Code of Practice and any points where compliance has been found to be too
onerous or impractical, so that the Code can be progressively improved.
1.1.8 The client shall ensure that suitably qualified and experienced (internal and/or
external) people are employed on the project, appropriate to each stage (see
1.1.2). The client shall also ensure that appropriate resource is available to
carry out the work. Consideration should be given to appointing a technical
feasibility study advisor at an early stage to help plan the Stage 2 work.
1.1.9 The client shall provide designers with clear responsibilities using the
guidance in BSRIA BG 6/2018: Design Framework for Building Services (5th
edition) (BSRIA, 2018a) where appropriate.
1.1.10 The client and the client’s technical advisors shall develop a Statement of
Applicability to clearly define and document where any of the minimum
requirements in the Code are not to be included in the brief or specification.
(Also see 1.4.2.) This may particularly be the case when carrying out early
stage feasibility studies. However, clients need to use the Statement of
Applicability in a responsible manner, taking an ‘everything is included’
approach and then providing significant justification as to why certain
aspects are not applicable to their particular scheme. The Statement of
Applicability should be recorded in the checklists and the evidence pack. The
Statement of Applicability can also be used to record any additional items
that need to be included and any best practice that the client requests.
1.1.11 Where there is an existing heat network operator, their advice shall be
sought throughout the development of any new connections or extensions.
1.1.12 The client shall outline the level of risk that is appropriate to the particular
project and their investment (also see Objectives 2.10 and 3.12). Clients
should assign risks to the party best able to manage the risk. This should be
done in a responsible way so that risks are not assigned to customers.
Best practice
Best practice would be to:
BP1.1a use certified individuals or companies to implement the scheme. It

is expected that, in the future, a quality assurance system of
certified individuals or companies will be set up who have the
capability, systems and expertise to develop and operate heat
networks. Best practice would then be to use such certified
individuals or companies. It would also then be best practice to
appoint an independent certified individual to carry out an audit of
the project, to check that all of the Code’s minimum requirements
have been met and to produce an audit report.
Objective 1.1: Key outputs

Output 1.1a Project brief/specification for the project
Output 1.1b Client plan for monitoring progress and initial inputs into the
evidence pack
Output 1.1c Team roles, responsibilities and qualifications log
On completion, these key outputs shall be signed off in the CP1 checklists and
placed in the project evidence pack.
31
Objective 1.2: To develop contracts that are fair and equitable for
customers
At an early stage in any heat network project, it is important to set out the future
contractual intentions to ensure customer satisfaction. Any successful business needs
satisfied customers that will continue to purchase the product and pay their bills. For
a natural monopoly such as a heat network this is particularly important. Customer
satisfaction and retention will depend to a large degree on providing affordable heat
with fair and equitable contracts. See the Heat Networks Market Study (CMA, 2018).
1.2.1 The client shall set out the intended target cost of producing heat, cooling
and power (and price, as appropriate) and the proposed charging structure
to be offered to both non-domestic and domestic customers. The target heat
price shall include all components, namely p/kW·h, standing charge, capital
replacement charge and any other charges.
1.2.2 In residential and micro-business schemes, the client shall set out an
intention to join the Heat Trust, or an equivalent accredited, independent
heat customer protection scheme that has the same or more stringent
standards (see Objective 7.1). This intention shall be lodged directly with the
Heat Trust or equivalent scheme, and evidence of this intention shall be
included in the evidence pack.
1.2.3 The service standards proposed for residential and micro-business heat
customers shall be in line with the requirements of the Heat Trust scheme.
1.2.4 The intended contracts for the sale of heat, cooling and power (where
applicable) to non-domestic customers shall not discriminate between
customers except for valid reasons (including in relation to technical issues
such as capacity, temperature, capital contribution etc.).
1.2.5 The intended level of information provided to the customer shall be defined,
including the charges for heat, both fixed and variable, together with
predictions of annual costs and how these compare to alternative heating
systems.
1.2.6 A target level of availability of heat supply shall be defined for planned and
unplanned shutdown periods which recognises the cost–benefit balance in
setting the target.
1.2.7 Proposed customer compensation payments shall be defined should the

supply of heat be interrupted for longer than an agreed margin. For
example, for domestic and micro-business customers the Heat Trust terms
set out compensation payments for interruptions in heat supply.
1.2.8 The proposed maximum response time to attend to a heat supply fault shall
be clearly defined, in accordance with those set out in the Heat Trust
scheme; different times may be set for faults occurring outside the heating
season or for emergencies.
1.2.9 Specific arrangements shall be established to identify vulnerable customers

and provide additional support as appropriate, in accordance with those set
out in the Heat Trust scheme.
32
1.2.10 The method for providing alternative heating supply to vulnerable

customers, or to all customers, in the event of a prolonged fault shall be
defined.
1.2.11 Potential heat customers shall be provided with information about their heat
supply and terms and conditions before and during conveyancing, and when
they move into the property.
1.2.12 The proposed contract shall state how long-term heat network plant
replacement is to be funded, and also what the heat network operator owns
and maintains and what the customer owns and maintains.
Best practice
BP1.2a include suitable incentives in the proposed heat sales contract for
non-residential customers, given the importance to the network
owner/operator of maintaining low return temperatures. Examples
of incentives include:
• a discount for low return temperatures OR
• a penalty charge for high return temperatures OR
• a separate charge for volume of water drawn from the
network OR
• a peak demand charge expressed as £ per maximum m3/h.
All customers should be treated equally and fairly in this respect,

and technical support should be offered by the heat network
operator to assist customers in achieving low return temperatures
or low-volume use. The return temperature charges can be set to
reflect the additional costs arising from high return temperatures,
due to lower plant efficiency, higher pumping cost and higher heat
losses. Charges can also be fiscally neutral by using the ‘penalty’
income to pay the ‘discount’ paid to those with the lowest return
temperatures.

Output 1.2a Proposed service level plan in line with the Heat Trust requirements
Output 1.2b Heat, cooling and power sales proposed contracts
Output 1.2c Target heat price
Output 1.2d Intention to join Heat Trust or equivalent customer protection

scheme
33
Objective 1.3: To define appropriate service levels for the heat

supply
It is important that the service level for the heat supplied is defined as ultimately this
will determine the design and hence the costs of delivering the heat. A clear
statement of service level will enable customers to understand the service offered and
there will be less likelihood of disputes occurring.
1.3.1 An external air temperature shall be defined at which the heat supply
capacity shall be at its maximum. This design external air temperature shall
be determined using appropriate guidance, taking account of the location of
the scheme.
1.3.2 The intended maximum space heating supply capacity (in kW) for each
customer shall be defined at the design external air temperature and for the
assumed flow and return temperatures of the heat network. The intended
domestic hot water (DHW) supply capacity (in kW) for each customer shall be
defined based on the DHW supply temperature and the flow and return
temperatures of the heat network. By applying the appropriate diversity
factors discussed in Objective 3.2, the maximum flow rate from the heat
network can be defined.
1.3.3 The intended types of space heating and DHW systems shall be established
and the required primary, secondary and tertiary heat network flow and
return operating temperatures shall be determined (also see Objective 2.4).
1.3.4 The intended minimum flow temperature that will be available from the
network in the summer period shall be defined, taking into account the use
of variable flow temperature control and heat losses from the network.
1.3.5 The peak flow temperature and variations in flow temperature of the
network, e.g. seasonally or in relation to the external air temperature, shall
be defined in the heat supply contract with the customer. The contract shall
include the right for the district heating (DH) operator to vary the network
operating temperatures, provided the customer’s comfort/service levels are
still achieved.
1.3.6 For systems where the supply of space heating is shut down in summer, the
dates when space heating will be unavailable or the external air temperature
above which it will be shut down shall be defined.
1.3.7 For systems which are planned to operate intermittently, the operating hours
when the heating will be unavailable shall be defined (e.g. at night).
1.3.8 The intended points at which the heat supply will be metered shall be defined
and the arrangements for meter reading or prepayment shall be detailed,
including how access will be obtained to read the meter when necessary.
1.3.9 The intended arrangements for monitoring the supply to the customer and
for recording flow and return temperatures, pressures, flow rates and annual
consumptions shall be defined; a regime for this monitoring system shall be
defined, including periodic checks/calibration.
1.3.10 Where regular access is required to maintain equipment within the

34
customer’s property, e.g. the heat interface unit (HIU), the details of the
Figure 14 New-build housing supplied by a heat network — Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park
required frequency of visits and the nature of the work shall be defined in
the heat supply contract with the customer.
1.3.11 The demarcation point between the heat supplier’s system and the
customer’s system shall be clearly defined, together with the extent of
responsibility for operation and maintenance of each system, including the
method of isolation by each party in the case of an emergency.
1.3.12 The technical aspects of the heat supply contract shall be reviewed at each
stage of the design to ensure that there is compatibility between the
technical solution and the contract proposed.
Best practice
Best practice would be:
BP1.3a a commitment to provide regular information to customers

regarding their demand profiles and operating conditions, with the
aim of improving the overall operation of the heat network for the
benefit of both supplier and customers.
BP1.3b a commitment to provide information to customers on intended

penalties or payment deductions for failure to meet service levels.
BP1.3c a commitment to implement an online portal for consumers, to

enable customers to view their energy consumption data.

Output 1.3a Proposed heat supply service levels
Output 1.3b Proposed metering and monitoring arrangements
35
Objective 1.4: To develop a detailed CP1 monitoring plan and

feasibility study brief
It is essential that the whole of the CP1 process is monitored to underpin compliance
with this Code of Practice, but the ultimate objective is to build a heat network that
operates correctly and performs to the client’s requirements. This monitoring also
plays a vital part in achieving high levels of customer satisfaction.
At this early stage it is important to set a clear brief for the next stage of work in
order to ensure that any feasibility study is carried out in a structured and thorough
way by experienced professionals. Without a focused brief, it is unlikely that the
feasibility stage will provide the optimal heat network and low-carbon technology
solutions that are necessary to underpin the remainder of the development process.
1.4.1 The client and the client’s technical advisors shall agree the CP1 monitoring
plan/programme. The plan shall cover all aspects of the heat network scheme:
• heat generation (energy centre)
• heat distribution (the primary heat network and interfaces to the
buildings)
• building internal heat distribution (the secondary heat network within
the buildings)
• heat supply (the HIUs, tertiary space heating and hot water systems in
dwellings)
• customer engagement (information, meter reading and billing system).
1.4.2 The feasibility study brief shall include the Statement of Applicability
developed in 1.1.10 to reflect issues that are not applicable to the particular
scheme being developed. However, this needs to be carried out in a
responsible manner, taking an ‘everything is included’ approach and then
providing significant justification as to why certain aspects are not applicable
to their particular scheme.
1.4.3 The client and the client’s technical advisors shall develop a clear brief for the
feasibility study to be carried out in Stage 2. This shall be tailored to the
locality and will include:
• energy/heat mapping and masterplanning, to identify the main
opportunities for a heat network, the core scheme options, anchor loads,
future phases and their timeline, key dependencies, constraints and
strategic risks
• techno-economic feasibility and modelling of the main scheme options,
using a range of potential low-carbon technologies to supply the heat
network
• stakeholder engagement, to establish the appetite/suitability to connect
to a future heat network, stakeholder drivers and possible scheme
governance options
• a feasibility study report at the end of Stage 2 recommending the
optimum scheme, with sufficient detail to allow the design process to go
forward if a viable scheme has been identified.
Clients should consider the wider steps necessary to progress a heat network
36 project towards implementation, as shown in Table 2. Although much of
detailed project development and commercialisation falls outside the scope

of this Code of Practice, the technical feasibility and design teams need to
support this work. See BEIS’s collection of guidance for heat network
developers and members of the supply chain (at https://www.gov.uk/
government/collections/heat-networks-guidance-for-developers-and-the-
supply-chain).
Best practice
BP1.4a appoint a suitably qualified CP1 assessor, trained in checking

compliance with this Code of Practice.

Output 1.4a A detailed CP1 monitoring plan
Output 1.4b Statement of Applicability
Output 1.4c Feasibility study brief
Table 2 Steps in implementing a heat network (based on BEIS, 2018c, p. 16)
Steps Actions
Heat mapping and • Area-wide exploration, identification and prioritisation of heat
masterplanning network project opportunities/demands
• Identify anchor loads that could catalyse/underpin a heat network
Techno-economic feasibility • Technical feasibility and options appraisal
study • Scheme definition and concept design
• Detailed techno-economic modelling
• Development of whole-life financial model
• Initial scheme specific business model/commercial structures
options identification and evaluation
• Delivery programme and risk register
Detailed project development • Development of business/commercial model and financing
options
• Development of outline business case (for public sector this is
typically Green Book compliant depending on scheme size)
• Development of detailed financial model
• Development of procurement strategy
• Further scheme design including development of proposed
network
• Route, network sizes, and customer connections, development of
proposed energy centre solution and location
• Costing reviews to improve cost certainty; initial scoping and
development of commercial agreements
• Soft market testing
Commercialisation • Reasonable legal input, e.g. developing customer commercial
agreements, heat supply contracts, necessary land purchase, land
access arrangements etc.
• Further development of tariff structure for customer contracts
• Further development of financial model and business case and
associated commercial advice costs where necessary
• Potential for preparatory works depending on scheme needs,
assessed on a case-by-case basis
37
2: Feasibility
Objectives:
2.1 To achieve sufficiently accurate estimates of peak heat demands and
annual heat consumptions
2.2 To identify the most suitable low-carbon heat sources and location of an
energy centre
2.3 To determine the location of top-up and standby boilers and use of
existing boilers
2.4 To select suitable operating temperatures
2.5 To determine heat network distribution routes, pipe sizes and costs
2.6 To determine building connection costs, including heat metering
2.7 To minimise the negative impacts of phasing the development
2.8 To assess lifecycle operation, maintenance and replacement requirements,
costs and revenues
2.9 To conduct a consistent economic analysis and options appraisal
2.10 To analyse risks and carry out a sensitivity analysis
2.11 To assess environmental impacts and benefits
2.12 To develop a comprehensive feasibility study report
2.13 To contribute to the development of business structure, contract strategy
and procurement strategy
The requirements — Stage 2: Feasibility
Objective 2.1: To achieve sufficiently accurate estimates of peak

heat demands and annual heat consumptions
The feasibility process begins with heat mapping to identify potential connectable loads.
The first step in any feasibility work is to estimate both the peak heat demand (MW) and
annual heat consumption (MW·h/year). The peak heat demand is the highest demand
that the network is designed to supply and will typically determine the peak heat
production capacity. The diameter and cost of the network and the pump selection are
functions of both the peak demand and the DT (temperature difference between flow
and return) at peak demand. The annual heat consumption is the total heat delivered to
the customers in an average year. This determines the heat revenues to the scheme and,
together with the daily and annual profiles of this consumption, the capacity of the
low-carbon plant that will supply the majority of the heat. These estimates are therefore
fundamental to the feasibility study and sufficient accuracy is needed.
For existing buildings, the estimates will mainly rely on fuel use as recorded by meters
and other site information. It will be of benefit for the building owner and the heat
network operator to examine opportunities to reduce peak heat demands and reduce
the building’s system return temperature before committing to the investment in the
heat network, in order to avoid unnecessary investment in capacity and less efficient
operation. Economic energy efficiency improvements should be undertaken prior to
DH connection, such that the connection size and long-term economic assessment of
the DH connection is correct.
For new buildings, a modelling approach will be needed. It is important that the
modelling reflects the expected operation of the building in practice, which may
differ significantly from standardised assessments required to show compliance with
relevant Building Regulations.
2.1.1 For existing and new buildings, heat, cooling and electricity demands (where
appropriate) shall be based on the highest frequency data available, e.g.
half-hourly, or estimated on an hourly basis. These estimates should be
based on actual fuel used from meter readings wherever available, and using
an assessment of existing equipment efficiencies. As a last resort, energy
benchmarks and appropriate demand profiles can be used to estimate the
half-hourly consumption patterns. All of this work should take account of
any potential for cost-effective investments in energy efficiency.
2.1.2 When actual consumption data is not available then annual hourly energy
demand profiles, including peak demands, shall be estimated from a
combination of a knowledge of the installed boiler capacity and how these
are operated in practice and benchmarks using building type, floor areas and
age of the building, supplemented by modelling using CIBSE TM54 (CIBSE,
2013b). Benchmarks for peak and annual heat demand estimates based on
floor areas in feasibility studies are given in the following references:
• CIBSE Energy Benchmarking Tool (CIBSE, 2019b) [available online via
CIBSE Knowledge Portal]
• CIBSE TM46: Energy benchmarks (for existing buildings) (CIBSE, 2008)
• CIBSE Guide F: Energy efficiency in buildings (for existing buildings)
(CIBSE, 2012)
• BSRIA BG 9/2011: Rules of Thumb (5th edition) (BSRIA, 2011a)
• Building Energy Efficiency Survey, 2014–15: Overarching report (BEIS,
40
2016a).
Benchmarks should only be used when actual consumption data is not

available and should be clearly referenced. An iterative approach should be
used, beginning the feasibility study with benchmark data and gradually
replacing this with actual data where possible. Data from the local heat
network operator or data obtained from similar operational schemes can
also be used.
2.1.3 Temporary monitoring of key existing buildings and buildings with atypical
heat loads should also be considered at this stage so that accurate data on
peak heat loads and seasonal and daily variations in heat loads is available.
Where possible, such monitoring should continue for at least a year. Half-
hourly data collection from gas meters can be arranged through the gas
supplier at minimal cost, from which heat demand profiles can be estimated.
If feasibility timescales do not allow such monitoring then consideration shall
be given to installing temporary metering/monitoring equipment anyway, so
that the data is available for the design stage.
2.1.4 Annual heat consumption and peak demands for new buildings shall be
estimated using established modelling software or bespoke software, or by
using data obtained from recently constructed buildings. The estimates shall
take into account that future new buildings are likely to adopt higher fabric
standards and may use mechanical ventilation with heat recovery.
2.1.5 The data shall be analysed to separately estimate: the heat demand for space
heating, the heat demand for domestic hot water and any system losses
within the building.
2.1.6 The space heating element shall be adjusted by means of degree days or
other weather correction method to provide monthly and hourly heat
demand profiles for an average year using an appropriate baseline
temperature for the building concerned (although it is important that in any
later analysis the sensitivity of this profile is tested against CIBSE design
winter temperatures as a minimum).
2.1.7 Where possible, an understanding of the daily, weekly and annual occupancy
patterns for each building shall be established to inform the energy centre
design and the need for thermal storage, together with any future expected
changes that may have an impact.
2.1.8 Future heat, cooling and electricity demands for extensions of the network
shall be estimated in a similar way and, where appropriate, a sensitivity
analysis carried out to show their impact on the heat network and energy
centre design.
2.1.9 An assessment of the potential stakeholders shall be carried out in order to

identify the shape and size of the energy demands likely to be involved. This
shall include an assessment of the appetite for or likelihood of connecting to
a future heat network. In existing buildings this should take account of
public versus commercial stakeholders and the likelihood of becoming an
anchor load or possible energy centre location. In new developments this
should include the timing and phasing of the development coming onstream
and any potential contributions from developers. Further guidance is
available in Stakeholder Engagement in Heat Networks: A guide for project
managers (Carbon Trust, 2018).
2.1.10 Data about each potential building connection to be included in the

feasibility study shall be recorded in the project evidence pack. The CP1
(2020) Excel workbook provides a worksheet entitled Building Connection
41
Checklist to aid this process.
Best practice
BP2.1a obtain actual measured hourly or half-hourly fuel-use data from

meters throughout the year where this is available, or install
monitoring equipment to establish the demands as accurately as
possible. Best practice would also include the use of operational
data from other similar sites to generate a heat demand profile.
From this data an annual heat load duration curve can be
produced.
BP2.1b install half-hourly recording on gas meters where gas consumption

is not monitored on a half-hourly basis, to identify peak demands,
demand profiles and variations in heat demand with external
temperature. This would normally be achieved through the current
gas supplier (although is usually only available for larger gas
demands).
BP2.1c monitor the operating temperatures of the current heating systems

in larger existing buildings that are planned to be connected to the
heat network, in order to understand how the temperatures can be
set or modified to minimise the required heat network flow rate
and pipe sizes.
District cooling also requires an estimate of cooling demand. For existing

buildings, this is often hard to establish as cooling is rarely measured directly and
electricity use for chillers is not usually metered separately. Cooling demand tends
to be more peaky than heat demand and more limited in duration, e.g. offices
typically have demand peaks on weekday afternoons in the summer months. For
new buildings, dynamic simulation modelling can be used to provide the cooling
demand profiles.

Output 2.1a Energy (heat, cooling and electricity) mapping report
Output 2.1b Accurate estimates of heat demands
Output 2.1c Predicted future heat demands
Output 2.1d Report on potential stakeholders
42
Objective 2.2: To identify the most suitable low-carbon heat sources
and location of an energy centre
Energy masterplanning is generally the next part of the feasibility process. The aim is
to help identify, plan and deliver the overall strategic, large-scale technology and
district-wide energy opportunities. The approach is to define the ultimate potential
for heat networks across an area and then to establish the pathway and individual
phases that could realise that potential.
One of the benefits of heat networks is that they can use a variety of heat sources. At
the masterplanning stage it is important to consider a range of technology solutions
and identify the best mix of heat sources for any given project. The project should
not proceed to the next stage without a firm decision on what types of heat source
are suitable, even if the exact capacity of each will be refined later.
2.2.1 An energy masterplan shall be developed, based on the heat/energy
mapping carried out earlier. This should show:
• existing anchor heat loads
• existing major energy sources and existing or planned heat networks
• planned new developments
• existing and potential energy sources and technologies, including waste
heat/cooling sources
• the defined focus area (red line boundary), where recommended from a
heat mapping study
• opportunity areas, area action plan areas or other growth or
regeneration area boundaries.
Further guidance on energy masterplanning can be found in:
— Decentralised Energy Masterplanning: A manual for local authorities (Arup,

2011)
— Community Energy: Planning, development and delivery (King and Shaw,

2010)
— Stakeholder Engagement in Heat Networks: A guide for project managers

(Carbon Trust, 2018)
2.2.2 Available heat sources and technologies shall be reviewed and the most
suitable compared in more detail. Where feasible, this shall include
renewable and waste heat sources.
2.2.3 The heat sources shall be compared primarily on the basis of whole-life
costs, contributions to CO2 reductions, taking into account future trends in
energy prices and electricity decarbonisation, and level of technology risk.
2.2.4 The heat sources shall also be compared on the basis of: local environmental
impact, space and access requirements, sustainability credentials including
origin of fuel (especially for biofuels), transport requirements and security of
supply issues.
43
2.2.5 A mix of heat sources shall be considered, recognising that lower capital cost
but higher running cost sources may be advantageous to meet peak

demands (e.g. top-up gas-fired boilers or electrode boilers).
2.2.6 One or more suitable energy centre sites shall be selected from a range of
options, comparing these across a number of criteria, such as: proximity to
heat loads, visual impact, noise disturbance, flue emissions and air quality
impact, viability of fuel supply and electricity connection, space for both
initial plant and expansion, fresh air supply for combustion (which shall be
via natural ventilation wherever possible), access for plant installation,
maintenance and subsequent removal/replacement and, where needed, fuel
deliveries.
2.2.7 Financial incentives such as FiT, RHI and CfDs (see Annex J) shall be identified
and the lifecycle cost comparisons carried out both with and without these
incentives. The full cost of CO2 and NOx emissions shall also be included in
the comparison, including future social costs as published by BEIS/IAG (BEIS,
2019, or latest edition). Modelling shall also include the impact of any tax
exemptions, incentives and grants (e.g. EU ETS and HNIP), in particular the
impact that constructing a network and linking buildings will have on such
current costs, whether positive or negative.
2.2.8 An operating model shall be set up to establish the optimal size of each heat
source and how much heating and cooling they will supply and the energy
flows over the year. For example, the fuel and electricity use and, in the case of
combined heat and power (CHP), electricity generated. This model shall also
be used to calculate the costs and revenues for use in the economic model.
2.2.9 The model shall take account of the potential benefits from thermal storage
to estimate at this stage the approximate level of likely economic and
environmental benefits and the space requirements. The model shall also
include realistic assumptions for the efficiency, availability and output of
each plant item and an analysis of the network primary and secondary
losses, taken from the work undertaken in accordance with Objective 2.5.
The efficiencies used in determining fuel use shall be gross (higher) calorific
value; the common error of using net (lower) calorific value must be avoided
as it leads to underestimation of fuel costs.
2.2.10 The operating model shall adopt an hour by hour approach throughout the
year, unless otherwise agreed with the client (see Figure 15 and Figure 16).
Even if the knowledge of daily demand profiles is limited, this type of
modelling will be more accurate and is often required to establish how a
network will operate in practice, particularly where there are multiple
consumer types, a range of heat sources and thermal storage. The operating
model shall take account of both the variation of heat (and electricity)
demands and the variation of electricity and fuel prices over the year. It shall
therefore differentiate between seasons and between night and day periods,
and also between weekdays and weekend periods if significant differences in
heat demand are expected.
2.2.11 For CHP plants that predominantly export, the electricity export prices used
in the economic assessment of the optimum CHP output and thermal store
size shall have a day/night or seasonal time of day (STOD) tariff structure.
Similarly, the import STOD pricing structure, including distribution use-of-
system (DUoS) charges, shall be used for costing electricity supply to heat
pumps.
2.2.12 The operating model shall be used to optimise the heat network in relation
44
to different heat source types and different sizes of heat source and thermal
Figure 15 is an example from an hourly operating model for a heat pump plant,
showing the way the plant and thermal store operate in relation to the demand.
Figure 16 is an annual load duration curve from the hourly model, showing the
proportion of heat from each source and the effect of thermal storage.
Heat pump runs at maximum Heat pump operates to
Top-up boiler Heat pump is off output over night, filling meet load and is not filling
runs on very during peak electricity thermal store when the store as electricity price
cold days price period electricity price is low is high
8
7
6
Heat (MW)
5
4
3
2
1
0
Sun 03/02 Mon 04/02 Tue 05/02 Wed 06/02 Thur 07/02 Fri 08/02 Sat 09/02 Sun 10/02
Elec. heat pump
Elec Boiler Heat consumption
Thermal store charging Thermal store discharging

Thermal store (MW·h)
12
10
7 Thermal
store
6
empty
4
2
0
Sun 03/02 Mon 04/02 Tue 05/02 Wed 06/02 Thur 07/02 Fri 08/02 Sat 09/02 Sun 10/02
Storage capacity Storage content
Figure 15 Example taken from an hourly operating model for a heat pump plant
8
Heat demand
7
Boiler
6 Thermal store discharging Elec. heat pump
5
(MW)
4
Thermal store charging
3
1 Thermal store discharging
0
0 1000 2000 3000 4000 5000 6000 7000 8000
Hours in year
Figure 16 Example of an annual load duration curve for a heat pump plant
storage. The model shall determine the whole-life economic internal rate of
return (IRR) and net present value (NPV) of the various options to establish
which design is the optimum from an economic perspective as well as
achieving any other objectives that the client has specified. The model shall
include day/night or STOD electricity prices that reflect the market in order
to properly assess the sizing/operation of CHP plant, heat pumps and
thermal stores. The assessment shall determine the most economic
optimum size for the low-carbon plant and thermal store. This shall be
achieved by showing that a smaller heat source/thermal store and a larger
heat source/thermal store have lower economic returns. An example based
45
on CHP is shown in Figure 17.
NPV (£ thousands) (@ 6% over 30 years)

3360 kWe
1100
2679 kWe
1000 1999 kWe
1487 kWe
900
1200 kWe
800
700
600
500
12 25 50 75 100 125 150 175 200 250 300 350 400 500
Thermal store size (m3)
Figure 17 Example of optimising CHP capacity and thermal store size. Figure shows NPV
for a range of CHP plants and thermal store sizes (source: adapted from Crane, 2018)
2.2.13 Where possible, systems shall be future-proofed to provide flexibility to

respond to changes in fuel prices, tariff structures, carbon factors etc. Future
potential heat sources and the potential growth in demand shall also be
considered in relation to fuel type and CO2 emissions, recognising that the
wider electricity supply system will change over time as it decarbonises, and
that major items of energy plant on the network will typically require
replacement after about 15 years.

Output 2.2a Energy masterplanning report
Output 2.2b Heat network energy model
Output 2.2c Heat source(s) assessment report
Output 2.2d Energy centre location report
Objective 2.3: To determine the location of top-up and standby

boilers and use of existing boilers
To ensure a satisfactory level of service it is normal practice to include gas-fired

boilers (or electrode boilers) as standby plant should the primary heat source fail.
Such boilers are often also used to help meet peak demands during the coldest
weather, often referred to as top-up duty. The low-carbon plant that supplies the
majority of the heat to the scheme normally has a higher capital cost and so it may
be uneconomic to size this plant to supply the peak demands. The top-up and
standby boilers can be located either at the energy centre or distributed within the
scheme, or some intermediate arrangement between these two extremes.
In some cases, the existing boilers within buildings can be retained for these top-up
and standby duties. The disposition of the top-up and standby boilers will determine
the capital cost not only of the boiler plant but also of the heat network — as
46
distributed boilers would allow the network to be sized only to deliver heat from the
primary heating source, which may be less of the peak demand. The location of the

boilers also influences the security of heat supply and the need to allow for
temporary boilers in the event of a failure of the heat network. It is therefore
important that this issue is considered at the feasibility stage and an optimal
approach developed.
2.3.1 Discussions shall be held with the heat customers where appropriate to
determine their requirements with respect to security of supply and the
capacity and condition of existing boilers. This may have an impact on the
heat sales contract offered to customers, e.g. where they retain their boilers.
(See also 2.9.5.)
2.3.2 The feasibility study shall examine the options of centralised boilers and
distributed boilers, including the incorporation of existing boilers into the
scheme where appropriate, and make suitable recommendations. In new
developments it may be appropriate to include decentralised boilers in order
to manage the timing/phasing and programme risk and to ensure alignment
between the heat network installation and the overall development. The
ongoing maintenance, management and capital replacement costs of
decentralised boilers shall be evaluated and compared with the costs for
central plant.
2.3.3 Consideration shall be given to employing the principles of hydraulic control

to ensure that the use of the low-carbon heat supply source is maximised,
especially where multiple heat generation sources and distributed boilers
are used.
2.3.4 The feasibility study options appraisal shall take account of the space required
for boiler plant and the associated cost of any building area needed.
Best practice
BP2.3a consider additional heat recovery, where applicable, on the lead

top-up and standby boilers to improve system efficiency as these
boilers may well be older, less efficient units and capable of
upgrading.
BP2.3b carry out a reliability, availability and maintainability (RAM) study

to assess the anticipated reliability/availability of the heat
generation sources together with capital expenditure (CapEx)
requirements. It would also include identifying any penalties for
non-supply of heat and determining the optimal standby capacity
to be installed.

Output 2.3a Top-up and standby heat source(s) report
Output 2.3b Control strategy report
47
Objective 2.4: To select suitable operating temperatures

Operating temperatures are a key aspect of heat network design and will determine
both the capital cost of the network and the heat losses and pumping energy. The
temperatures selected will also determine the efficiency of the heat source (especially
for heat pumps and steam turbine extraction) and also the volume of thermal store
required for a given energy storage. While there will be scope for further optimisation
during the design stage, the feasibility stage needs to be based on assumptions that
are practical and achievable. These assumptions can then be used to carry out the pipe
sizing and produce the cost and performance data needed for the feasibility stage.
2.4.1 The operating temperatures shall be selected to achieve the required service
level for the customers throughout the whole year. Where possible,
information shall be obtained from each building owner/operator to
determine the flow and return temperatures used for their existing heating
system under peak demand conditions and the potential for reducing these,
especially the return temperature. It is important that any original design
temperatures are established. If the building/boiler plant is currently
operating to a different regime, it is important to establish why this is taking
place and whether current practices can be changed to benefit both the heat
consumer and the proposed network.
2.4.2 The most suitable operating temperatures for the heat sources selected shall
be identified, taking into account how efficiencies will vary with operating
temperatures. Where different technologies are being used together,
different supply temperatures from the different heat sources may be
appropriate in order to maximise efficiency. Heat sources for which efficiency
is less dependent on flow temperature, e.g. boilers, may be used to increase
the flow temperature at times of peak demand.
2.4.3 The potential to reduce the flow temperature as demand falls (weather
compensation) in order to reduce heat losses under part-load conditions
shall be analysed, taking into account pumping energy and impact on return
temperatures. This is subject to providing a sufficiently high flow
temperature to safely produce domestic hot water for all customers.
2.4.4 The targeted difference between flow and return temperatures on the
primary heat network under peak demand conditions shall be greater than
30 °C for supply to new buildings and greater than 25 °C for existing
buildings, to reduce the capital and operating costs of the network, unless a
detailed analysis of lifecycle costs and performance shows otherwise.
2.4.5 The option of using a higher flow temperature for the heat source and the
thermal store and a lower flow temperature for the heat network shall be
considered in order to maximise the heat stored per unit of volume.
2.4.6 The temperature difference that occurs at any hydraulic separation (e.g. at a
water to water heat exchanger) shall be taken into account in defining
operating temperatures. The use of multiple levels of hydraulic separation
leads to higher primary flow and return temperatures, more complexity,
higher heat losses and increased CapEx and so should be avoided where
possible.
2.4.7 The network flow temperature shall be sufficient to heat the domestic hot
48
water to the required temperature with good temperature control and to
minimise health risks from Legionella growth. Alternative methods of

Legionella control may be used to permit the use of lower flow
temperatures.2
2.4.8 The hot water generation temperature at the instantaneous HIU shall be set
to achieve 50 °C at the plate heat exchanger outlet, unless there is a
particular requirement for a higher temperature. This is a requirement
measured at the generating outlet of the instantaneous hot water heating
system. These temperatures are acceptable provided the volume of water is
small (<15 litres) and the Legionella risk can be controlled. This is supported
by CIBSE Guidance Note: Domestic hot water temperatures from
instantaneous heat interface units (HIUs) (CIBSE, forthcoming).
2.4.9 Where polymer carrier pipes (or other materials where lifetime is related to
temperature and pressure) are considered advantageous, then the
acceptable maximum temperatures (and pressures) of the pipework to
deliver the required design life shall be determined (which may involve the
use of variable flow temperatures) and the overall benefit of such pipe
systems assessed accordingly. It is essential that the resulting operating
temperature and pressure constraints are documented clearly so that these
can be issued to the designer, construction contractor and future operator to
ensure that the relationship between operating temperature, pressure and
pipe material selection is fully understood and the design life is maintained.
2.4.10 For new and replacement building services systems the peak (design)
operating temperatures shall be selected to be as in Table 3. These are
maximum temperatures; lower temperatures are acceptable and may be
preferable.
2.4.11 For existing buildings, at the feasibility stage it can be assumed that radiator
circuits designed for 82 °C flow 71 °C return can be rebalanced to achieve
lower return temperatures, e.g. to achieve 80 °C flow 60 °C return, as
radiators are often oversized, especially where fabric improvements have
been made subsequent to the original heating installation.
2.4.12 The approach temperature — the difference between the primary return
(outlet) temperature and the secondary return (inlet) temperature across a
space heating or total heating plate heat exchanger — shall not exceed 5 °C,
in order to reduce return temperatures on the network. Designers shall
consider how the substation will operate with variable flow temperature and
the impact of typical short-term variations in flow temperature, especially
when approach temperatures on the flow are small.
2.4.13 For existing buildings the type of control system shall be established. Where
constant volume systems and three-port control valves are used, discussions
shall be held with the building owner to evaluate changing to a variable
volume, two-port control valve system that would benefit both the heat
network and the heat customer.
2 Research on the use of low-temperature district heating and the implications for Legionella control
has been published by the IEA under Annex X (IEA, 2011). See also TM13: Minimising the risk of 49
Legionnaires’ disease (CIBSE, 2013c).
Table 3 Preferred design temperatures for sizing new and replacement building services systems
Circuits Flow temperature (°C) Return temperature (°C)

Radiators Max 70 (see note 1) Max 40
Fan coil units Max 60 Max 40
Air handling units Max 70 Max 40
Underfloor heating See note 2 See note 2
DHW instantaneous heat exchanger Max 70 Max 25 for 10 °C cold feed
on maximum load (district heating temperature
side)
DHW cylinder with coil (district Max 70 Max 45 when starting to heat
heating side) up from cold at 10 °C
(see note 3)
DHW calorifier with external plate Max 70 (see note 4) Max 25 for 10 °C cold feed
heat exchanger (district heating side) temperature
Note 1: Where direct connection is used, the radiators shall be sized in accordance with this table.
However, in operation, a higher flow temperature may be used to suit the network design, provided
that radiator return temperatures shall be less than 40 °C.
Note 2: Wet screeded underfloor heating systems will typically operate with floor temperatures below
35 °C and typically flow temperatures of 45 °C or less and return temperatures below 35 °C. This is
generally advantageous for heat networks as it will result in low return temperatures. Other types of
underfloor heating system may require higher flow and return temperatures.
Note 3: The return temperatures will be higher than 45 °C most of the time as heating up from cold
will rarely occur.
Note 4: A central hot water calorifier would normally be designed to store water at 60 °C and with a
minimum recirculation temperature of 55 °C. Typically a flow temperature of 70 °C would be needed.
Note 5: In all cases, the variation of flow temperature across the primary network needs to be
considered, especially for the summer low-flow condition where temperature drops can be significant.
The temperatures given in this table are at the consumption point and higher flow temperatures will
be needed at the energy centre supply point.
Best practice
BP2.4a carry out a specific temperature optimisation study, taking into

account all impacts, to derive whole-life costs and environmental
performance for a range of temperatures. The study would also
take account of future heat technologies that might be used and
the potential need to connect to other networks.
BP2.4b seek to achieve return temperatures lower than those given in

Table 3, and consider the use of more complex ‘cascade’ systems
(as shown in Figure 26), where the return temperature from a
space heating circuit is used to preheat the cold feed to a
centralised DHW system, subject to suitable control against
Legionella. In some cases, lower flow temperatures may be
advantageous, e.g. 55 °C/35 °C radiator circuits, especially where
heat pumps are anticipated as the heat source. This can also be
achieved using the return water from a higher temperature system
to cascade heat to a lower temperature system.
BP2.4c specify the DHW generation equipment (e.g. HIUs) to deliver the
full design output at low DH primary temperatures, such that the
DH can operate efficiently and effectively at lower flow
temperatures outside the space heating season.
50
BP2.4d use approach temperatures of 3 °C or less on the return for heat

exchangers, where this is possible. However, it is important to
check that there is sufficient heat transfer at low loads and low
flow rates, when low velocities may occur within the heat
exchanger, and so detailed consultation with the heat exchanger
supplier is recommended.
BP2.4e achieve a return temperature below 20 °C when producing hot

water with an incoming cold water temperature of 10 °C. (Note:
cold feed temperatures will vary throughout the year.)
BP2.4f install monitoring equipment and/or set up the building energy

management system (BEMS) to record secondary temperatures and
heat loads in existing buildings, to provide robust data for the
design stage. This will allow the DH connection size to be assessed,
and for the options within the building to be economically
optimised, in order to lower the operating temperatures and peak
loads.
District cooling systems are more constrained in operating temperatures than

district heating, as they have to operate between a minimum flow temperature
close to 0 °C and a return temperature below the typical space temperature of
20 °C. Within a single building, typical temperatures of 6 °C flow and 12 °C return
have become established. In order to reduce pipe sizes, district cooling systems
increase the DT to about 10 °C, e.g. 5 °C flow 15 °C return. Even so, the pipe sizes
will generally be much larger than for the heating supply. As a result, direct
connection should be considered to avoid a further deterioration of temperature
difference. The use of chilled beams is favourable for district cooling as a higher
return temperature is possible. The possibility of supplying chilled beams from the
return from air handling units in a cascade manner would also be beneficial for
district cooling.

Output 2.4a Target operating temperatures report
Output 2.4b Network control strategy report
Objective 2.5: To determine heat network distribution routes, pipe

sizes and costs
The capital cost of the heat network is likely to be a major component of the project
cost and will therefore influence the economics. The routes for the network will
define the length and installation difficulty and hence cost. The feasibility of the
routes needs to be established, especially where there are major barriers such as road
or rail crossings.
Although pre-insulated pipe systems with steel carrier pipe manufactured to BS EN 253
(BSI, 2019a) are commonly used, a range of other materials is available for the carrier
51
pipe: plastic PEX, PB and PP-R, and more innovative designs using GRE (glass-reinforced
epoxy) or other multilayer plastic composites. These all have different characteristics
and can result in lower capital and lifecycle costs depending on the application and
should be assessed either at the feasibility stage or early in the design stage. In
general, polymer pipes, at least for smaller diameters, will have lower installation
costs because of the greater flexibility and because fewer joints are needed. The
designer should always consider the use of twin-pipe systems, which may offer lower
heat losses and lower installation costs.
2.5.1 Pipework routes shall be analysed and selected with the aim of minimising
the length of the network to reduce capital costs, heat losses and pumping
energy.
2.5.2 Where the project programme allows, heat network routes in new
developments shall be fully integrated with other utility routes and overall
phasing requirements, where possible, and shall follow Street Works UK
Guidelines (volumes 1–6) (Street Works UK, 2007–2018).
2.5.3 Routes through service areas of the connected buildings shall be identified
to reduce the costs associated with the buried network.
2.5.4 Consideration shall be given to the feasibility of the routes in relation to

major barriers, such as major roads, railways, rivers and canals.
2.5.5 For detailed feasibility studies, existing utility service plans shall be reviewed,
and routes shall be selected to avoid major known existing utility services or
areas where services are known to be congested.
2.5.6 Pipe routes shall avoid passing underneath existing or future buildings or
structures that may prevent future access to the pipes. Pipe routes shall
consider the constraints of existing basement structures, contaminated land
and archaeology.
2.5.7 Where routes need to be taken through land owned by third parties the
necessary wayleaves shall be identified and agreed in principle at an early
stage.
2.5.8 Discussions with the Highways Department in the local authority and other
utilities/stakeholders shall be held at an early stage, where appropriate, to
identify constraints and opportunities to coordinate the heat network
installation with other works that may be planned, e.g. resurfacing of roads,
other utility works etc. All street works shall follow the New Roads and Street
Works Act 1991 (NRSWA) Code of Practice recommendations (DfT, 2012),
Street Works UK Guidelines (volumes 1–6) (Street Works UK, 2007–2018)
and Advice Note SA 10/05 (Highways Agency, 2005), after liaison with the
appropriate authorities.
2.5.9 An initial pipe sizing calculation shall be carried out to establish primary
network costs. The guidelines in Table 4 and Table 5 on typical flow velocities
may be used. However, a more detailed approach, as described in 3.6.2, may
also be used at the feasibility stage.
52
Pipe sizing involves balancing capital cost, heat losses and pumping energy to
minimise lifecycle costs, as covered in 3.6.2. Guidance in the past often assumed
constant volume systems, but the advent of variable volume control and variable
speed pumps has reduced the cost of pumping energy and so higher velocities
and smaller pipes are now more economic. The impact of pipe erosion is also
much reduced when using variable volume control, as peak flow rates and peak
velocities occur rarely; this also permits the use of higher velocities. The velocities
in Table 4 may be used for initial pipe sizing for the primary network (i.e. buried
pipes, not those within buildings). These are based on the Swedish
Kulvertkostnadskatalog guidance (Svensk Fjärrvärme, 2007: page 37). See also the
paper by Martin-Du Pan et al. (2019) for further analysis of optimal pipe sizing.
Table 4 Typical flow velocities for steel pipes to BS EN 253 for initial
sizing of external networks
Pipe size (mm) Pipe internal Typical velocity (m/s)

diameter (mm)
DN25 29.1 0.9
DN32 37.2 0.9
DN40 43.1 1.0
DN50 54.5 1.0
DN65 70.3 1.3
DN80 82.5 1.4
DN100 107.1 1.5
DN125 132.5 1.8
DN150 160.3 2.0
DN200 210.1 2.4
DN250 263.0 2.4
DN300 312.7 2.5
Note: Values are not strict velocity limits, higher velocities are allowed.
Table 5 Typical flow velocities for PEX pipes to BS EN 15632 for initial
sizing of external networks
Pipe size (mm) Pipe internal Typical velocity (m/s)

diameter (mm)
25 20.4 1.0
32 26.2 1.0
40 32.6 1.1
50 40.8 1.3
63 51.4 1.4
75 61.4 1.5
90 73.6 1.55
110 90.0 1.6
125 102.2 1.7
140 114.6 1.8
160 130.8 1.9
Note: Values are not strict velocity limits, higher velocities are allowed.
53
2.5.10 The thickness of insulation shall be optimised when assessing pipe costs.
Greater thickness may be required, especially for areas of low heat density,
for high-cost heat sources and for new-build schemes.
Steel pipe to BS EN 253 (BSI, 2019a) is typically available with three different
insulation thicknesses (Series 1, 2 or 3). Some manufacturers of pre-insulated
polymer pipes offer pipes with an increased thickness of insulation. Twin-pipe
systems, with two carrier pipes in one casing pipe, have lower heat losses. See
also Objective 3.5 for system heat loss requirements at design stage.
Best practice
BP2.5a obtain and review drawings of the existing utilities and other
record information in the area covered by the heat network to
determine additional barriers (e.g. no space underneath certain
roads due to congestion of other utilities) or opportunities (e.g. the
use of existing service tunnels, basements etc.). This could be
supplemented by undertaking ground-penetrating radar surveys, in
line with PAS 128 (BSI, 2014b) and PAS 256 (BSI, 2017a), to map
existing services at critical points.
BP2.5b make more detailed calculations to optimise the pipe sizing to

minimise lifecycle costs, taking account of construction costs,
electricity used for pumping and heat losses. This is a requirement
at the design stage, but could be considered as best practice at the
feasibility stage if the additional cost is justified.
BP2.5c use automated optimisation routing within a geographic information

system (GIS) software application, which allows visualisation of the
resulting network routes and network dimensioning.

Output 2.5a Network pipe routes and sizing report
Output 2.5b Initial insulation thickness calculations
Output 2.5c Initial network cost calculations
Objective 2.6: To determine building connection costs, including

heat metering
Building connections and heat metering are significant costs and need to be taken
into account in the economic evaluation. Either direct connections (where the heat
network water is used within the building) or indirect connections (where a heat
exchanger separates the heat network water from the building heating system) may
be used. The items of equipment used in building connections are often referred to
as ‘thermal substations’ for larger buildings, as shown in Figure 18, and ‘heat
interface units’ or ‘hydraulic interface units’ (HIUs) for dwellings. Heat meters are
54
usually included within the substation or HIU.
Figure 18 Indirect connection
packaged thermal substation for a
large building, prior to insulation
2.6.1 The costs and benefits of direct and indirect connections shall be assessed to
determine the most appropriate solution at both building level and dwelling
level (see Objective 3.3 and Annex H for guidance).
2.6.2 The costs and benefits of the various types of DHW provision shall be
assessed to determine the most appropriate solution for each building or
dwelling (see Objective 3.3 and Annex H for guidance).
2.6.3 Cost estimates shall reflect the type of connection and the capacity of
supply, including the provision of redundancy of any heat exchangers (e.g.
two at 60% maximum demand) or the provision of secondary circulating
pumps. Where appropriate, costs shall be included for the provision of plant
room space to house the equipment.
2.6.4 The capacity of the building connection shall reflect the peak demand (see
Objective 2.1) and whether the network is to supply the peak or only a
proportion of the peak (see Objective 2.3), taking care not to oversize any
heat exchangers.
2.6.5 Costs shall be included to comply with the Heat Network (Metering and
Billing) Regulations 2014 (currently under consultation) by including a heat
meter for the supply to each building or block and to each individual new-
build dwelling. Costs shall also be included for an automatic meter reading
(AMR) system for data gathering and billing purposes.
2.6.6 If necessary, a separate study shall be undertaken to determine whether

retrofitting dwelling-level heat metering to existing dwellings is cost-effective
and desirable and costs included as necessary.3
2.6.7 For all buildings, a suitable method of heat meter reading and billing shall be
defined, and cost estimates prepared for both capital and operating costs of
the data collection and billing system.
2.6.8 In new and extended heat networks, AMR shall be installed using a
dedicated AMR and/or smart metering system. Consideration must be given
3 Further guidance on the cost-effectiveness of installing heat meters is available from the Department
for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS): www.gov.uk/guidance/heat-networks (currently under 55
consultation).
Figure 19 Examples of energy display devices linked to heat meters
to the transmission of the meter data to a remote monitoring/administration

system so that monitoring, billing and customer services can be provided.
The metering system shall include an online data portal or energy display
device (see Figure 19) linked to the heat meters to provide additional
information to customers, in as close to real time as possible. This shall
include the amount of heat energy currently/recently being consumed,
together with the costs incurred, in order to help customers minimise
consumption and cost.
2.6.9 Consideration shall be given to the ownership, location and maintenance of

the HIUs and/or substations. For example, if HIUs are located externally to
dwellings they will be more accessible for servicing.
2.6.10 Consideration shall be given to whether the HIUs and/or substations will
have a communication system to allow remote interrogation of performance
and remote setting of controls. Such a system may be combined with the
AMR system. Where hard-wired, the communications cabling shall be
installed at the same time as the heat network.

Output 2.6a Direct/indirect connection report
Output 2.6b Connection/metering report
Objective 2.7: To minimise the negative impacts of phasing the

development
Most large heat networks, whether new-build or existing, will be developed in
phases. This raises issues on the need to make provision for future expansion of the
scheme and the planned installation capacity of the central plant. Such decisions will
need to minimise initial investments while maintaining environmental benefits. For
new buildings, there will be a period of load build-up that is not just related to the
phasing of construction but also to the progressive occupancy of the building.
2.7.1 Where appropriate, an overall phasing plan shall be produced showing
which buildings will be connected, by when, and how the heat demand will
56
build up over time.
2.7.2 The client and the client’s technical advisors shall give careful consideration

to making provision in pipe sizing to allow for future expansion in later
phases. This provision shall be based on realistic expectations to avoid
unnecessary oversizing and additional cost. A future-proofing plan should be
developed which includes a cost–benefit–risk analysis around any provision
for future expansion.
2.7.3 For new-build schemes, early agreement shall be reached with the planning
authority and Building Control on the timing of the installation of the low-
carbon heat source (e.g. when 50% of the site has been developed).
2.7.4 For larger schemes, multiple primary heat sources shall be considered as
these may be required to maintain environmental benefits during the build-
out period. However, this should not significantly compromise the long-term
cost and operational efficiency.
2.7.5 The energy centre location shall be selected taking account of the overall
planning constraints of the scheme, the phasing of the network and space
provision for future expansion of plant capacity. Where necessary,
consideration shall be given to the use of temporary plant and associated
fuel and utility supplies during the build-up phase, which could be retained
for emergency use later. (See also Objective 2.2.)
2.7.6 If there is a cost penalty in the early years, and these costs have to be passed
on to customers, then a clear explanation shall be provided justifying the
additional charges.
Best practice
BP2.7a use data obtained from monitoring and recording energy usage in
the early phases of the development to calibrate operational and
hydraulic models. A phased development has the advantage that
data can be used to inform the design, construction and
commissioning of later phases.
BP2.7b consider opportunities to reduce carbon emissions in future phases

of the network, e.g. identify alternative/additional heat sources,
future heat loads etc.
BP2.7c set a carbon intensity of heat from the network at all stages and
then meet this in design and operation, even when taking phasing
of the development into account.
BP2.7d consider methods for designing and commissioning large

developments that are phased over a number of years, so as to
minimise heat losses and maintain low return temperatures
throughout the build-out period.

Output 2.7a Overall phasing plan
Output 2.7b Future-proofing plan
57
Objective 2.8: To assess lifecycle operation, maintenance and

replacement requirements, costs and revenues
Operational revenues and costs and maintenance requirements need to be
considered at the feasibility stage so that costs can be included in the economic
model. The main costs will be for fuel and electricity and the main revenues will be
for heat sold and, in the case of CHP, electricity sold. Electricity may be sold to a
licensed supplier or sold direct to customers via a ‘private wire’ network.
Estimates also need to be made for non-energy operating costs. It is useful to split these
into fixed and variable costs. CIBSE Guide M: Maintenance engineering and
management (CIBSE, 2014) provides further detail and guidance related to all aspects of
this objective. It is also recommended that potential supply chain partners are engaged
to provide information on costs for: planned and reactive maintenance, consumables,
plant replacement, metering and billing, customer services and insurances.
2.8.1 An operational model shall be set up for use in the economic analysis which
shall calculate the energy balance for the system, including network heat
losses, from which operating costs and revenues can be determined for use
in the economic model. (See also Objective 2.2.)
2.8.2 Maintenance costs, including for spares and consumables, shall be estimated
for: CHP, heat pumps or other primary plant; peak boilers; and heat network,
including the surveillance system, make-up water and water treatment,
energy centre building, meters and the meter reading system, pipework,
substations and HIUs within buildings. See Assessment of the Costs,
Performance, and Characteristics of UK Heat Networks (DECC, 2015).
2.8.3 Costs shall be estimated for heat meter reading and billing services, data
analysis and performance management services.
2.8.4 Costs shall be estimated for staffing, management, business rates,

insurances and other overheads. Support from existing operators and
financial experts should be sought where necessary.
2.8.5 The cost of parasitic energy consumption (e.g. electricity for pumping energy,
ventilation and burner fans, lighting etc.) within the energy centre and
network shall be included. In the absence of detailed information, a figure for
such electricity use of 2% of the annual heat supplied to the heat network
shall be used.
2.8.6 A long-term repair and replacement strategy shall be developed, including

estimating the time at which major plant will be replaced and the cost of
this replacement. This should ensure that the true long-term costs of
maintaining and replacing the plant required for the scheme are fully taken
into account, along with the long-term carbon-reduction implications. The
scope of this strategy shall extend from the energy centre to the final
customers, including the HIUs and the metering system.
Best practice
BP2.8a base costs on data obtained from actual operating schemes (where
full details of the schemes are available, to ensure they are of a
58
similar type to that being proposed) or from the proposed operator.

Output 2.8a Operational energy model
Output 2.8b Repair and replacement strategy
Objective 2.9: To conduct a consistent economic analysis and

options appraisal
The feasibility stage needs to establish a technically feasible scheme, but it should
also produce an economic analysis of the scheme. The economic analysis will typically
compare in a consistent manner a number of options with respect to the lifecycle
costs of heat supply and rate of return on the investment. The lifecycle costs
assessment should also assess the counterfactual cost of heat to the customer, while
ensuring there is no detriment to service levels. Clearly, the operational costs and
revenues are key to this economic analysis, as discussed in Objective 2.8. However, it
is critical that the capital cost model is accurate if robust figures are to be obtained
from the techno-economic modelling.
2.9.1 An economic analysis shall be conducted in accordance with the client’s
requirements, which are agreed in advance. These may not always accord
with the requirements set out below, in which case any variations need to be
justified. The financial appraisal shall use the outputs of the plant techno-
economic optimisation, as detailed in Objective 2.2, and should use the same
clearly documented assumptions. Clients need to implement this Code of
Practice in a responsible manner to ensure that heat networks ultimately
provide customer satisfaction, affordability, longevity and sustainability.
2.9.2 The scheme shall be analysed using a discounted cashflow model, taking
account of all costs and revenues — capital, replacement and operating —
over a defined period of analysis, and with an agreed discount rate to reflect
the client’s cost of capital.
2.9.3 The cashflow model shall be constructed for the agreed period of analysis,
which is typically 25 years (but may be in the range 20 to 40 years) and shall
include costs for capital equipment replacements as needed. Further
guidance can be found in a suite of Heat Network Detailed Project
Development Resource documents (BEIS, 2016b–e). See also BEIS’s collection
of guidance for heat network developers and members of the supply chain
(at www.gov.uk/government/collections/heat-networks-guidance-for-
developers-and-the-supply-chain).
2.9.4 Energy prices shall be obtained either from existing customer contract prices,
where available, or market indices (such as the Heren Index) or using
quarterly prices, as published by BEIS. Electricity import/export prices shall be
based on a day/night or STOD tariff structure, including distributed use of
system (DUoS) charges where appropriate.
2.9.5 To assess the economic benefit of the scheme, revenues from heat, cooling
59
and power sales (where applicable) shall initially be determined by setting
these equal to the total heating costs (fuel, maintenance and capital
replacement) that the customer would have incurred over the same period if
retaining the existing equipment in operation, i.e. the overall avoided costs.
In the case of new developments, the predominant form of conventional
heating used for similar developments at the time of the study (e.g. gas
boilers) shall be used as a counterfactual. Alternative heat revenue
assumptions may be made in addition, e.g. to address fuel poverty.
2.9.6 A capital cost model shall be developed showing a full breakdown of the
cost components, including: fuel supply infrastructure, energy centre, each
individual low-carbon technology, heat network pipework and trenching
(with a breakdown giving length, diameter and cost per metre for each
branch). Other costs shall include pumps, transformers, thermal substations,
HIUs and overall installation costs, including separate costs for special items,
e.g. road, rail or river crossings. Costs shall also include estimates for
commissioning, design fees and project management, and a contingency
based upon overall project risk. Capital costs should be as realistic and
robust as possible, based on discussions with suppliers and contractors and
on initial budget quotations where possible. This CapEx model should be
within a target tolerance of ±15%, but shall not exceed ±20%. Feasibility is
likely to include several iterations, with improving accuracy regarding CapEx
(and also operating expenditure (OpEx)).
2.9.7 Where there are viable retrofit energy efficiency measures, these shall be
included in the analysis, both for the counterfactual heating case and for the
heat network case.
2.9.8 The discount rate to be used shall reflect the cost of capital to the investor,
e.g. for UK public sector investments the analysis shall follow HM Treasury’s
Green Book (HMT, 2018). For other investors, alternative figures shall be
used and agreed in advance with the client body.
2.9.9 As a minimum, the project pre-tax IRR and the NPV of each scheme option
shall be determined.
2.9.10 The IRR and NPV shall be calculated initially for a base case that assumes
current energy prices remain constant for the analysis period in real terms,
and a sensitivity analysis shall be conducted to determine a range of outcomes
depending on future trajectories of key variables (see Objective 2.10).
Best practice
BP2.9a include the future social cost of CO2 and NOx emissions, as published
by the Interdepartmental Analysts Group (IAG) (BEIS, 2019, or latest
edition).

Output 2.9a Initial CapEx model
Output 2.9b Lifecycle cashflow model
Output 2.9c NPV and IRR calculations
60

Objective 2.10: To analyse risks and carry out a sensitivity analysis
At the feasibility stage it is important to consider the risks of the project. A sensitivity
analysis can assist in quantifying the impacts of these risks, which will aid the decision
as to whether to take the project to the next stage. A risk register should be produced
during the feasibility stage and maintained throughout the project, being reviewed
regularly, particularly when a decision to proceed to the next stage is required. The
requirements of BS ISO 31000 (BSI, 2018b) should be followed throughout this stage.
Further detailed guidance on risks and sensitivities can be found in the Heat Network
Detailed Project Development Resource guidance documents (BEIS, 2016b–e).
2.10.1 A risk register shall be developed (a risk analysis workshop is often used to
assist in this) considering risks in different categories, including:
• health, safety and environment
• construction costs and programme (including impact of phasing of new
developments)
• performance of plant and equipment
• broader economic risks: future energy prices, regulation, social cost of
CO2 and NOx emissions
• planning and land ownership
• customer acceptance, heat sales volume risk, bad debt
• reputational risk.
2.10.2 The risk analysis shall examine the likelihood and severity of each risk and on
which party the risk will impact, and shall propose mitigating actions. The
likelihood and severity of each risk shall be re-scored assuming the proposed
mitigation measures are in place.
2.10.3 Where actions can be taken to mitigate risks these shall be assigned to the
relevant party to take forward.
2.10.4 Suitable contingencies shall be included in the OpEx and CapEx models to
reflect the levels of risk shown in the risk register.
2.10.5 A sensitivity analysis shall be carried out to show the impact of each major
risk (both CapEx and OpEx risks) on the project economics, where possible,
and to test the mitigation approach. The sensitivity analysis should include
modelling variations in:
• the discount rate
• construction cost and programme, to assess the impacts of overspends
and overruns
• heat/energy demand predictions, both for new and existing buildings
• the timing of the connections for new-build and existing buildings, e.g.
when a phase of development connects later than planned
• projections of future fuel/energy/electricity prices, social cost of CO2 and
NOx emissions, as published by the IAG (BEIS, 2019, or latest edition)
• projections of electricity grid emission factors that reflect grid
decarbonisation to establish more realistic long-term carbon savings
61
(BEIS, 2019, or latest edition).
The aim of this analysis is to establish the impacts of identified risks on the
IRR and NPV, and the impacts on heat costs and prices if the IRR and NPV are
held constant.
Best practice
BP2.10a carry out more detailed studies of particular risk mitigation

measures, so that the project can move into the next stage with a
lower risk profile.

Output 2.10a Initial risk register and risk analysis
Output 2.10b Sensitivity analysis report
Objective 2.11: To assess environmental impacts and benefits

As a key purpose of a heat network is to help meet our climate change goals, an
analysis of the reduction in CO2 emissions between the current system and the
proposed heat network is important. However, there is also the potential for negative
environmental impacts that need to be considered. In particular, there may be
additional NOx and particulate emissions, increased noise and visual impact. High
NOx emissions may prohibit the use of CHP and biomass in inner-city areas, and
particulate emissions may restrict the use of biomass unless specific flue gas
treatment is included. Some understanding of impacts during construction may also
be important to consider at the feasibility stage. It is assumed that more detailed
work will be needed during the design stage to support a planning application, see
Objective 3.13. However, engaging in initial discussions with planners at this stage
will be helpful.
2.11.1 CO2 emissions calculations shall be based on published emission factors and
realistic efficiencies for central plant, both for the full build-out and the early
years of growth. For the purposes of planning and building control
compliance calculations in new-build schemes, emission factors used in
relevant Building Regulations should be used. However, for both new and
existing buildings, the DH feasibility study shall use emission factors taken
from Valuation of Energy Use and Greenhouse Gas (BEIS, 2019, or latest
edition) to ensure that the approach to electricity grid emission factors
reflects grid decarbonisation.
2.11.2 Heat losses from the network and electricity used for pumping and other
purposes shall be calculated and taken into account in the CO2 emissions
calculations.
2.11.3 The potential impact of NOx emissions and particulate emissions shall be
estimated. A full dispersion model to assess ground-level concentrations
would not normally be undertaken at this stage unless these emissions were
62
considered to be a significant factor in the viability of the project or the
potential stack height could present planning or aesthetic issues. However, the

local environmental policies in relation to air quality should be investigated.
2.11.4 Where biofuels or other low-carbon fuels are used, there may need to be an
assessment of wider environmental impacts, such as their sustainability
credentials in relation to production, processing and transport requirements.
2.11.5 Where gas-fired CHP is to be used without further treatment in an air quality
management area, the TA-Luft standard for NOx of 250 mg/Nm3 at 5% O2
shall be specified, unless the requirements of the local planning authority are
more onerous, in which case those shall be specified. The design shall also
comply with the Medium Combustion Plant Directive (MCPD) (or the
Industrial Emissions Directive (IED), for larger plant) and associated
regulations.
2.11.6 Where refrigerants are to be used in low-carbon plant (e.g. heat pumps)
then these shall be selected to minimise total global warming potential using
predicted refrigerant leakage rates. An assessment of the likely greenhouse
gas emissions associated with refrigerant leakage shall be made and
expressed as CO2 equivalent emissions. Careful consideration should be
given to the longevity of refrigerant supply, as many are being gradually
phased out.
2.11.7 Normally an acoustic survey is not undertaken at this stage. However, the
selection of a site for the energy centre shall take account of the potential for
noise and vibration impacts and seek to minimise these by making appropriate
choices, ensuring that sufficient mitigation and cost has been allocated.
2.11.8 The choice of a suitable site for the energy centre shall take into account visual
impact issues. At this stage, visual impact will be quantified by considering the
plan area and height of the energy centre and stack. The disturbance or
removal of trees or tree roots, including any approvals required, should also
be given careful consideration. (See also Objectives 2.3 and 2.7.)
2.11.9 Where appropriate, pre-application discussions shall be held with the local
planning authority to establish the key policies and issues that will enable a
planning application strategy and scope of work to be developed for the
next stage of the work. For example, environmental impact assessments of
particular impacts, such as air quality analysis using a dispersion model, may
be necessary.
Best practice
BP2.11a calculate CO2 emissions based on hourly predicted future marginal

electricity emission factors.

Output 2.11a Lifecycle CO2 emissions calculations
Output 2.11b Network heat losses calculations
Output 2.11c NOx emissions calculations
63
The requirements — Stage 2: Feasibility Heat networks: Code of Practice for the UK
Objective 2.12: To develop a comprehensive feasibility study report

It is essential that the whole of the CP1 Stage 2 process is summarised within a
comprehensive feasibility study report. This report should set out the reasoning as to
why a particular solution has been selected to be taken forward into detailed design
and commercialisation. The client must agree a final version of the report with the
feasibility team and, where possible, with the designers that are appointed to
conduct Stage 3. The feasibility study report should provide a clear brief for the next
stage of work to ensure that any design work carries forward the optimal solution.
Without a comprehensive feasibility study report, it is unlikely that detailed design
will bring the optimal heat network and low-carbon technology solution to fruition.
2.12.1 The client and the client’s technical advisors shall develop a clear and
comprehensive feasibility study report to provide a summary of Stage 2 and
a brief for design work in Stage 3. The report shall contain the following
information:
• Outcomes from energy/heat mapping and masterplanning, identifying
the main opportunities for a heat network, the core scheme options,
anchor loads, future phases and their timeline, and key dependencies,
constraints and strategic risks.
• Results of techno-economic feasibility analysis and modelling of the main
scheme options using a range of low-carbon technologies to supply the
heat network.
• Outcomes of stakeholder engagement, setting out the appetite and
suitability for connecting to a future heat network, stakeholder drivers
and possible scheme governance options.
• If a viable scheme has been identified, a clear recommended optimal
solution, with sufficient detail to allow the design process to go forward.
This shall include:
— peak heat demands and annual heat consumptions
— the most suitable low-carbon heat sources and location of any
energy centre(s), including the location of top-up and standby
boilers and use of existing boilers
— optimal operating temperatures and control strategies
— heat network distribution routes, pipe sizes and costs
— building connection costs, including heat metering systems
— operation and maintenance requirements and costs
— a full breakdown of CapEx and whole-life OpEx
— whole-life NPV, IRR and CO2 savings
— phasing of the development
— risks and mitigation strategies
— environmental impacts and benefits
— possible business structures and procurement strategies.
• A proposed heat tariff structure, preferably with charges for peak supply
and high return temperatures. Reducing peak demands and lowering
return tempertures reduces DH lifecycle costs and so such a tariff
structure incentivises customers to undertake actions that would
64
financially benefit both themselves and the DH operator.
2.12.2 The Statement of Applicability shall be updated, setting out which parts of

this Code of Practice are not applicable to the scheme being recommended/
developed (see 1.1.10).
2.12.3 A delivery programme (Gantt chart) shall be developed to show stages,

timescales and milestones.
2.12.4 A risk register shall be developed, which includes mitigation measures

around technical, commercialisation, business case and legal issues,
including those related to procurement and delivery.
Best practice
BP2.12a develop a report on low-cost actions that can be undertaken between

the feasibility and design stages to improve the understanding of
heat loads and to identify potential ways to optimise the building
connections and proposed DH scheme. This might include detailed
monitoring of existing buildings, trials of lower operating
temperatures and optimum start systems, and implementing cost-
effective measures to existing building fabric and services.
BP2.12b conduct a more detailed analysis of potential scheme extensions

and new connections. This could include a list of target buildings,
and also a list of main stakeholders to be contacted in the future,
which would include building owners such as health-care trusts,
social landlords and developers seeking planning permission.

Output 2.12a Feasibility study report
Output 2.12b Updated Statement of Applicability
Output 2.12c Delivery programme
Output 2.12d Risk register
Objective 2.13: To contribute to the development of business

structure, contract strategy and procurement strategy
Although a feasibility stage report will focus on the technical aspects of scheme
development, at this stage clients should also consider the wider steps necessary to
progress a heat network project towards implementation, as shown previously in
Table 2. It is usual at this stage to begin to develop an implementation strategy and to
consider issues of ownership, control, contracts and procurement. It is essential that
this involves legal and financial experts alongside the technical feasibility consultant
(see Figure 20) and that a collaborative approach is adopted during this stage.
Although much of the detailed project development and commercialisation falls
outside the scope of CP1, the technical feasibility and design teams need to be fully
involved in supporting this work. This objective focuses mainly on larger heat networks,
65
but some aspects will be applicable to smaller schemes and communal heat networks.
The requirements — Stage 2: Feasibility Heat networks: Code of Practice for the UK
Legal
Financial Technical
Figure 20 The combination of skills required to develop an overall

business case and implementation strategy
A typical heat network development project lifecycle is shown in Figure 21. Further
guidance on project development can be found in the suite of Heat Network Detailed
Project Development Resource guidance documents (BEIS, 2016b–e), which includes:
— guidance on the economic and financial case: development of the financial

model, heat pricing and maximising opportunities
— guidance on the strategic and commercial case
— guidance on powers, public procurement and state aid
— template heads of terms.
The degree of scrutiny that should be applied to assessing the business case for a
project should be commensurate with the project value and risk, and the client’s own
requirements. A business case will typically be produced jointly by legal, financial and
technical advisors and will put forward a recommended option for the procurement,
construction, ownership and operation of the preferred scheme, including heat
generation, heat distribution and heat supply.
A broad spectrum of models for implementing projects is available. One option is the
use of a special purpose vehicle, which can be either wholly owned by a public or
private sector stakeholder, or jointly owned through public and private shares. Some
of the more common options are illustrated in Table 6.
The definition of the overall preferred business strategy helps to determine what
contracts will need to be put in place. The business case will identify these, and
provisional contract terms shall be developed to cover, for example, who the
contracting parties are in each case, what responsibilities are being proposed, what
66 Figure 21 Typical heat network development project lifecycle (source: BEIS, 2016c)
Table 6 Different options for ownership and operation of heat network schemes (source: BEIS, 2016c)
Delivery Vehicle(s)
Unbundled Model in a vertically separated market would use separate delivery vehicles (and thus roles and responsibilities) at the generation,
transmission and retail points (as, for example, the electricity market).
A. Private Sector Led B. Public–Private Shared Leadership C. Public Sector Led D. Community Company (CoCo)
Continuum of options
Description Private sector company responsible Local Authority and at least one Local Authority responsible for A community body has leading role
for design, financing, building, private sector company share the design, financing, building, owning in the business supplying heat. The
owning and operation. The roles risks and returns. The roles that if and operation. The roles that define roles that define a project as
that define a project as private shared define a project as private– a project as public sector led are Community led are likely to be
sector led are likely to be Funding, public led are likely to be Governance likely to be Governance, Funding Customer, Governance and Sale of
Asset Ownership and Operation. and Funding or anchor Customer. and Asset Ownership. Heat.
Role in Heat Supply System
1. Promotion Developer / Local Authority / Local Authority Local Authority Community Body
Landowner
2. Customer Customer / Landlord Customer / Landlord Customer / Local Authority Customer / Community Body
3. Governance Private ESCo / Contractor via Local Authority and Private sector Local Authority Community Body
contract with Promoter shared
4. Regulation Private ESCo / Contractor via Local Authority Other (Heat Trust?) Local Authority
contract with Promoter
5. Funding Private ESCo / Developer / Local Local Authority and Private sector Local Authority Local Authority (may include others)
Authority shared
6. Asset Ownership Private ESCo / Developer / Landlord Private ESCo / Developer / Landlord Local Authority / Developer Community Body / Local Authority
/ Local Authority
7. Development of Property Developer (may include Local Developer (may include Local Local Authority (may include Local Authority (may include others)
Authority) Authority) Developer)
8. Land Ownership Land Owner(s) Land Owner(s) Land Owner(s) Community Body / Landowner
9. Landlordship Landlord(s) / ManCo Landlord(s) Landlord(s) Landlord(s) / Community Body
10. Installation Private ESCo or Contractor Private ESCo or Contractor Contractor Contractor
11. Operation Private ESCo Private ESCo or Contractor Local Authority or Contractor Contractor or Community Body
12. Sale of Heat Private ESCo / ManCo Local Authority / Private ESCo / Local Authority / ManCo / Community Body
ManCo / Developer / Landlord Developer / Landlord
13. Supplier of Last Resort ManCo / Landlord Local Authority / Landlord Local Authority Local Authority / Landlord
Notes: Highlighted green: the roles that tend to indicate the delivery model type; Bold: the party which most frequently takes this role. ESCo, energy services company; ManCo, estate
management company.
67
the charging arrangements will be (including tariff structures) and how risk is to be
allocated (e.g. through the use of KPIs and SLAs, guarantees, damages etc., to ensure
parties are appropriately incentivised).
The business case will also consider the exit strategy and termination provisions (e.g.
following bankruptcy of any of the parties) and the position at the end of any long-
term contract for operation, including the required condition of the plant at the end
of the operating period. To ensure continuity of service, the process for re-tendering
for the appointment of a future operator/ESCo shall be considered and a suitable
period allowed, as well as a procedure for extending contracts by mutual agreement.
2.13.1 The client shall appoint financial, legal and project management experts to
assist in developing a business case, procurement strategy and delivery
programme. The responsibilities set out in the introduction to this Code of
Practice (see section A6) shall be allocated appropriately in the business case.
2.13.2 The technical feasibility study advisor shall collaborate with the other
advisors to develop the business case.
2.13.3 The client shall ensure that suitable resources (internal and/or external) are
available to provide the necessary technical, financial, legal and project
management expertise to develop the business case and this should clearly
define the interface with the technical feasibility study advisor’s work.
2.13.4 The business case shall include an assessment of the potential and preferred
business vehicle, taking into account key aspects including, for example:
• Procurement strategy: how should works and services be procured, when
and by whom?
• Finance: how is the investment capital to be raised for the project?
• Risk: how should the high-level risks be allocated?
• Legal and contractual structures/issues
• Customer billing approach: including accompanying tariff structure(s),
indicative minimum contract duration(s) and method(s) proposed for
price escalation.
• Governance: where does overall control of the scheme development best
lie?
• Exit strategy at the end of any contractual period.
This process will lead to a definition of the responsibilities of the various

stakeholders in the scheme and a joint understanding of the overall project
objectives.
2.13.5 A recommended procurement strategy shall be developed in line with the

business case above.

Output 2.13a The business case (redacted if necessary to protect sensitive
commercial information)
Output 2.13b Procurement strategy
68 placed in the project evidence pack.
3: Design
Objectives:
3.1 To design for safety in construction, operation and maintenance and to
achieve quality of design
3.2 To accurately assess and minimise peak heat demands and annual heat
consumptions
3.3 To select suitable building interfaces — direct or indirect connections
3.4 To design or modify suitable space heating and domestic hot water
systems
3.5 To achieve an energy-efficient primary heat network
3.6 To achieve a low-cost network, optimisation of routes and pipe sizing for
minimum lifecycle cost
3.7 To achieve a reliable network with a long life and low maintenance
requirements
3.8 To define a metering strategy and select heat metering, prepayment and
billing systems that are accurate and cost-effective
3.9 To achieve an efficient heat distribution system within a multi-residential
building and to reduce the risk of overheating
3.10 To design cost-effective and efficient central plant
3.11 To optimise the use of thermal storage
3.12 To finalise the economic analysis, risk analysis and sensitivities
3.13 To assess environmental impacts and benefits
3.14 To collaborate in establishing scheme investability
The requirements — Stage 3: Design Heat networks: Code of Practice for the UK
Objective 3.1: To design for safety in construction, operation and

maintenance and to achieve quality of design
Minimising health and safety risks is of primary importance in any project. A key role
of the designer is to carry out a designer’s risk assessment and then to mitigate any
identified risks by taking appropriate design decisions. The designer needs to
consider how the design will be constructed and operated. The health and safety of
the general public during construction must be considered, particularly as heat
networks are often installed through publicly accessible areas.
Minimum requirements — safety
3.1.1 The client body shall recognise their role and obligations under the CDM
Regulations and register the project as one governed by the CDM
Regulations prior to the start of the design process. The client shall appoint
the Principal Designer.
3.1.2 The designer shall diligently carry out the requirements under the CDM
Regulations, carrying out a designer’s risk assessment at an early stage of the
design. A clear health and safety plan shall be developed. Where
appropriate, a HazID or HazOP assessment should be carried out involving
contractors, equipment suppliers and operators, and this should be ongoing
throughout the process.
3.1.3 The designer shall mitigate risks in construction, operation, maintenance and
decommissioning as far as possible and provide a risk register containing the
residual risks for use in the construction stage.
3.1.4 The design shall provide suitable access to plant and equipment in the
energy centre to enable maintenance work to be carried out safely. For
example, equipment that may need to be operated in an emergency, or that
requires regular maintenance, should be installed at low level or provided
with access gantries/facilities.
3.1.5 The design shall locate valve chambers and other facilities across the heat
network requiring access (including surveillance system monitoring
terminals) in suitable locations so that safe operation and maintenance can
be carried out.
3.1.6 Adequate access and other provisions shall be made to enable safe
replacement of plant in the future. A plant replacement strategy report shall
be produced during the design stage, to include: a schedule of plant, with
sizes and weights; access arrangements; requirements for specialist lifting
equipment; and the need for temporary plant during replacement work.
3.1.7 Trench depths shall be minimised as far as possible to reduce the risks to
trench operatives, provided the depths are in accordance with the network
pipe manufacturer’s guidance and BS EN standards and that the network
design is not compromised.
3.1.8 When selecting suitable operating temperatures and pressures, consideration

shall be given to safety risks for both heat network operators and customers.
3.1.9 The design of DHW systems shall follow appropriate guidance in relation to
any risks associated with Legionella, in particular CIBSE Guidance Note:
Domestic hot water temperatures from instantaneous heat interface units
70
(HIUs) (CIBSE, forthcoming). Also see HSG274, Part 2 (HSE, 2014a) and HSE
Approved Code of Practice and guidance L8 (HSE, 2013). Further guidance
The requirements — Stage 3: Design

can be found in CIBSE TM13 (CIBSE, 2013c), BS 8580-1 (BSI, 2019b) and
BSRIA BG 57/2015 (BSRIA, 2015). The requirements of BS 8558 (BSI, 2015c)
and BS EN 806 (BSI, 2000–2012) shall be followed.
3.1.10 An assessment of residential customers shall be carried out to establish if

low surface temperature radiators and temperature control of hot water
outlets is required even when not a regulatory requirement.
3.1.11 A fire risk assessment shall be carried out for the energy centre and plant
rooms, including any storage provision for oil or flammable materials. The
risk assessment shall include fuel types, plant and equipment, the location in
proximity to residential or commercial buildings and the interface with fire
systems in these buildings. The local fire service shall be consulted about the
project.
3.1.12 Due consideration shall be given to the requirements of IGEM/G/5: Gas in

Multi-occupancy Buildings (IGEM, 2012) where energy centres are proposed
to be located in multiple occupancy buildings.
3.1.13 COSHH and DSEAR risk assessments shall be carried out to determine
mitigation or control measures for associated risks. These control measures
shall be included in the design at an early stage.
Minimum requirements: quality
3.1.14 The appointed design company shall be certified under BS EN ISO 9001 (BSI,
2015a) or operate in accordance with an equivalent quality assurance
scheme. A quality management plan for the design stage shall be produced.
3.1.15 The design shall be developed so that the heat network operator can achieve
BS EN ISO 14001 (BSI, 2015b) and BS ISO 45001 (BSI, 2018a) certification.

Output 3.1a Health and safety plan
Output 3.1b Quality management plan
Output 3.1c Plant replacement strategy report
Objective 3.2: To accurately assess and minimise peak heat demands

and annual heat consumptions
At the design stage the values used for peak heat demand and temperature
difference will determine the capacity of the heat network, the capacity of the
building connections and the capacity of the peak boilers, and will therefore
determine much of the capital cost. The annual heat consumption and daily demand
profiles will determine the capacity of the primary heat source, such as a CHP plant,
and the capacity of the thermal store, which are also important elements of the
capital cost. The annual heat consumption will determine the heat revenues that
71
could be received to finance the project.
For new buildings the heat demand and temperature difference estimates should be
produced by the appointed building services designer, although the heat network
designer may have valuable advice to offer based on previous experience. It is vital
that a consensus is reached at this stage to avoid the potential for significantly
oversizing the network.
For existing non-domestic buildings, normally the client/designer and building

operator will be responsible for defining the peak heat demand and temperature
difference that they wish to contract for, and will use historic data on their annual
heat energy consumption to support this.
For existing residential buildings, the heat network company will need to estimate
peak and annual demands based on modelling or experience from supplying buildings
of similar size and type, or from fuel consumption data where block boilers are used.
Diversity of demand
For large heating systems it is important to consider the impact of diversity in
demand. The diversity factor at any point in the network can be defined as (see
Figure 22):
peak demand that occurs at this point in the heat network (kW)
= ———————————————————————————–––
the sum of the peak demands at each customer supply point
downstream (kW)
The design peak demand at each customer is normally the maximum demand that
the heat network can supply, which is set at commissioning by limiting the
maximum flow rate. This may be higher than the actual heat demand of the
building as design margins are often built in. Hence, in practice there are normally
two elements that contribute to an overall diversity factor: ‘true’ diversity, which
results from the demand peaks not being coincident, and ‘inherent oversizing of
connections’, due to the design peak demand being higher than the actual
demand of the building.
On very large heat networks with a wide mix of customers, the overall diversity
factor (space and hot water heating) at the heat supply point can be significant,
e.g. around 70% (see CIBSE Guide A: Environmental design, Table 5.13 (CIBSE,
2015)), which would enable pipe sizes near to the supply point and peak boiler
capacities to be reduced accordingly.
On residential systems, the peak demand for the block is always found to be
significantly less than the sum of the peak design demands calculated for the
individual dwellings. Many dwelling space heating demand calculations, e.g. using
BS EN 12831 (BSI, 2017b), assume that there is heat loss to adjacent unoccupied
properties. If these heat demands are then multiplied by the number of dwellings
to give a block heat demand, there will be significant oversizing. See 3.2.10.
Q1 Q2
Energy Q0 Diversity factor Q0

= ——
centre at energy centre n
∑ Qn
1
Q5 Q4 Q3
Figure 22 Diagram to show definition of diversity factor

72

Space heating diversity
An alternative approach is to apply a space heating diversity factor using the
dwelling space heating demands calculated to include heat losses to adjacent
properties. The following ‘rule of thumb’, from Varme Ståbi (Lauritsen, 2015; see
http://staabi.dk/), is often used in Denmark:
space heating diversity factor = 0.62 + 0.38/N
where N is the number of dwellings. This is shown in Figure 23.
1.0
0.9
0.8
Space heating diversity factor
0.7
0.6
0.5
space heating diversity factor
0.4
= 0.62 + 0.38/N
0.3
where N = number of dwellings
0.2
0.1
0 Figure 23 ‘Rule
0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 of thumb’ space
Number of dwellings heating diversity
factor
Although this formula is applied in Denmark for main district heating branches, and
thus includes both space heating and hot water heating, its use in the UK for space
heating diversity is considered valid, provided the peak heating demand is calculated
assuming heat losses to adjacent properties. Further work is needed to analyse data
from existing schemes to provide a more robust approach to diversity calculations.
The worked example in Annex D shows how this formula may be used for
calculating space heating diversity separately from domestic hot water diversity.
Domestic hot water diversity

Diversity factors are important when instantaneous domestic hot water heat
exchangers are used, which may have peak demands of 30–45 kW per dwelling.
The probability of all hot water outlets in a multi-dwelling building being in use at
any one time is very low. The diversity factor is therefore significant and must be
applied to prevent oversizing of the distribution pipework (see 3.2.10 and the
guidance box on page 75).
In some circumstances there may be much less diversity, even for domestic hot
water. In buildings such as student accommodation blocks, for example, use
patterns may be more coincident.
In both new-build and retrofit schemes there are significant uncertainties in how
the heat demands may develop over time and there will be a need to make a
judgement regarding the potential for expansion. Within the pressure constraints
of the system, it will be possible to supply more heat than the original design
through the same network by increasing pump pressures and operating energy.
Network capacity can also be increased through increasing DT, by increasing DH
flow temperatures and/or reducing return temperatures from existing network
customers. This means that most networks, if conservatively designed, will have
considerable flexibility in the heat demands that can be economically supplied.
73
3.2.1 Peak demands for existing buildings shall be assessed by the client/designer
from a combination of data on fuel use (accounting for system efficiency)
and existing boiler use, and building simulation modelling or other
calculation of heat losses as appropriate. This assessment should be
supported by the heat network designer, who may be able to use data from
monitoring demands at similar buildings to assist. Temporary monitoring of
existing buildings should also be considered at this stage, where this has not
been carried out at the feasibility study stage.
3.2.2 For existing non-domestic buildings, space heating consumptions in each
month shall be estimated by the client/designer, in conjunction with the
building operator, using any fuel or heat meter readings together with a
degree day analysis to produce hourly heat consumptions for an average
year, taking account of the location of the building, the required internal
space temperature and an appropriate baseline temperature for the building.
3.2.3 The designer shall identify the existing low-temperature hot water (LTHW)
system DT in order to minimise the required DH supply capacity. The DH
connection will be cheaper if the designer can find opportunities within the
building to lower the peak demands and lower the return temperature.
3.2.4 For existing dwellings, calculations shall be carried out by the building owner/
operator (e.g. local authority or housing association) using established
calculation methodologies and these calculations shall be agreed with the heat
network designer. For private dwellings the heat network designer shall carry
out the calculations. Sample dwelling types shall be used where necessary to
determine peak heat demands and annual consumptions for space heating
and hot water which can then be extrapolated for the whole area/load.
3.2.5 For new non-domestic buildings, heat demands shall be estimated using a
combination of modelling software, guidance in CIBSE Guide F: Energy
efficiency in buildings (CIBSE, 2012) and CIBSE TM46: Energy benchmarks
(CIBSE, 2008), and the CIBSE Energy Benchmarking Tool (CIBSE, 2019b).
Benchmark data from other sources, including the local heat network
operator, or obtained from similar operational schemes can be used.
3.2.6 For new dwellings, heat demands shall be estimated using standard design
calculation methodologies based on the proposed fabric standards. This
calculation shall be carried out by the building designer, in consultation with
the heat network designer and, where possible, by using operating data
from the local heat network operator for similar developments.
3.2.7 For dwellings, the space heating consumption shall be profiled using degree
days to obtain hourly consumptions and a 24-hour variation in demand
created for heating and hot water demand.
3.2.8 Where instantaneous hot water heat exchangers are used for the DHW
system, the peak hot water demands shall be diversified using the hot water
distribution flow rate equation given in Danish standard DS 439 (Dansk
Standard, 2009) (see guidance box, Figure 24 and worked example in
Annex D for details of the formula). The peak hot water demand shall be
determined by considering the number and type of DHW outlets and their
maximum design flow rates and making reasonable assumptions regarding
their simultaneous use. Further information is provided in the guidance box
below and in 3.9.15, which references the NHBC Standards (NHBC, 2019).
3.2.9 An appropriate diversity factor shall be applied to the space heating demand.
This can be derived from operational data from a heat network of similar size
74
and mix of heat customers. Alternatively, the results from detailed modelling

Diversity curves for domestic hot water systems
Experience on recent projects has indicated that designers are making too
conservative assumptions about peak demands. This in turn has led to the
oversizing of pipes and central plant capacities, resulting in higher capital costs
and higher heat losses from the network. For example, work by Guru Systems
(Jones, 2017), completed under the Department of Energy and Climate Change
(now BEIS) Small Business Research Initiative (SBRI), has indicated that current
practice tends to overestimate the demands (Smith, 2016).
Danish standard DS 439
DS 439 (Dansk Standard, 2009) is the Danish standard for the design of hot and
cold water services within a building, including those supplied by heat networks.
The method presented here details how DS 439 may be used as an acceptable
approach to diversifying hot water demand in the UK market. BS EN 806-3 (BSI,
2006) specifically allows the use of DS 439 for sizing pipes, through its reference
in Annex C, meaning its use is permitted under British Standards.
DS 439 enables the dimensioning of supply pipes (i.e. primary or secondary heat
networks) through an equation for the design flow for a system with random use:
qd = 2qm + i R / qf - 2qm W + A qm $ i / qf - 2qm

where qd is the design water flow for a distributing pipe to randomly used outlets
only (i.e. the diversified design flow rate) (l/s), qm is the weighted mean water flow
to several outlets connected to the distributing pipe (e.g. in a dwelling) (l/s), ∑qf is
the sum of the assumed water flows for all randomly used outlets connected to the
distributing pipe (l/s), A is a safety factor and i is the probability of draining qm in
a peak load period. The designer is able to select the constants A and i depending
on the desired margin against overloads, i.e. the standard of service required.
DS 439 states that for residential buildings, A = 3.1 and i = 0.015. In addition, it
states that, for this case, the probability that the actual water flow rate (created
by random user demand) would exceed the design flow rate predicted by the
equation is 0.1%.
Selecting a lower value for A would increase this probability; for instance, using
A = 2.3 would result in a flow rate exceedance probability of 1%. However, for
the purposes of the illustration below, the DS 439 quoted values for A and i, 3.1
and 0.015 respectively, have been used. Figure 24 shows the diversity factor this
results in for domestic hot water demand, assuming also that qf = 0.2 l/s and
qm = 0.1 l/s.
Non-standard dwellings
The diversity curve presented in Figure 24 is considered to be suitable for most
applications, i.e. average-sized apartments with one or two bathrooms. For other
cases, more detailed calculation and modelling is recommended. The following
factors need to be considered in relation to the sizing of instantaneous hot water
heat exchangers and diversity factors. It is the combination of these that
determines the design flow rates for each dwelling and hence for the block as a
whole. See 3.9.15 for further information and the NHBC Standards (NHBC, 2019).
Diversity within a dwelling

Where there are dwellings within a block that have multiple bathrooms, the
designer will need to consider the potential for diversity within an individual
dwelling and hence the required design condition. For example, although a
75
Diversity curves for domestic hot water systems — continued
1.0
0.9
Danish DS 439 (pipe sizing)
0.8
0.7
Diversity factor
0.6
0.5
0.4
0.3
0.2
0.1
0
1 11 21 31 41 51 61 71 81 91 101 111 121 131 141
Number of dwellings
Figure 24 Diversity factor for instantaneous domestic hot water systems for dwellings:
Danish standard DS 439 (pipe sizing) (see Annex D for the full calculation methodology)
dwelling may have one bathroom and two en-suite shower rooms, it is unlikely
that all of these will be in use at the same time. So, for example, the heat
exchanger may be sized for, say, one bath and one shower to be in use at any
time and the occupant advised that the performance would be affected if three
outlets are used at the same time.
Occupancy level within dwellings

For dwellings with high occupancy and a single bathroom, the hot water load will
be more continuous and over a longer period of time than for dwellings with low
occupancy, where use will be more intermittent. This will mean there is less
diversity (higher diversity factor) across a number of high-occupancy dwellings as
the demands are more likely to overlap.
Type of hot water outlet

For some types of hot water outlet, e.g. multiple outlet high-volume showers, the
rate of flow required may justify a higher design flow rate, especially if there is
more than one such outlet in the dwelling and the design requirement is for both
to be in operation together.
Lifestyle impacts
Diversity will also be influenced by the lifestyles of the occupants of a block.
Where most of the occupants are expected to have similar lifestyles in terms of
their daily routine (e.g. student accommodation) there will be less diversity
(higher diversity factor). Whether people use baths or showers will also have an
impact, as showering typically uses less water and therefore consumption occurs
over a shorter period.
Occupancy level of the block as a whole

Designers would normally assume a block will have full occupancy, to ensure that
the demands can be met should this circumstance occur at any point in the
future. In practice, full occupancy on any given day is unlikely, which means some
margin on the design will probably exist.
76
can be used to calculate a diversity factor. Where operational data is not

available and detailed modelling not possible, then the rule of thumb
formula shown in Figure 23 may be used, provided the peak heating demand
is calculated assuming heat losses to adjacent properties.
3.2.10 For new blocks of flats, the peak space heating demand for the block as a
whole shall be calculated assuming full occupancy and with no heat transfer
between dwellings and no margin for heat-up times, i.e. a steady state heat
loss. This will avoid the overestimation of the block peak demand that would
result from simply adding up the individual dwelling space heating demands,
which may have been calculated using methods that allow for losses
between dwellings. This peak space heating demand shall be used for sizing
the connection to the block and the thermal substation heat exchanger (if
used). However, the secondary distribution pumps (if used) shall be selected
to deliver the required space heating flow rate under a cold start-up
condition. This will mean that heat will be uniformly distributed throughout
the block during early morning peak periods.
Best practice
BP3.2a ensure the designer liaises with the client when selecting a system
peak load exceedance frequency, so that the hot water provision
under peak load is designed to be in accordance with an agreed
tolerance of ‘demand exceedance’. This should not be any higher
than that set by DS 439 (Amax = 3.1), but should aim to create the
right balance between appropriate peak load provision and
reduced system losses, CapEx and OpEx.
BP3.2b determine peak demands for existing buildings by monitoring the

heat that is currently supplied, including monitoring external air
temperature, using existing or temporary meters and recording
data at hourly or half-hourly intervals. This would be initiated at
the feasibility study stage or at the start of the design stage. Data
logging can be carried out using the BEMS, AMR or separate data
loggers. Gas suppliers and other metering service providers can
now provide half-hourly gas meter data at very low cost and this
should be sought at the earliest opportunity. This data can be used
to help produce a heat profile for a typical year for use in the
operating model. For new developments it may be possible to
monitor the operation of the first phase, provided that occupancy
levels are known, to inform the design of later phases.
BP3.2c take into account any local climatic variations, such as the heat
island effect in large cities, when assessing space heating demands,
and also the lower demand for hot water during the summer (due
to higher cold water feed temperatures and lower temperatures
used for showers).

Output 3.2a Report confirming peak/annual heat demands
Output 3.2b Report re-estimating likely future heat demands
Output 3.2c Report confirming energy centre plant capacities
placed in the project evidence pack. 77
Objective 3.3: To select suitable building interfaces — direct or

indirect connections
A fundamental design choice is whether the buildings or dwellings are connected to
the heat network directly (where the water in the network flows directly through the
heating circuits of the building) or indirectly (where a heat exchanger is used to
provide a physical barrier to the water). The choice has an impact on cost and on
operating temperatures and pressures. Both types have been used in UK schemes,
with indirect connection being more prevalent. A direct connection can also use a
mixing control valve such that the secondary flow temperature can be set lower than
the primary flow temperature and can be varied with outside air temperature.
Further guidance can be found in Annex H. Other sources of guidance include

CIBSE’s forthcoming Design Guide: Heat networks (currently in preparation),
Guidelines for Connecting to Heat Networks: Part 2 (Islington Council, 2015b)
and Connecting to the Bristol Heat Network: Part 2 (Bristol City Council, 2018b).
District Heating and Cooling: Early design building connections guidance (BESA,
2017a) provides the minimum requirements that should be allowed for in the
design and construction of a building to facilitate connection to a district heating
or cooling scheme. A British Standard on HIUs is currently in development.
Indirect connection has the following benefits:
— Any leaks within the building or dwelling will have limited potential for damage
and will not impact other customers as there is a hydraulically separate system
of limited volume.
— The building’s heating systems are not subject to the heat network pressures
(and pressure transients), which are often higher, so radiators, valves etc. do
not need to have high pressure ratings and the heat network pressures do not
need to be constrained — the heat network parameters can be changed over
time more easily. Tall buildings usually operate at higher pressures and so may
be the exception to this.
— The primary heat network minimum static pressure is not determined by the
required static pressure for any high buildings.
— Building and network water is kept separate so there is less scope for
contractual disputes over contamination or loss of system water if these
systems are in different ownerships.
— HIUs and thermal substations can provide a clear boundary, setting out
ownership and operational responsibilities.
Direct connection has the following benefits:
— Avoids the cost of HIUs or heat exchangers within HIUs or thermal substations.
— Avoids the temperature drop that would occur across a heat exchanger.
— Lower cost than indirect connection as it is a simpler system.
— Less complex and fewer components, so lower maintenance cost and fewer
points of failure, e.g. pressurisation secondary plant, pumps and control valves.
— Lower DH flow temperatures and/or higher DH DT, leading to lower heat losses
78
and lower pumping energy.
— No need for secondary pumps to be installed, or the associated power supplies

and controls.
— More compact (less plant room space needed).
— No risk to the supply from fouling of a heat exchanger.
— Secondary/tertiary system water treatment and water make-up is not required

as the DH water system circulates in the building and is already treated
centrally.
— Reducing flow temperatures through weather compensation is easily achieved.
Current practice for both dwellings and non-domestic buildings is to prefabricate the
necessary heat exchangers and control valves in a compact unit called a substation or,
in the case of dwellings, a heat interface unit (HIU). The Building Engineering Services
Association (BESA) operates an HIU testing scheme, details of which are given in UK
HIU Test Regime: Technical standard (BESA, 2018) (www.thebesa.com/ukhiu).
3.3.1 A study shall be carried out to assess the costs and benefits of direct and
indirect connections at a building level and at an individual dwelling level.
This study may be project specific, or it may be generic where a number of
projects are being developed to a standardised design to keep costs down.
The study should consider the following cost implications of indirect
connection:
• increased pipe sizing due to the lower secondary/tertiary temperatures
and higher primary return temperatures
• higher operating costs due to the higher return temperatures (higher
pumping energy, higher heat loss, lower plant efficiency, lower effective
thermal storage capacity)
• higher operating and maintenance costs due to the additional plant and
increased number of systems required to manage water quality
• higher capital cost for plant (heat exchangers, pumps, pressurisation
units), electrical connections and monitoring and control systems, and
additional space requirements, builders’ work and commissioning costs.
3.3.2 Where indirect connection is used the heat exchanger shall be sized with an
approach temperature (primary return (outlet) temperature minus secondary
return (inlet) temperature) of less than 5 °C.
Figure 25 Typical dwelling

hydraulic interface unit — shown 79
with cover on and removed
3.3.3 The design of thermal substations shall aim to deliver low return
temperatures over a wide range of loads. This is dependent on the selection

and control of the primary-side control valve, and the selection and design
of the heat exchanger. The designer shall consider one or more of the
following:
• the use of two control valves, with one sized to operate during lower
demand conditions
• the use of two heat exchangers, each with their own control valve and
controlled as duty/assist (which will also improve security of supply) so
that the flow in the heat exchangers remains turbulent rather than
laminar at low flow rates
• the use of a temperature difference between primary flow and secondary
flow of more than 5 °C, to take account of variations in primary flow
temperature
• a control system where the secondary set-point is overridden to ensure
that it is always lower than the primary flow temperature by a suitable
margin
• a control system that also incorporates return temperature control
• connection of the plate heat exchanger that generates DHW directly to
the DH primary network and not to the building secondary network. This
allows the heat exchanger that supplies the building secondary (space
heating) network to be shut off over the summer
• for larger buildings with higher DHW loads, the use of a two-stage
design where DHW is preheated by the space heating return circuit (see
Figure 26).
RC
Sensor for weather

compensated secondary
DH flow
flow temperature
DHW
EK
DHW
circulating SV Space
return heating
SV
Cold
water
DH
Figure 26 Indirect two-stage thermal
return
80 substation connection (source: Swedish
District Heating Association, 2016)
3.3.4 Where boilers are being retained within the building for use at times of high

demand, the connection design shall ensure that the heat network heat
supply is prioritised, and the boilers used only when required to supplement
this. This may be achieved by connecting the heat network supply either in
series with the boilers, i.e. into the return circuit, or in parallel. The parallel
connection requires the flow into the boilers to be controlled so that the
supply from the heat network is maximised.
3.3.5 For either direct or indirect systems, large-bodied strainers with appropriate
mesh size shall be specified to reduce the risk of dirt accumulating on valves
and heat exchangers. Equipment manufacturers shall be consulted to ensure
that all items are protected, including HIUs, pumps, valves and meters.
3.3.6 For either direct or indirect systems, control valves shall be two-port so that
a variable volume control principle is established.
3.3.7 The design of plant rooms for the heat network interface substations shall
include future-proofing by providing sufficient space for maintenance access
and for future replacement of equipment. Designs shall provide suitable
power supply (including for use when carrying out maintenance), lighting,
ventilation, water supply and drainage facilities.
3.3.8 Where remote control and monitoring of substations is to be implemented,

the data communication system shall be selected at an early stage to ensure
the correct interfaces are specified for all equipment and to allow any new
communication infrastructure (e.g. fibre network) to be installed at the same
time as the pipe network.
Best practice
BP3.3a either entirely avoid indirect connection where apartment blocks

are connected or, if necessary for pressure constraints or other
reasons, have an indirect connection at either the dwelling or the
entry to the block (but not both). The responsibility of the heat
network operator should include the heat distribution system
within a block of flats wherever possible. Whenever there is a
hydraulic break in a system there will be an increase in return
temperature, which will increase heat losses and reduce the
temperature difference on the primary network, leading to higher
costs (for a fixed flow temperature). Automatic leak detection
systems are available with direct connection HIUs.
BP3.3b design the connections so that the HIU is accessible from outside
the dwelling, especially for new-build residential schemes, to
enable maintenance to be carried out. However, all user controls
and meter displays shall be internal to the dwelling. The ability to
isolate a property using external valves is of value to minimise the
risk of damage in the event of a leak within an unoccupied
property.
BP3.3c size the heat exchanger with an approach temperature (primary

return temperature minus secondary return temperature) of less
than 3 °C at peak load, where indirect connection is used.
BP3.3d allow remote access into the HIU settings, where possible, so that
changes can be made, faults addressed and performance checked
81
without needing to visit the HIU.
BP3.3e ‘design-out’ permanent HIU flushing bypasses, for example by

allowing flushing prior to HIU installation. This removes the scope

for bypasses to be left open or accidently opened later, or issues
related to a future failure of the valve. Flushing bypasses are often
difficult to insulate and hence increase heat losses.
BP3.3f use bespoke insulation products for the HIU and valve rail to reduce
heat loss from the valves at the HIU connection (see Figure 38).
BP3.3g use HIUs with a tested volume-weighted average return

temperature (VWART) of less than 33 °C, as defined in the BESA UK
HIU Test Regime (current version) (BESA, 2018), where indirect
instantaneous DHW HIUs are specified.

Output 3.3a Report confirming direct/indirect connection
Output 3.3b Specification of HIUs or thermal substations (as necessary)
Objective 3.4: To design or modify suitable space heating and

domestic hot water systems
Where a new building is planned to be connected to a heat network, or where major
refurbishment is being carried out, the designer has a number of design choices
available for the heating and domestic hot water (DHW). How these services are
designed can have a significant impact on the capital costs and operating costs of
the heat network. For example, achieving consistently low return temperatures will
reduce capital costs for the network and thermal store, result in lower heat losses
and pumping energy, and can reduce the cost of heat production. The use of lower
mean temperatures will increase the size of heat emitters, which will result in slightly
higher costs and may make it more difficult to find acceptable locations for radiators
within a small dwelling. But the designer must assess the balance of costs, in
particular the relatively small additional cost for larger radiators versus the lower
capital and operating costs for the DH. It should be recognised that different parties
may be paying/benefiting, but it is the designer’s role to identify and promote the
solution with the lowest total lifecycle cost.
It is emphasised that the design decision with the most important impact for the
heat network — the design return temperature for the heating systems — is not in
the control of the heat network designer. Hence the building developer or owner/
operator and their building services designers have the important responsibility of
ensuring that the design return temperature is optimised for the system as a whole.
However, the heat network designer needs to take a proactive role in engaging with
the developer/operator of the buildings and explaining the economic importance to
the heat network of maintaining low return temperatures and designers should
specify the maximum return temperature acceptable. Lower operating temperatures
(assuming the same or smaller pipe sizes) will also reduce the likelihood of
overheating of corridors in new residential developments.
For retrofit situations it may be more acceptable to the customer to make changes to
the existing building/system; for example, in dwellings, retaining a hot water cylinder
82
if one exists, or installing instantaneous hot water if a combi-boiler is currently used.
However, the impact on the heat network of these decisions still needs to be

assessed. In some cases, thermal insulation improvements to an existing building will
enable lower temperatures to be used for the space heating circuit, which can benefit
the heat network.
Annex H provides guidance and descriptions of the various options available for
space heating and DHW heating in relation to supply from heat networks.
3.4.1 For existing buildings, the building services designer shall provide a specific
design study which assesses the heat losses of the building and the output
of the existing heat emitters and selects heating circuit operating
temperatures for peak design conditions. The return temperature should be
reduced as far as practical and the report shall show how the new operating
temperatures will be achieved through rebalancing or other changes. Further
temporary monitoring of existing buildings should also be considered at this
stage if it was not carried out at the feasibility stage.
3.4.2 For both new and existing buildings the design study shall also consider how
the system operates at part load and how low return temperatures can be
achieved under part-load conditions, including through modification of the
control system (e.g. weather compensation of primary/secondary flow
temperature). This study shall be developed with the heat network operator.
3.4.3 A specific design study shall review the options for domestic hot water
systems and assess the costs and benefits for the building concerned. This
study shall be developed with the heat network operator or designer.
3.4.4 For new and replacement building services systems (in existing or new
buildings), peak (design) operating temperatures for the heating and hot
water service circuits shall be optimised to deliver the lowest lifecycle costs
and carbon savings. They shall comply with the limits given in Table 7 unless
the designer has provided evidence that a higher temperature offers a more
efficient or cost/carbon effective solution. Lower temperatures are acceptable
and may be preferable.
3.4.5 Where new cylinders are used in dwellings, the coils shall be sized to deliver
the maximum return temperature in Table 7 on heating up from cold.
A return temperature limiter may be used to control return water temperature

from hot water cylinders. Alternatively, an external plate heat exchanger may be
used to give a low return temperature. This latter approach can also be used in
retrofit situations, where cylinders are being retained in order to reduce capital
cost. Use of hot water storage with a programmer will result in an intermittent
demand and avoid the need for a keep-warm bypass, thus reducing heat losses
from the branch supplying the dwelling. For a further discussion on the pros and
cons of hot water storage, see Annex H.
3.4.6 Where centralised DHW storage heating is used within the building, it shall use
an external plate heat exchanger (controlled with a two-port valve) and not a
coil within the storage vessel, in order to provide lower return temperatures.
3.4.7 Where there is a risk of scaling of DHW heat exchangers from hard water,
consideration shall be given to the HIU controls and their settings to limit
scaling and the use of a centralised softening plant or other form of scale
prevention. The BESA UK HIU Test Regime identifies HIUs that have an
83
increased risk of scale formation (BESA, 2018).
In hard water areas there is a risk that DHW heating coils and plate heat
exchangers may scale up, reducing heat transfer and increasing return
temperatures. Scaling risk is much reduced if DHW temperatures are below 55 °C
and if there is turbulent flow at the heating surface. For HIUs with a DHW plate
heat exchanger, the BESA HIU Test results can be used to specify HIUs with lower
scaling risk, and the maximum recommended DHW temperature is 55 °C. For
heating coils in DHW cylinders, where Legionella risk requires higher temperatures
(e.g. 60 °C) and the flow is not turbulent, the risks of scaling are higher.
3.4.8 Flow-limiting pre-settable radiator valves designed for low flow rates shall be
used. These valves have an integral adjustable aperture, enabling a flow rate
to be set for a given pressure difference. Valves of this type shall be used on
all radiators with and without thermostatic radiator valves (TRVs) (it is
common for this functionality to be built into TRVs). The designer shall
ensure that the range of flows that the radiator valve can be set at matches
the required flow rates, which are based on radiator output, design
temperature drop and the pressure difference (DP ) required to give the TRV
sufficient control authority (see guidance box in 3.4.10). Consideration
should be given to maintaining high water quality as these valves are more
sensitive to contaminants due to their small internal aperture.
The lowest return temperatures and up to 15% higher heat output (for radiators
operating at high temperature difference and low flow rate) can be obtained
when radiators are connected with the flow into the top and the return from the
bottom (see Figure 27 and Figure 28). This is often referred to as ‘top entry and
bottom exit’ (TEBE). Whether the return is from the same end or the opposite end
as the flow into the radiator is less significant (see McIntyre, 1986). TRVs should
be orientated such that the thermostatic head is away from the heating effect of
the radiator supply pipe.
1: Top Bottom Same End Connection

Inlet
Hot water enters from the top and exits
from the bottom of the same side. It is the
most advised and used method, and in most
cases the most energy efficient. Outlet
2: Top Bottom Opposite End Connection

Inlet
This method is generally advised for long
radiators where the length of the panel
radiator is 4–5 times more than the height.
Outlet
Example: This method is advised for 500 mm

high radiator with lengths of greater than
2250 mm (500 × 4.5 = 2250 mm).
3: Bottom Opposite End Connection

This method is not advised unless absolutely
necessary. There will be an output loss of
heat 10–20%, depending upon the height of Inlet Outlet
the radiator. In this method, it is important
that the right output radiator is chosen.
84
Figure 27 Radiator connection methods
Table 7 Preferred design temperatures for sizing new and replacement building services systems

Circuit Flow temperature (°C) Return temperature (°C)
Radiators Max 70 (see note 1) Max 40
Fan coil units Max 60 Max 40
Air handling unit Max 70 Max 40
Underfloor heating See note 2 See note 2
DHW instantaneous heat exchanger on Max 70 Max 25 for 10 °C cold feed
maximum load (district heating side) temperature
DHW cylinder with coil (district heating Max 70 Max 45 when starting to heat up
side) from cold at 10 °C (see note 3)
DHW calorifier with external plate heat Max 70 (see note 4) Max 25 for 10 °C cold feed
exchanger (district heating side) temperature
Note 1: Where direct connection is used, the radiators shall be sized in accordance with this table.
However, in operation, a higher flow temperature may be used to suit the network design, provided
that radiator return temperatures shall be less than 40 °C.
Note 2: Wet screeded underfloor heating systems will typically operate with floor temperatures below
35 °C and typically flow temperatures of 45 °C or less with return temperatures below 35 °C. This is
generally advantageous for heat networks as this will result in low return temperatures. Other types of
underfloor heating system may require higher flow and return temperatures.
Note 3: The return temperatures will be higher than 45 °C most of the time as heating up from cold
will rarely occur.
Note 4: A central hot water calorifier would normally be designed to store water at 60 °C and with a
minimum recirculation temperature of 55 °C. Typically a flow temperature of 70 °C would be needed.
Note 5: In all cases, the variation of flow temperature across the primary network needs to be
considered, especially for the summer low-flow condition where temperature drops can be significant.
The temperatures given in this table are at the consumption point and higher flow temperatures will
be needed at the energy centre supply point.
3.4.9 For new heating systems, the radiator pipework shall be sized to provide a
sufficiently rapid response in the radiator circuit, and micro-bore pipework
shall be considered for low flow rate systems. No automatic bypasses shall
be fitted to the space heating circuit or the circuit to a DHW cylinder coil. For
indirect connections, when heat is not required, the thermostat or
programmer shall stop the tertiary pump and close off the secondary flow to
the plate heat exchanger. The tertiary pump shall be set in variable speed
mode to reduce pumping energy and the risk of noise nuisance.
3.4.10 Flow temperatures for the tertiary space heating circuit shall be selected so
that flow rates to individual radiators, or fan coil units (FCUs), can be set up
accurately to achieve the design return temperature. For new dwellings with
low space heating demands and a return temperature of 40 °C, a radiator
Figure 28 Danish/Swedish DH connected radiators, with flow into the top and return from the bottom 85
(note the air vent above the TRV location, which ensures there is no air in the TRV)
flow temperature of around 60 °C is likely to be needed, otherwise the flow

rate may be too low and difficult to set up accurately. A high-quality radiator
valve designed for low flow rates is required (see 3.4.8).
To enable TRVs to have sufficient control authority to control the radiator heat
output, the pressure difference (DP) across the TRV needs to be approximately
equal to the DP across the other elements of the system (plate heat exchanger,
radiator and pipework) under typical operating conditions (i.e. at average rather
than peak load). For indirect connections, the HIU manufacturer should be able to
supply the DP for the plate heat exchanger, and DP is also stated in BESA HIU Test
reports. The DP across the valve needs to be assessed such that the valve pre-
settings for each radiator can be established in order to check valve compatibility
(see 3.4.8) and to complete the space heating commissioning/acceptance checklist
in Annex B.
3.4.11 Room temperature control shall be provided by TRVs, which will reduce
volume flow rates and hence return temperatures under part load. For direct
connection systems, TRVs shall be fitted to all radiators in the circuit. For
indirectly connected space heating systems, at least one radiator (known as
the reference radiator) located in the same area as the room thermostat
should not have a TRV installed, but should still limit the flow rate and
achieve the design return temperature. TRVs using wall-mounted
temperature sensors may be used where appropriate.
3.4.12 All cold water service and potable water pipework shall be insulated to limit
heat gain from adjacent heat network pipes, and hence minimise Legionella
risk, or where possible they should be installed in separate risers to the heat
network distribution.
3.4.13 Pipework, heat exchangers and other components within an HIU shall be
insulated to reduce heat losses and unwanted heat gains, or the entire HIU
enclosure shall be insulated. The HIU shall have heat losses less than
1.0 kW·h/day (typically losses should be below 0.7 kW·h/day) as tested in
standby according to the BESA UK HIU Test Regime. The BESA test results
state the heat loss (watts) during standby, from which the daily heat loss can
be calculated (BESA, 2018). An equivalent accredited independent testing
methodology could alternatively be used.
3.4.14 Where dwelling HIUs are required, the designer shall select HIUs that will
deliver the required output and design performance. Where these HIUs are
of a type and duty that can be tested to the BESA UK HIU Test Regime
technical standard (BESA, 2018), the HIU shall be tested and registered with
BESA, or tested using an equivalent accredited independent HIU testing and
registration scheme.
The designer should use results from the BESA (or equivalent) testing to set
commissioning/acceptance requirements; for example, to ensure the HIU
performs with regard to the temperature control of domestic hot water
under a range of draw-off rates and delivers low return temperatures. Where
the designer has specified HIUs of a type that is not within the scope of the
BESA UK HIU Test Regime then the designer shall select units whose
performance is evidenced by verifiable in-use monitoring. The designer may
also wish to commission additional tests on their proposed HIU which reflect
operating requirements that are specific to the project/application.
3.4.15 Where an HIU is installed in a cupboard, consideration shall be given to

providing high- and low-level ventilation openings if any equipment is likely
86
to be affected by high ambient temperatures.
3.4.16 Heat generated by the HIU: The domestic hot water generated by an

instantaneous hot water heating system (e.g. HIU) shall be set to achieve 50 °C
at the plate heat exchanger outlet, unless there is a particular requirement for
a higher temperature. This is a requirement measured at the generating outlet
of the instantaneous hot water heating system. These temperatures are
acceptable provided the volume of water is small (<15 litres) and the
Legionella risk can be controlled. This is supported by CIBSE Guidance Note:
Domestic hot water temperatures from instantaneous heat interface units
(HIUs) (CIBSE, forthcoming).
3.4.17 Heat supplied to the customer: The design of the hot water system in
dwellings shall ensure that hot water is delivered to the kitchen tap to
achieve a minimum of 45 °C within 45 seconds of turning the tap on at full
flow rate (Figure 29). This is a customer service requirement at the kitchen
sink. In non-domestic situations, where there is no kitchen, the designer
should nominate a ‘typical’ tap where this requirement should be met.
Heat interface unit
50 °C
DHW plate Kitchen tap
GENERATED
heat exchanger (or nominated outlet)
Heat network
heat supply
At least 45 °C
DELIVERED
within 45 seconds
Cold rising to 50 °C within a
feed reasonable time after that
Figure 29 DHW temperature generated by an instantaneous HIU versus the

service actually delivered to the consumer
3.4.18 Unless provided as part of the HIU, flushing bypasses shall be included at the
heat network connections to each HIU to protect sensitive equipment from
the flushing process. The bypasses should comply with the HIU manufacturer’s
requirements. It is essential that flushing bypasses do not remain open after
flushing. It is preferable to use temporary flushing bypasses to allow them to
be disconnected after use, avoiding the possibility of the bypass being left
open. Alternatively, any flushing bypasses should be tamper-proof and
capable of being locked shut. It should be possible to unambiguously identify
the bypass state with a simple visual check. Instructions and drawings should
clearly indicate the correct operation of the bypass.
3.4.19 The location of the HIU within a dwelling shall be such that it can be removed
and replaced without major disruption or changes to walls, fixtures or fittings.
3.4.20 Designers shall ensure that the system complies with the Water Supply
(Water Fittings) Regulations 1999 and Scottish Water Byelaws 2014 and shall
consult with the local water supplier as early as possible.
3.4.21 DHW plant should be designed to operate at the lowest DH flow temperature
possible to allow DH flow temperature to be lowered in the summer months.
Best practice
BP3.4a use a two-stage heating system in buildings in which a centralised

DHW system is used. In two-stage systems, the return from the
87
space heating circuit is used to preheat the cold feed to the DHW
system (see Figure 26). This usually results in a lower return

temperature on the DH circuit and is particularly beneficial in

buildings with large hot water demands.
BP3.4b use wall-mounted thermostats for use with TRVs to provide a
better measure of the air temperature in the room while retaining
the variable volume control approach.
BP3.4c use electronic TRV heads to provide enhanced time control of room
temperatures, provided battery life is carefully considered.
BP3.4d use fast-acting gas/liquid-filled TRV heads capable of flow
modulation to provide an accurate response to changes in room
temperatures. Wax-filled thermostatic sensor heads and thermostatic
sensor heads with closed casings should generally be avoided.
BP3.4e use return temperature limiters, provided they cannot be easily
adjusted by the occupant and that good room temperature control
is maintained. The use of a return temperature limiter on heated
towel rails is particularly useful as the output (and hence return
temperature) is otherwise determined by the number of towels.
BP3.4f specify that any TRVs for use in commercial buildings are limited to
a suitable maximum design temperature (e.g. 22 °C). Appropriate
tamper-proof fittings should be provided to prevent adjustment
other than by the facilities management staff.
BP3.4g ensure that heat sales contracts contain suitable incentives to
encourage customers to limit return temperatures (see BP1.2a).
BP3.4h use pre-settable pressure-independent thermostatic radiator valves
(PI-TRVs), where suitable. These will maintain the required flow
rates through the radiators regardless of the pressure differences
available, which may vary as flow in other radiators changes. The
benefit of these is likely to be more significant on circuits with a
larger number of radiators.
BP3.4i use weather compensated dwelling tertiary flow temperatures
where appropriate, particularly where weather compensation is a
built-in feature within the HIU. This may lower the DH return
temperature when heat demands are lower and may also allow
weather compensation on the DH primary network. Studies by Tour
& Andersson (2002) also show that the accuracy of TRV room
temperature control improves when there is less variation in
secondary flow rates, which occurs with weather compensated
flow temperature.
BP3.4j specify HIU heat losses of less than 0.7 kW·h/day, as tested in
accordance with 3.4.13.

Output 3.4a Building heat loss/DHW system operating temperature design report
Output 3.4b Building control design strategy report
Output 3.4c Building temperature optimisation report
Output 3.4d Acceptance testing plan
88 placed in the project evidence pack.

Objective 3.5: To achieve an energy-efficient primary heat network
This objective relates to the primary heat network up to the point of connection to
buildings. The efficient design of the heat distribution within a building (especially an
apartment block) is covered in Objective 3.9. Guidance on assessing minimum flows
for pumps is provided in BSRIA BG 12/2011: Energy Efficient Pumping Systems: A
design guide (BSRIA, 2011b).
The energy efficiency of the primary heat network will influence the environmental
benefits and the operating costs and hence the overall economic case for the
network. As with most energy systems there is an economic balance to be made
between energy efficiency and capital cost. The requirements set out below have
been found to be appropriate in most cases, but the designer should carry out an
economic appraisal to determine an optimal design. Public perception of what
constitutes energy efficiency may also be important.
The energy inputs required to operate a heat network are:
— heat energy input, to compensate for heat losses on the network less the heat
gained from friction
— electrical energy input, for pumping needed to overcome friction in the network.
Even though most of the electrical energy is recovered as heat it will have a higher
cost and CO2 content than the heat energy, which is typically supplied from a low-
cost and low-carbon source.
The selection of operating temperatures for peak design conditions and how they
vary with demand requires an optimisation study for any given scheme as it will be
impacted by the type of heat supply plant and the characteristics of the heat
network. The designer should also consider constraints such as the temperatures
used for existing heating systems and the degree to which these can be varied. Hence
the requirements given below may not be valid in all cases and may be overruled by
the conclusions of a detailed study for an individual scheme. Further guidance can be
found in CIBSE’s forthcoming Design Guide: Heat networks (currently in preparation),
Guidelines for Connecting to Heat Networks: Part 2 (Islington Council, 2015b) and
Connecting to the Bristol Heat Network: Part 2 (Bristol City Council, 2018b).
Networks may require bypasses, but these can be misused, resulting in poor heat
network performance. Bypasses need careful design and are normally required for
three main reasons:
— to keep flow temperature high enough to achieve good instantaneous hot

water response
— to protect pumps from a very low flow condition
— to maintain circulation and avoid dead legs in order to prevent corrosion.
3.5.1 The design shall seek to minimise the total length of the network.
3.5.2 The type and thickness of insulation shall be selected to minimise lifecycle
costs, i.e. balancing additional capital cost with the value of the heat energy
saved, taking account of degradation of the insulation over time (see
Figure 30). This analysis shall include the use of twin-pipe solutions. The
89
insulation thickness may be increased further to reduce CO2 emissions.
10 000
DN 100
Series 1 Series 2 Series 3
insulation: insulation: insulation: DN 200
Heat loss per unit length (W/m) 1000
10 mm 40 mm 80 mm DN 500
331 W/m
124 W/m 97 W/m

100
52 W/m
41 W/m
66 W/m 26 W/m
24 W/m
10 15 W/m
1
0 20 40 60 80 100 120
Pipe insulation thickness (mm)
Figure 30 Indicative heat losses from insulated pipes and relative performance of Series 1–3 insulation
(for a pair of flow and return pipes at fixed ambient and fluid temperatures) (source: GLA, 2014)
Series 2 insulation for BS EN 253 (BSI, 2019a) pre-insulated pipework is normally

cost-effective. However, Series 3 insulation can provide a better long-term option
with lower whole-life costs.
3.5.3 The total network heat loss shall be calculated for the primary heat network
between the energy centre supply point(s) and the point of connection to
each building, taking realistic weighted average flow and return
temperatures across both summer and winter. The calculated total annual
heat loss from the primary network up to the point of connection to each
building when fully built out should be less than 10% of the heat supplied
by the energy centre(s) for most schemes. Designers should provide
justification for heat losses greater than 10% as these indicate either a
low-density development or the need for a re-evaluation of the design and
pipe insulation specification. Total primary network heat losses shall not be
greater than 20% of the heat supplied by the energy centre(s).
3.5.4 A specific study shall be carried out to determine optimum operating

temperatures for the scheme to minimise lifecycle costs, taking account of:
heat losses, pumping energy, the cost of the heat network, the cost of the
building services and the cost of heat production, which will depend on the
type of plant.
3.5.5 The study shall consider whether reducing flow temperatures under part-
load conditions will be advantageous in economic and environmental terms;
although pumping energy will increase, heat losses will be lower. However,
for variable primary flow temperatures to be of benefit, it is important that
the set-points on secondary circuits and tertiary circuits are not higher than
the primary flow temperature. Otherwise, the primary control valve will open
to deliver the maximum flow rate and so return temperatures will rise.
3.5.6 The target return temperature on the primary network at peak demand
conditions shall be set as low as possible, taking account of the constraints,
and where feasible shall be less than 60 °C for supplies to existing buildings
and less than 50 °C for supplies to new buildings. However, it is strongly
recommended that the best practice (BP3.5b) return temperature of less
than 40 °C is considered for new buildings.
3.5.7 Existing building heating systems shall be investigated, and agreement

90 reached with the building owner to modify operating temperatures where
possible to achieve secondary return temperatures less than 60 °C, which can

typically be realised as there will usually be some oversizing of the secondary
heating system. The investigation should include the costs and DH system
benefits of using weather compensation for the secondary flow
temperatures, which may result in lower return temperatures on all but the
coldest days, depending on the existing building control system.
3.5.8 The control system at each building connection, whether using direct or
indirect connection, shall only use a variable volume principle and two-port
control valves.
3.5.9 Variable speed pumps shall be used and controlled such that the pump
pressure differential reduces at part load to a level consistent with
maintaining minimum design pressure differentials at the extremities of the
network. The controls may be based on either:
• direct measurement of pressure difference across the network or
• predicted required pump pressures, from measuring the flow rate
delivered (with monitoring of the system for calibration of the control
where possible).
3.5.10 Duty and standby pumps shall be used to provide the required level of
resilience.
3.5.11 Multiple pumps shall be selected to match the network’s requirements at

part load, e.g. the use of three 50% or four 33% pumps (or other multiples/
sizes) is needed instead of two 100% pumps, as these would be inefficient in
operation for most of the year.
3.5.12 Where bypasses are required to maintain flow temperatures above a

minimum level at times of low demand, temperature-controlled bypass
valves shall be used.
3.5.13 Fixed bypasses shall be avoided wherever possible but, if required, the
bypass flow rate shall be limited by means of a differential pressure control
valve and regulating valve, or similar controls. The total bypass flow shall be
set at less than 1% of peak demand flow at all times, unless a detailed
calculation shows that a higher rate will be required.
3.5.14 If there is a valid reason why 3.5.11 cannot be followed (such that only one
duty pump must be installed) and a flow or DP controlled bypass is
necessary to protect the energy centre pumps from low flow, then this
bypass shall be installed locally to the pumps themselves, between the outlet
and inlet of the pumps. This small-bore bypass shall be sized for the specific
flow rate and controlled to open only when the flow rate is too low for the
pump (typically below 5% of rated flow).
A form of heat dissipation and/or a safety valve may be required to prevent

excessive temperatures and pressures should a zero or very low flow
condition exist for a long period. The pump manufacturer shall be consulted.
Where side-stream filters are used, they may be placed across the DH pumps,
to help provide a flow for the pumps at minimum system load, provided a
minimum pressure difference is maintained across the side-stream filtration
unit. It should be noted that not all side-stream filters are able to provide
this function and a pressure independent control valve (PICV) must be
included in order to control the flow rate through the unit.
91
Best practice
BP3.5a limit the calculated total annual heat loss from the primary
network up to the point of connection to each building when fully
built out to no more than 10% of the heat supplied by the energy
centre(s). However, in some cases, low-density networks with a low
cost of heat and a low-carbon heat source can be viable with
higher heat losses and so can still be considered best practice.
BP3.5b aim to achieve return temperatures below 35 °C for a scheme

supplying only existing buildings and below 40 °C for a scheme
supplying only new buildings.
BP3.5c use a twin-pipe system (two pipes within one insulated casing)
where feasible in order to reduce heat losses.
BP3.5d select a pump to operate at times of low flow rates that has both a
low design flow rate and a reduced head, as the network pressure
loss will be reduced under part-load conditions and the excessive
head generated at the energy centre pumps leads to unnecessary
pumping energy use. A pump control strategy that enables
switching between pumps with differing heads will need to be
carefully considered.
Pump selection for district cooling systems requires even greater care as there
may be a wider variation in demand for cooling than for heating. Variable speed
pumps are preferred as the volume of water to be pumped is greater and any
temperature gain through the pump is a disadvantage, not a benefit.

Output 3.5a Optimised pipework design
Output 3.5b Optimised pipework insulation thickness report
Output 3.5c Pump and control design
Objective 3.6: To achieve a low-cost network, optimisation of routes

and pipe sizing for minimum lifecycle cost
The capital cost of heat networks is a major barrier to their implementation and the
designer needs to take every opportunity to minimise cost. Costs should be
minimised over the life of the asset using discounted cashflow analysis to produce
designs with minimum net present cost but with due regard for opportunities for
future-proofing.
The type of pipe system and the construction techniques used also have an impact on
92
costs. For example, the use of polymer pipes can reduce installation costs as

Total costs
Pipe and trenching costs
Pumping energy costs
Heat loss costs
Pump costs
Costs
Figure 31 Typical optimisation of

Pipe dimension pipe sizes on lifecycle cost basis
expansion compensation may not be necessary and the flexibility assists in

circumventing other services. Special installation methods can also be used, e.g. the
pull-through technique or horizontal directional drilling. This objective is conditional
upon the life and reliability of the network/plant not being adversely affected by the
requirement to minimise capital costs.
3.6.1 The design shall be developed to minimise overall lifecycle costs — typically
this will be achieved by minimising the overall length of the network,
although longer routes may be justified where ‘soft dig’ is possible. Avoiding
barriers such as rail and busy road crossings may also lead to lower costs and
reduced risks.
3.6.2 Pipe sizing shall be carried out to minimise the lifecycle cost, taking account
of capital cost, pumping capital and energy costs and heat loss cost (see
Figure 31). When determining the flow rate for pipe sizing, future-proofing
shall be taken into account through considering the potential growth in
demand and allowing for a reasonable level of expansion of the network.
DH network capacity is a function of the return temperature. Capacity can be

increased over time if customers are able to reduce their return temperatures. This
can be incentivised through the heat sales contract.
3.6.3 Routes shall be selected where appropriate to avoid major roads and to
utilise ‘soft dig’ areas, subject to consultation with local residents as such
areas may have high amenity value. All street works shall follow the NRSWA
2012 Code of Practice recommendations (DfT, 2012), Advice Note SA 10/05
(Highways Agency, 2005) and Street Works UK Guidelines (volumes 1–6)
(Street Works UK, 2007–2018), after liaison with the appropriate authorities.
Where trees are impeding a proposed route then permission shall be sought
to remove the trees or the designer shall re-route the system.
3.6.4 Use of above-ground routes, e.g. in underground car parks and other service
areas within connected buildings, shall be examined as this can lead to major
cost savings. However, expansion provision needs to be considered, and there
may also be higher heat losses and greater risk of accidental damage.
3.6.5 Drawings of all existing buried services shall be obtained to assist in selecting
93
a suitable route.
3.6.6 Surveys of all surface equipment, inspection chambers etc. along the route,
together with ground surveys using ground-penetrating radar, shall also be

carried out, together with trial holes at critical points where necessary to
establish a viable route. This work should be in line with PAS 128 (BSI,
2014b) and PAS 256 (BSI, 2017a).
3.6.7 The designer shall assess the range of pipe materials and systems available
and select the optimum system for each section of the network, taking
account of capital cost and operating costs (including heat losses and
lifetime costs) for the operating temperatures and pressures selected.
3.6.8 The location of the energy centre shall be considered at an early stage in the
design as its location can have a major influence on the costs of the network
and will normally be subject to planning consent.
3.6.9 For steel pipe systems, if velocities higher than 3 m/s are used then a specific
transient pressure check (water hammer) shall be carried out simulating the
effect of valve closure and pump trips and the resultant pump discharge
pressures from the energy centre.
Best practice
BP3.6a use heat network analysis software to improve the optimisation

process and to take into account both thermal (heat losses) and
hydraulic (pumping) analysis for the variation in demand over a full
year.
BP3.6b use automated optimisation routing within a GIS software

application, allowing visualisation of the resulting network routes
and network dimensioning.
District cooling systems may use pre-insulated steel pipework as it provides a

good vapour seal, preventing condensation on the steel carrier pipe. As the flow
temperature is close to the ground temperature, the heat losses are relatively
small, especially for larger diameter pipes. Some schemes have exploited this by
using conventional uninsulated polyethylene pipes, as normally used for potable
water applications, with a significant saving in capital cost.

Output 3.6a Lifecycle network optimisation study
Output 3.6b Underground services survey report
94

Objective 3.7: To achieve a reliable network with a long life and low
maintenance requirements
A heat network is a high capital cost asset and usually needs a long period to provide
a sufficient return on investment. It is therefore essential that the network is
designed for a long life and with low maintenance requirements. In addition,
reliability is very important if customer satisfaction is to be achieved.
A range of pipe materials is available in addition to the typical pre-insulated steel

systems produced to BS EN 253 (BSI, 2019a). Polymer materials and glass-reinforced
epoxy may offer advantages with respect to cost and performance and should be
seriously considered. Similarly, twin-pipe systems can offer advantages, including
lower heat losses and lower trenching costs. A typical pre-insulated pipe system is
shown in Figure 32. In some cases, a mix of systems may be the most suitable
approach, e.g. a steel spine with local polymer distribution, although the need for
future flexibility should be considered. Further guidance is provided in BESA TR/20,
Part 1: Low Temperature Hot Water Heating Pipework Systems (BESA, 2003) and
BESA TR/11: Guide to the Use of Plastic Pipework (BESA, 2006).
Achieving a high quality of installation is also critical (see Objective 4.2), as is maintaining
high water quality (see Objective 6.3). Further guidance is provided in Annex E and in
Water quality assessment in UK district heating systems (Greaves, 2019).
3.7.1 The full range of pipe systems and materials shall be assessed for suitability
for use in each part of the network and appropriate selections should be
made, taking into account cost and performance. This requirement may be
satisfied by a study of the options available where a standardised design has
been developed to reduce costs.
3.7.2 Routes for the heat network shall provide a minimum separation distance of
0.4 m from adjacent services and 0.2 m from crossing services in line with
BS EN 13941 (BSI, 2019c), in order to reduce the risk of third party damage
to either the heat mains or other utilities. Other spacing distances may be
required, specific to each utility type, and considering whether crossing is in
parallel or perpendicular (see Street Works UK Guidelines, volumes 1–6, for
further detail (Street Works UK, 2007–2018)).
95
Figure 32 A typical pre-insulated pipe system
3.7.3 If a steel carrier pipe is used for the buried sections, the designer shall specify
pre-insulated pipe systems that comply with BS EN 253 (BSI, 2019a) and
associated standards (see Annex K) and the design shall be developed in
accordance with BS EN 13941 (BSI, 2019c). Flexible polymer pipes shall
comply with BS EN 15632 (Parts 1–4) (BSI, 2009–2014).
3.7.4 For pre-insulated steel pipe systems, the project class of the system under
BS EN 13941 (BSI, 2019c) shall be defined, which determines the appropriate
stress calculation methodology and the inspection and non-destructive
testing (NDT) requirements (see section 4.4.2 of BS EN 13941-1).
3.7.5 The joint closure system, whether using heat activated mastic-lined shrink
sleeves or fusion-welded joint casings, shall allow for an air test to be carried
out to prove that the joint is sealed against groundwater ingress.
3.7.6 The designer shall review soil conditions and contaminated soil reports when
selecting the jointing method employed as some jointing methods are not
suitable for use in contaminated ground. Where contaminated soil is
identified, measures shall be put in place for safe handling/disposal and this
shall be included in the waste strategy and cost plan.
3.7.7 Where shrink sleeve-type joints are used there shall be an additional
protection seal at each end of the joint (dual sealing).
3.7.8 Where pipe systems other than steel are used, the designer shall verify that the
predicted life for the operating temperatures and pressures that are expected is
in accordance with the requirements of the heat network’s investors.
3.7.9 Where polymer pipes are used, the need for a diffusion barrier around the
outside of the carrier pipe shall be considered to limit oxygen diffusion into
the DH water and diffusion of water into the insulation.
3.7.10 Pre-insulated isolating valves shall be used for isolating sections of the buried
network and shall be directly buried, with access to the valve spindle provided
by using self-draining enclosures and not a conventional valve chamber.
3.7.11 The pre-insulated pipe shall terminate above ground or inside the building
and an end cap fitted to the insulation to prevent water ingress, especially
during construction.
3.7.12 Isolating valves shall be located at each branch to a customer or group of

customers and, where practical, immediately adjacent to the main run so
that a fault in a local circuit can be isolated and the remainder of the scheme
remain in operation.
3.7.13 The designer shall consider the need for further in-line isolating valves, the
provision of looped networks, the location of standby boilers and the
provision for connecting temporary boilers when developing the overall
strategy for maintaining supplies in the event of a leak at any point in the
network. This shall take account of the probability of failure, the likely
impact and cost of improving resilience.
3.7.14 Isolating valves in secondary circuits within buildings shall be located where
good access will be available from landlord areas.
3.7.15 Isolating valves for residents’ emergency use shall be located within the
property immediately after the service enters the property (or just outside) so
that these can be easily shut off by the resident in the event of a leak within
96
the property.
Copper and tinned 230 V, 50 Hz

soldered together power supply
Alarm
Checkpoint/ panel
terminal box To BMS
Connection box
Checkpoint/ c/w diodes
terminal box
Connection box
c/w diodes
Checkpoint/
terminal box
Figure 33 Diagram of a
typical surveillance system
3.7.16 For steel pipe systems, a surveillance system in accordance with BS EN 14419
(BSI, 2019d) shall be specified (see Figure 33).
3.7.17 A stress analysis of the pipe system shall be carried out either by an
independent specialist or the manufacturer in accordance with BS EN 13941
(BSI, 2019c) for steel pipework and BS EN 15632 (Parts 1–4) (BSI, 2009–
2014) for flexible polymer pipes.
3.7.18 Pipe expansion of buried sections shall be permitted through the use of
bends and loops or the use of prestressing techniques. The use of expansion
bellows shall be avoided on buried sections.
Pipe expansion of above-ground sections shall be permitted where possible

through the use of bends or loops, together with suitable anchors and guides,
rather than expansion bellows. Where possible, expansion bellows should be
designed-out as they have a much shorter life than the rest of the pipework and
are a point of weakness, especially if the anchoring is not robust and additional
stresses are put on the bellows. Figure 34 demonstrates how expansion bellows
can be designed-out of a riser. Consultation with an expansion/anchoring/
bracketry specialist early in the design stage is recommended.
Cold pull flange joint up
Cold pull flange joint down

Anchor to
corridor
Figure 34
ceiling Accommodating
expansion in risers
without expansion
bellows (isometric detail)
97
3.7.19 Buried pipes shall be installed at the minimum depth as recommended by

the manufacturer unless a greater depth is necessary to avoid existing buried

services or due to anticipated traffic loads.
3.7.20 Suitable provision for venting and draining of each section of the network
shall be provided.
3.7.21 Marker tape shall be specified to be installed above each line of pipe.
3.7.22 Site and factory welds for steel systems shall be specified as being subject to
non-destructive testing (NDT) in accordance with the requirements of BS EN
13941 (BSI, 2019c) as a minimum.
3.7.23 Where a polymer pipe system is used the designer shall specify a water
pressure test according to BS EN 806-4 (BSI, 2010) and the manufacturer’s
requirements.
3.7.24 The designer shall consider and define the requirements for: system cleaning,
initial filling, pressurisation and the control and monitoring of system water
quality during the operational phase (see 6.3.2 and Annex E). The designer
shall consult with the future operator (where known) and water treatment
specialists. The design shall take account of the system volumes and
materials used in each circuit, and the need for sectional completion of the
network where necessary. The design shall include the appropriate facilities
to deliver all of these requirements.
3.7.25 Where it is necessary to fill one hydraulic circuit from another, particular care
shall be taken to ensure compatibility of water treatment regimes, especially
where different materials are used in each circuit.
3.7.26 The designer shall make suitable provision within each hydraulic circuit for
the appropriate facilities as required by the selected water treatment regime.
This may include facilities for:
• chemical and biocide dosing of the system, suitable for the pipe
materials being used
• removing air from the main system, e.g. using vacuum degassing
• treatment of fill water by softening or demineralisation and deaeration
• side-stream filtration to remove suspended solids
• sampling of the system water for monitoring and chemical testing
• monitoring of make-up water volumes, with links to the central control
system for early warning of significant loss of water.
3.7.27 To ensure that the network can be maintained, appropriate access rights
shall be negotiated with the landowner as part of the wayleave or easement.
3.7.28 Throughout the whole design stage of a project, it is essential to consider

the future reliability of the heat network from a customer perspective.
Customer service, satisfaction and system reliability shall be built into the
whole design process.
3.7.29 The design shall minimise the length of pipework that would have no flow of
water in normal operation (dead legs) as these will have a higher risk of
bacterial contamination and corrosion. Where such sections are unavoidable,
provision shall be made for circulating the system water at suitable intervals.
Permanent bypass flows shall be avoided as this will raise return
temperatures.
98
3.7.30 The design shall be future-proofed by taking account of the network phasing

and potential future extension to serve new customers. Pipe routes, isolation
valves and tees should be selected such that they allow for future connections.
Best practice
BP3.7a establish the availability, scope and cost of extended warranties at

the time of tender, including whether these are underwritten
through an insurance scheme. The installer of the system may be
willing to offer an extended warranty on the materials and possibly
installation of the system (e.g. for up to 20 years).
BP3.7b use fusion-welded casing joints in steel systems, to provide greater

confidence in the prevention of water ingress that could cause
corrosion of the steel. However, a higher quality of training is
required for those carrying out the work. The use of this type of
joint would more easily be justified with larger diameters, where
the highest security of jointing is needed.
BP3.7c use methods that reduce the diffusion of the insulant gas. The
decay in insulation effectiveness, as the gas escapes and is replaced
with air, would be slowed down.
BP3.7d allow for greater use of welding and jointing above ground, under
more controlled conditions, or the greater use of off-site
prefabrication.
BP3.7e install systems that continuously monitor pH, conductivity or

potentially other water quality parameters, which are often used
for larger heat networks.
BP3.7f install, where chemical dosing is used, an automatic dosing system

based on continuous monitoring of key parameters, which are
often used for larger heat networks.
BP3.7g install strainers that incorporate an automatic cleaning system, to

improve water quality and customer service and reduce
maintenance costs.
BP3.7h produce a 3-D model of the network using building information

modelling (BIM) principles. The model would indicate key points,
such as bends, tees and valves, and use precise coordinates as
determined by site surveys. Such modelling, combined with
ground-penetrating radar surveys, should provide a digital twin for
use in construction and operation, significantly reducing the risk of
cost increases due to unforeseen issues during the DH pipe
installation.

Output 3.7a Heat network component specification
Output 3.7b Water quality system design
99
Objective 3.8: To define a metering strategy and select heat

metering, prepayment and billing systems that are accurate and
cost-effective
Meters are an essential tool for improving heat networks — to make them more
efficient and enhance performance. The data provided by energy meters throughout
the system can be used to monitor system efficiency, peak demands, heat losses and
return temperatures, which can then be used to target maintenance and
improvements within the system. Further information on measuring performance is
provided in Annex C. Further guidance on heat metering is provided in BESA SUS 01:
Heat Metering (BESA, 2015).
Customer acceptance of a heat metering system is important if revenues are to be

secure and customer satisfaction with the overall system maintained. Individual
dwelling heat meters are a requirement under the Heat Network (Metering and
Billing) Regulations 2014 (currently under consultation) for all new buildings and for
buildings undergoing major refurbishment. Building-level meters are also a
requirement under these regulations for all multi-apartment/multi-purpose buildings
connected to a heat network.
Where meters are not installed, all other premises served by a heat network must
undertake cost-effectiveness and technical feasibility assessments for the installation
of individual meters or heat cost allocators. Other heat meters may be installed to aid
the operator in managing the heat network and to provide a greater understanding
of where heat is being lost.
3.8.1 A metering strategy (see CIBSE TM39: Building energy metering (CIBSE,
2009)) and communications strategy shall be developed and documented to
measure and monitor performance of the overall energy centre, heat
network and customers. Understanding the losses in the system and changes
in demand and flow/return temperatures can enable the system to be
properly maintained and improved. Where centralised DHW systems are used
in residential blocks, the heat supplied to domestic hot water shall be
separately metered.
3.8.2 Heat meters shall be in accordance with the Measuring Instruments

Regulations 2016 and shall be at least Class 2 accuracy, in line with
BS EN 1434 (BSI, 2015d).
3.8.3 All new/replacement metering systems shall be able to provide at least

half-hourly meter readings to give residents/customers and the scheme
operator the ability to make informed decisions about control settings.
3.8.4 Metering of heat, electricity and fuel may also need to be in accordance with
requirements of regulatory/grant schemes, such as the Renewable Heat
Incentive as published by Ofgem, or the CHP Quality Assurance scheme as
required for the individual energy centre solution.
3.8.5 Heat meters shall be selected to provide the required level of accuracy for
the minimum and maximum flow rates predicted. Sizing the heat meter
based on pipe size may mean that the meter is oversized and may not
accurately measure heat during periods of low demand.
100

Ultrasonic meters tend to be more accurate than turbine meters. Heat meters
with no moving parts are recommended (e.g. ultrasonic rather than turbine), as
turbine meters typically have a shorter life, are more prone to failure and create
additional risk of blockage, and disintegrating turbine parts can cause fouling in
other parts of the system. Pipework design should allow for heat meters that
need periodic calibration to be replaced with minimal disruption to customers.
3.8.6 Heat meters specified shall have an AMR protocol, such as M-Bus, and be
able to support the required meter reading frequency without detriment to
the battery life. Heat meters with pulsed outputs should be avoided, but
where they must be used then they shall provide a suitable level of output
resolution for the range of heat demands predicted. For example, one
transmitted reading (or pulse) every half hour at low load will not provide
the granularity required for proper monitoring and understanding of
consumption patterns. The opportunity to add communications ducts during
pipe installation shall be given due consideration as this can sometimes
reduce overall costs and provide a more robust/maintainable meter data
acquisition system.
3.8.7 The minimum static pressure stated by the heat meter manufacturer shall be
met at all times for each meter. This requirement shall be taken into account
in the overall hydraulic design. If cavitation occurs this can severely impact
the accuracy of the meter.
3.8.8 To ensure compliance with the Measuring Instruments Regulations 2016, the
meter installation shall be designed following the manufacturer’s installation
requirements with respect to orientation, the minimum length of straight pipe
before and after the meter and ensuring that it is possible to easily access the
meter and integrator for maintenance, calibration and taking readings. In
particular, heat meter temperature sensors shall be correctly located in the
flow and return, as marked on the sensors. Air ingress and particulates can
also have a detrimental effect on the readings from heat (flow) meters.
3.8.9 Heat meters and integrators shall be mounted in locations where customers
can easily read the kW·h readings, temperature readings and the meter serial
number. Regardless of the smart meter or AMR system, the customer must
be able to confirm readings directly on the measuring device or meter. A
wireless remote readout or internet/telephone is not an acceptable substitute
for this as regular manual ‘check’ readings should be taken to confirm
whether meter outputs are correct.
3.8.10 Heat meters shall be fitted with security seals, to facilitate the detection of
unauthorised or fraudulent activities, and preferably within a tamper-proof
enclosure, which may be formed by the HIU cover.
3.8.11 A smart metering or ‘pay as you go’ (PAYG) system shall be specified/
installed. The system shall give residents/customers a local display to monitor
their energy consumption and provide good quality AMR and a range of
payment options, including prepayment. This will improve the customer
experience, help residents/customers to manage budgets and help the
scheme operator to manage risks around bad debt. Smart metering systems
include: an in-home display, half-hourly automatic meter reading and PAYG
functionality (including emergency credit and friendly disconnection).
Customers shall be provided with a number of options for making payment,
including online, mobile phone and cash payment options. Any additional
CapEx or replacement expenditure (RepEx) for the smart metering system
shall be taken into account in the overall financial assessment. 101
3.8.12 A fully automatic AMR system shall be specified to record and report on
energy flows for the entire system including:

• fuel input
• electricity consumption for heat production, e.g. for heat pumps
• pumping and parasitic electricity consumption
• electricity generation (where relevant)
• heat sent out from central plant
• heat generated from each individual heat source
• heat delivered to each main building/block
• heat delivered to each dwelling
• flow temperature (at the energy centre and at the customer connections)
• return temperature (at the energy centre and at the customer
connections)
• average heat rate produced at the energy centre and delivered at each of
the customer connections (kW) over a half-hour period (or shorter period
where feasible)
• make-up water consumption.
Direct data readings should be obtained using M-Bus communications or other

proven AMR technology. Heat meters that provide data via pulsed outputs are not
recommended for use with AMR systems.
3.8.13 AMR systems shall be capable of reading an extended heat meter register,
including total volume and temperatures. This information should then be
used during commissioning and ongoing operation to identify poor
performance in the secondary/tertiary heating systems.
3.8.14 Where mains electricity is used for the meter, non-volatile memory or battery
back-up shall be included and the supply shall be locked or tamper-proofed
to ensure that the heat meter continues to record heat consumed at all times.
Where batteries are used, a minimum lifetime of 10 years shall be specified.
3.8.15 In addition to individual dwelling/unit metering, buildings containing

multiple dwellings/units shall be metered at the heat exchanger or point of
supply into that building, as required by the Heat Network (Metering and
Billing) Regulations (see Annex C).
102
Figure 35 Typical heat meters
3.8.16 The minimum frequency of data collection and billing shall be monthly for

all customers. Half-hourly readings should be gathered to allow the heat
network to be analysed and improved and performance targets met.
3.8.17 The designer shall carry out a connectivity/communication study to ensure

that wireless meter readings can be transmitted successfully. This shall take
account of both the vertical separation between dwellings and the materials
used in the construction of the building.
3.8.18 The design and selection of metering and billing systems shall be carried out
with the customer in mind. Metering and billing are key parts of customer
satisfaction, which begins in decisions made at the design stage.
3.8.19 The AMR and/or smart metering system shall be capable of providing
feedback to customers on their heat use compared with norms and giving
advice on how to manage their consumption. For non-domestic customers
the monitoring of heat demand profiles on a half-hour basis can enable both
parties (customer and heat supplier) to identify control modifications that
would reduce peak demands or change the timing of peak demands for the
benefit of the heat network and hence result in lower cost for the customer.
3.8.20 Where there is a thermal substation in a building/block then sufficient

temperature and pressure measurement points shall be included to allow flow
temperature stability and pump differential pressure on the secondary network
within the building/block to be monitored during operation (see 6.5.10).
Best practice
BP3.8a select an AMR or smart metering system from a vendor that

provides an open-protocol interface, in order to provide future-
proofing around the choice of data collection and billing providers.
The choice of metering equipment should not tie the operator to a
particular customer service and billing provider.
BP3.8b refer to the International Performance Measurement and

Verification Protocol (IPMVP) (see https://evo-world.org/en/), as far
as it is relevant, and apply the IPMVP principles where possible.
BP3.8c select meters and a meter reading system that are capable of
providing meter readings at five-minute intervals, to give residents/
customers and the scheme operator and customers even greater
granularity, and hence allow more informed analysis/decisions
about control settings. This may have an effect on meter battery
life (see 3.8.14).

Output 3.8a TM39 metering strategy
Output 3.8b Heat metering specification
Output 3.8c AMR system specification
Output 3.8d Billing system specification
placed in the project evidence pack. 103
Objective 3.9: To achieve an efficient heat distribution system

within a multi-residential building and to reduce the risk of
overheating
Controlling heat losses from the network is important to maintain the energy
efficiency benefit of the overall system and to reduce costs to customers. It is
normally the case that heat losses from the small-diameter branches to the final
customer are the most significant as the total length of such branches is relatively
high. Where there is a block of flats, the secondary pipework within the building can
also have significant heat losses, e.g. losing heat in corridors and service areas. In
winter these losses may provide useful heat into the building, but this heat is
uncontrolled and occurs before dwelling meters, if installed. In summer the heat gain
may cause unacceptable levels of overheating, especially in corridors, where the
pipework may be run in the ceiling void.
This objective is particularly important for new residential buildings (and existing
buildings being thermally upgraded) where space heating demands are low and the
secondary network heat losses can therefore be relatively high in percentage terms.
Overheating risks will also be more of a concern in a well-insulated building. It is
essential that the designer considers this whole issue from the outset as the best
solution is likely to have architectural implications.
There are a number of reasons why the heat losses from secondary networks may be
higher than an acceptable limit and these should all be reviewed:
— length of pipe installed, especially the use of horizontal runs in corridors
— high flow and return operating temperatures, and fixed bypasses leading to
high return temperatures under part load
— HIUs with standby (keep-warm) flow rates or temperatures that are high
— insufficient thickness of insulation specified
— insulation not specified over valves, fittings and pipe supports
— oversized pipe (on average, reducing pipes by one size reduces heat loss by 10%).
Figure 36 and Figure 37 show the significant variations in pipe length required for
different pipework layouts.
(a) Multiple shared risers minimising (b) Single riser — excessive horizontal
horizontal distribution distribution (avoid if possible)
104
Figure 36 Benefits of using shared risers compared to horizontal runs for typical flat layouts
Networks may require bypasses, but bypasses can lead to high network flow

temperatures directly entering the return, resulting in elevated return temperatures
and hence poor heat network performance. As a result, the use of bypasses needs to
be minimised, but where they are needed their use should be well controlled.
Bypasses need careful design and are potentially required for three reasons:
— to keep flow temperature high enough to achieve good instantaneous DHW

response
— to protect pumps from abnormally low flow conditions
— to prevent stagnant water in dead legs.
3.9.1 When designing the heat distribution system within a block of flats the
primary aim shall be to minimise the length of pipework to reduce heat losses
and costs. In blocks of flats, this will typically require more vertical risers so
that the use of horizontal distribution pipework within corridors is minimised
(see Figure 36 and Figure 37). HIUs shall be located as close as possible to
both the vertical and horizontal distribution pipework to further reduce the
length of terminal connections. Individual pairs of pipes supplying each flat
from the riser and which run in parallel along the corridor shall be avoided.
3.9.2 Where new dwelling heating systems are to be installed, these shall be
designed for maximum return temperatures of 40 °C from space heating
circuits and 25 °C from DHW heating circuits (see Table 7 and Objective 3.4).
(a) Single riser: very long

laterals to HIUs placed
near external walls
(b) Single riser: short

laterals to HIUs
(c) Multiple risers: shortest

laterals
105
Figure 37 Typical floor plan showing effect of HIU location
3.9.3 The use of network keep-warm bypasses shall be avoided for systems using
the HIU keep-warm function. Where such bypasses are necessary, the bypass
flow rate should be minimised.
Irrespective of the keep-warm strategy, constant flow bypasses shall not be

used, and any bypasses shall be temperature-controlled so that bypasses only
operate when flow temperatures are below a minimum set-point. Bypasses
are not needed to keep the system at the design flow temperature because,
at low loads, lower supply temperatures will be sufficient to meet the
customer demand. At higher system loads, the flow temperature will be
higher because the higher system flow rates result in less temperature drop
between the energy centre and the end user.
The designer needs to consider the heat network keep-warm strategy to ensure
that the network will always be able to supply DHW sufficiently quickly. Generally,
the warmer the system is kept, the quicker the DHW will be supplied from an
instantaneous HIU, but the heat losses will be higher. HIUs with higher primary
peak flows and lower DP will typically have faster DHW response times and will
allow lower keep-warm temperatures.
In residential blocks, the keep-warm strategy has typically been for each HIU to
have a ‘keep-warm function’ that results in the HIU always being ready to supply
DHW. This HIU keep-warm function effectively maintains the heat network at the
temperature required for the HIU to deliver DHW sufficiently quickly. The BESA
HIU Test assesses the performance of HIUs with keep-warm operating in this way.
The test sets a maximum DHW response time and measures the DH flow rate and
flow and return temperatures during standby. This data helps a designer to assess
the network heat losses for this keep-warm strategy for different HIUs. When well
executed, the use of HIUs selected on the basis of good BESA HIU Test results has
delivered very efficient networks in residential blocks.
An alternative keep-warm strategy is to keep the risers warm and the pipework
between the risers and HIU of sufficiently low volume that the DHW response time
is acceptable, and with no keep-warm function operating in the HIU (i.e. the
pipework between the riser and the HIU is not kept warm). This is shown in
Figure 37c. This approach has the potential to offer lower network heat losses, but
it requires more detailed consideration by the designer, who must assess the
required keep-warm temperature of the risers and estimate the DHW response time.
The BESA HIU Test results can assist here as Test 5a/b shows the peak HIU primary
flow when the HIU starts to deliver DHW. The BESA HIU Test results for DHW delivery
time are not valid for this keep-warm strategy. There are few examples of this
approach in operation. Pulsed keep-warm systems are also available.
3.9.4 The designer shall consider the system keep-warm strategy and how to
achieve the client’s specified DHW delivery times with minimum heat losses.
The keep-warm strategy shall set the minimum required HIU performance
(e.g. standby VWART, as assessed by the BESA HIU Test) and identify any
required network bypasses. The keep-warm strategy establishes the standby
heat network temperatures, which impact on network heat losses. The
designer should also consider the sizing of DHW distribution pipework, as
using smaller diameter pipework from the HIU will speed up the delivery of
DHW to the tap and save water.
3.9.5 Heat losses from the heat network within the building shall be calculated
between the point of connection and the heat meter in each dwelling. The
thickness of pipe insulation shall be carefully considered, taking into
106 account:
• the cost benefit of using additional insulation, e.g. using the

methodology of BS 5422 (BSI, 2009) and taking account of the
continuous operation of the network
• the CO2 emissions benefits of additional insulation
• the need to control heat gain within corridors, to provide a comfortable
environment in summer
• the ambient temperature, which may be lower than normal in exposed
areas such as underground car parks.
3.9.6 For heat network distribution flow (hot supply) pipes within buildings, a
minimum peak load velocity of 0.5 m/s should be achieved in all cases, as
confirmed in CIBSE Guide B1: Heating (CIBSE, 2016b). This will help to
minimise network pipe sizes and heat losses.
3.9.7 The minimum insulation thicknesses in Table 8 shall be used for all heating
distribution pipework within the building where practical. These insulation
thicknesses are greater than would typically be used in other applications as
the pipework is in continuous operation. The thicknesses have been
established by considering the cost-effectiveness of the insulation using
certain assumptions, based on work by AECOM for the London Borough of
Islington (AECOM, 2014). Designers deviating from these minimum
thicknesses or using alternative materials shall justify their selection with
reference to cost-effectiveness, controlling overheating and meeting the
requirements in 3.9.5.
Table 8 Minimum insulation thicknesses for pipework in internal and external spaces
Pipe diameter Phenolic foam Phenolic foam Mineral fibre Mineral fibre
(steel) (mm) (internal space) (external space) (internal space) (external space)
(mm) (mm) (mm) (mm)
15 50 50 50 50
20 50 50 50 50
25 50 50 50 50
32 50 50 50 50
40 50 50 50 50
50 50 50 60 60
65 50 50 60 60
80 50 50 60 60
Note: Insulation thicknesses are calculated assuming a conductivity (K-factor or lambda) of 0.035 W/m·K for mineral
fibre and 0.025 W/m·K for phenolic foam insulation with a low surface emissivity of 0.05. Hence, for pipe diameters
of 32 mm and smaller, the heat loss will be lower for the phenolic foam insulation.
3.9.8 The total annual heat loss from the secondary systems within the building,
including pipework distribution, fittings and any other equipment, e.g.
substations (but excluding the dwelling HIU itself), shall be calculated and
divided by the number of dwellings. This calculated value shall be less than
876 kW·h/dwelling per year, equivalent to 100 W/dwelling on average, or
2.4 kW·h/dwelling per day on average. The heat loss shall be calculated for
that part of the system between a building/block heat meter and heat
meters at the dwellings (typically within an HIU) so that the heat loss can be
measured during operation and compared with the calculated value. The
value of 100 W/dwelling should not be seen as the target to achieve, but
rather the maximum acceptable heat loss. Building designs that have
adopted multiple risers and short lateral pipework can achieve heat losses of
less than 50 W/dwelling.
107
The calculation shall be carried out using the methodology in CIBSE Guide C:
Reference data (CIBSE, 2007) and BS 5422 (BSI, 2009), assuming still air and
an ambient temperature of 20 °C for pipework in corridors and risers and
using local dry bulb temperatures for external pipework in basements with
appropriate assumptions on level of exposure. The calculation shall be
carried out either on an hour by hour basis through the year or by dividing
the year into a number of operating modes, with the flow and return
temperatures estimated for each hour or operating mode.
This minimum requirement is applicable to multi-residential buildings only,

and only for space heating loads less than 7 kW/dwelling and hot water heat
exchanger capacities less than 70 kW/dwelling.
3.9.9 All valves, flanges and fittings shall be insulated (see examples in Figure 38).
Figure 38 Examples of valve insulation
3.9.10 Pipe supports shall use rigid low-conductivity inserts to maintain the
insulation quality at the support.
3.9.11 The insulation shall be continuous and close fitting at all joints and include a
vapour seal. This is particularly important for phenolic insulation, which is
susceptible to decay where a vapour seal is not maintained.
3.9.12 Heating pipework shall not be run adjacent to or below cold water
pipework, in order to keep cold water temperatures low and reduce
Legionella risks in the cold water supply.
3.9.13 All pipework within buildings shall be accessible for maintenance purposes,
e.g. above suspended ceilings, in riser cupboards or behind screwed panels.
In particular, all valves and pipe fittings must be accessible.
3.9.14 Pipe sizing shall be based on flow rates calculated from realistic diversified
demands for space heating and hot water heating, and by accurately
calculating the expected return temperature and temperature difference
(flow minus return) that will be seen under peak conditions for each part
(building/dwelling) of the demand (see Objective 3.2).
3.9.15 Care shall be taken to avoid overestimation of the peak DHW flow rates as
this will lead to oversized pipework and higher heat losses. Example peak
flow rates for the hot water demand at each dwelling that can be used in
sizing the secondary heat network pipes are given in Table 9, derived from
NHBC Standards (NHBC, 2019).
Designers departing from these values need to justify their selection. Further
guidance on sizing plate heat exchangers in HIUs is given in Table 10.
Any specification undertaken in line with this proposed quality of service

108
needs to take careful account of the required final specified terminal device
Table 9 Maximum domestic hot water peak load demands for pipe sizing, derived from NHBC Standards

(NHBC, 2019) (section 8.1.5, Table 4)
Main bathroom Shower Shower Hot water Power

room 1 room 2 demand demand
(l/s) (kW)
Dwelling Bath only Bath and Shower Shower
type shower
1 bath 1 0.20 31.8
1 bath 1 0.15 18.8
2 bath 1 1 0.25 36.4
3 bath 1 1 1 0.35 48.9
1 bath 1 0.20 31.8
2 bath 1 1 0.20 25.1
3 bath 1 1 1 0.30 37.6
2 bath 1 1 0.20 25.1
Table 10 Typical sizes of DHW HIU plate heat exchangers (source: Blackwell, 2019)
Property Design Number of Typical maximum Notes

type/ maximum bathrooms power @ 10 °C
suitability occupancy feed and 55 °C
DHW supply
temperatures (kW)
Studio/1-bed 1 1 25–30 Suitable for servicing a shower and
potentially a small bath, where the
risk of a second draw-off (e.g. wash
basin) is nil or low because of a
limited occupancy
Large 1-bed/ 3 1 30–35 Suitable for servicing a single
small 2-bed bathroom with larger fittings (e.g.
higher flow rate shower, larger bath)
and low risk of occasional additional
draw-off
Medium 4 2 35 Suitable for servicing a single
2-bed/3-bed bathroom with larger fittings (e.g.
higher flow rate shower, larger bath),
with potential to serve a second
simultaneous draw-off from a
washbasin type fitting but not a
second shower. An example would
be one main bathroom with a second
en-suite or cloakroom facility.
Consider cold feed supply limitations
2-bed/4-bed 6 2 35–45 Suitable for servicing potentially two
carefully specified and flow
balanced bathrooms, e.g. to service
two simultaneous showers, or a
shower and a kitchen tap or other
draw-offs, dependent on cold water
feed flow availability
Greater than N/A >2 ≥45 No longer equivalent to a typical
3-bed, combination boiler. Likely to be
including (larger HIU units practically limited to, and therefore
luxury fittings are available up to sized upon, the cold water feed
(baths, approximately supply rate to the property, thermal
monsoon 60 kW*) network supply rate and Building
showers etc.) Regulations. Careful specification
required to ensure HIU can efficiently
service small volume draw-offs at
≤2 litres/min, which will form the
majority of demand incidents
Note: A minimum operating condition of ≤2 litres/min from HIUs at which a stable, controlled low return
temperature back to the communal or district system would be recommended as an equivalent performance to
current combination boiler offerings. This performance requirement is likely to become more important as the
thermal output of HIUs increases. For example, with the 60 kW units highlighted with a * in the above table, as the
more common load is likely to be one shower or smaller draw-offs, this equipment will need to operate stably at 109
these loads, as well as at any rare twin shower draw-offs.
flow rates, and the balancing of these, as these are likely to be closely
matched with peak performance of the HIU when two simultaneous draw-
offs occur.
3.9.16 Care shall be taken to avoid oversizing distribution pipes, recognising that
peak demands in final branches will only occur for a short period, as
oversizing will lead to higher heat losses. Figure 39 gives an example
breakdown of the distribution losses for a heat network with oversized
pipework within a residential development, showing the significance of the
heat losses from the terminal run to the HIU. The maximum diameter for the
final branch to a dwelling shall be no more than:
• 20 mm for steel pipework
• 22 mm for copper pipework
• 25 mm for PEX/PB pipework.
These sizes are suitable for typical applications with space heating loads less
than 7 kW/dwelling and DHW heat exchangers less than 45 kW/dwelling and
assuming a DT of 30 °C for the space heating circuit. Designers exceeding
these pipe sizes need to justify their selection. For other materials, pipe sizes
resulting in similar peak velocities shall be used.
3.9.17 The heat loss calculations shall be based on the predicted average flow and
return temperatures for each mode of operation over the year. This shall take
account of the flow and return temperatures that will occur in low-demand
periods, when the HIUs are in keep-warm mode. Such data can be taken
from the BESA HIU Test results for heat networks utilising the HIU keep-warm
function/strategy.
3.9.18 The risk of overheating in summer shall be assessed and additional insulation
to that given above shall be specified, if necessary, or alternative pipe routes
and/or hot water system designs evaluated.
3.9.19 Where the heat network runs in corridors, a calculation of all internal gains,
including pipe heat losses, shall be carried out. Suitable provision shall be
made for ventilation of these corridors to avoid unacceptable internal
temperatures in the summer.
Oversized pipework: losses per flat (kW·h pa)

Total: 2490
14% 5% 20% 61%
65
210 308 Flow
1117 68%
1700
58 Return
140
178 32%
414 790
Plant room/
supply Risers Laterals Terminal runs
350 123 486 1531
110 Figure 39 Typical breakdown of distribution losses from a heat network with
oversized pipework: network losses per flat by component
3.9.20 Where block substations are installed, variable speed secondary distribution

pumps shall be selected that supply the lowest demand, i.e. the average HIU
standby/keep-warm flow (a variable assessed in the BESA HIU Test), without
needing a bypass. Multiple pumps of different capacities may be required,
e.g. a small ‘jockey’ pump.
Best practice
BP3.9a achieve a total annual heat loss from the secondary pipework and
other equipment within the building of less than 550 kW·h/
dwelling per year.
BP3.9b avoid the use of any distribution pipework in corridors, by using

multiple risers and hence minimal branch lengths into dwellings,
provided that suitable access is still maintained.

Output 3.9a Optimised internal network design, keep-warm strategy and HIU
requirements
Output 3.9b Internal pipework insulation specification
Output 3.9c Updated network heat loss calculations
Objective 3.10: To design cost-effective and efficient central plant

The principal rationale for any heat network is that heat can be produced at lower
cost and with a lower carbon content at a central plant than at a building level. In
particular, certain heat sources are only feasible at scale (e.g. deep geothermal,
energy from waste). The economic case for the heat network will depend on
achieving the cost and environmental benefits at the central plant.
Designers will need to refer to detailed guidance on various aspects of central plant
design as appropriate, which are listed in Annex K of this Code of Practice. In
particular, further guidance can be found in CIBSE’s forthcoming Design Guide: Heat
networks (currently in preparation). This objective highlights some key requirements
to provide a focus for the design on the overall heat supply and impacts on the heat
network.
3.10.1 The techno-economic operating model used to meet Objective 2.2 shall be
updated using more accurate design data. The capacity of the primary
low-carbon heat source(s) and thermal storage shall be determined through
economic optimisation using the updated energy demand estimates and an
hour by hour operating model as described in Objective 2.2. The plant and
thermal store capacity may be further refined to take account of future
growth in heat demand or specific client requirements for CO2 emission
111
reduction. (See also Objectives 3.11 and 3.12.)
3.10.2 The average CO2 content of the heat supplied over the year shall be
calculated in kg/kW·h heat delivered to the buildings and made available to

designers of buildings that may wish to connect, and to operators of existing
buildings. See the Performance Metrics worksheet in the CP1 (2020) Excel
workbook for an example calculation. The average CO2 content of the heat
supplied to the buildings should be calculated and compared with the
counterfactual, taking into account heat losses and pumping energy. Given
the gradual decarbonisation of the electricity grid, it may be appropriate to
consider a range of alternative counterfactuals rather than just gas boilers,
particularly in new-build scenarios.
3.10.3 The low-carbon energy plant shall be selected to provide the appropriate
balance between economic and environmental performance.
3.10.4 The hydraulic design of the central plant and the equipment specification,
along with the control philosophy, including a description of operation
(DesOps), shall be developed. This will define how the central plant shall be
controlled to maximise the use and efficiency of the low-carbon heat
source(s) (in preference to peak boilers). The DesOps for heat pump and CHP
plant shall reflect the anticipated electricity STOD tariff (export tariff for CHP
and import tariff for heat pumps) structure in order to minimise heat
production costs. This will lead to the production of a functional
specification for the control system. Where possible, the future operators of
the plant shall be consulted on the proposed control strategy.
3.10.5 The fuel supply requirements shall be identified at an early stage and
discussed with fuel suppliers especially with respect to pressures and
volumes in the case of gas supply, capacity and voltage with respect to
electrical supply for heat pumps, and storage volumes, delivery method and
fuel handling for biomass systems. The electrical supply to new large heat
pumps may need to be strengthened with additional transformer capacity.
The use of gas pressure boosters shall be avoided where possible, e.g. by
selecting plant that operates on low-pressure gas or by direct use of
medium-pressure gas. Any gas boosters shall be controlled such that they
only operate when gas is required by the boilers or CHP plant.
3.10.6 Where CHP is used, consideration shall be given at an early stage to the
connection to the local distribution network operator’s system to establish
whether there are fault level constraints or other operating conditions, and
to establish the cost and timescales for the connection.
3.10.7 Where CHP is used, options for the sale of electricity shall be determined at an
early stage (see Objective 2.9) and reconfirmed at this stage, as this may have
implications for the wider electricity network design. For example, there may
be an opportunity for direct supply of electricity to meet electricity demands in
local buildings or the use of the ‘Licence Lite’ regulations may be feasible
(Ofgem, 2020).
3.10.8 The operating temperatures proposed for the heat network shall be
considered in the development of the central plant solution. CHP plant, heat
pumps, condensing boilers and thermal store efficiencies/effectiveness are all
sensitive to return temperature, therefore the circuit design should aim to
ensure that the flow water cannot mix with the return water. The design of
the energy centre and network shall include a suitable margin on return
temperatures as the return temperatures seen in practice can often be higher
than the design condition, especially at part load. In some cases, the central
plant selection will have a strong influence on the operating temperatures to
be used, both for the design condition and at part load, e.g. when using
112
centralised heat pumps or steam extraction from steam turbines.
3.10.9 In developing the design, the requirements of the local planning authority

shall be considered at an early stage, including the local environmental
impacts of visual intrusion, noise and emissions to air.
3.10.10 The conclusions of the feasibility stage regarding the disposition of top-up
and standby boilers shall be reviewed and updated, including whether these
boilers are to be located within existing buildings or centrally or a
combination of the two. There may be a cost benefit in retaining some
existing boilers, but this can result in a more complicated control strategy.
3.10.11 Where boilers are installed, the maximum operating temperature differential
and minimum flow rate of the boilers shall be considered, and a control
circuit developed to meet the requirements of both the primary heat
network and the boilers.
3.10.12 Where condensing boilers are specified, the circuit shall be designed to
maximise the opportunity for condensing conditions to occur. This should
avoid the use of low loss headers, which create a route from the flow into
the return, commonly raising the return temperatures to boilers. Headers can
be designed-out by the selection of higher volume boilers that have no
minimum flow rate restrictions.
3.10.13 The circuits shall be designed to enable any CHP plant to operate without
premature shutdown as a result of high return temperatures. Care shall be
taken to avoid the use of a common flow and return header and to ensure
there is recirculation around the boilers to control boiler off temperatures at
start-up and shutdown (see also CIBSE AM12: Combined heat and power for
buildings (CIBSE, 2013a)).
3.10.14 The pipework, vessels and flanges shall be insulated; pump bodies, valves
and strainers shall be insulated with flexible jackets that can be easily
removed and replaced.
3.10.15 The layout design of the energy centre shall take into account the needs of
the operator and provide suitable maintenance facilities, storage for spares
and access space to carry out maintenance work to a high quality and in a
safe manner. Where possible, the future operator shall be involved in the
design so that appropriate facilities can be provided in order to minimise
operational costs.
3.10.16 The energy centre shall be future-proofed as much as possible. In particular,

the layout of the energy centre shall take into account the requirement to
replace plant in the future without undue disruption and in a safe manner.
Consideration shall be given to the likelihood that the next plant
replacement may be of a different technology.
3.10.17 The ventilation of the plant room shall be by natural means wherever
possible to reduce the use of electricity for ventilation fans. This will also
avoid additional points of failure (if fans fail, combustion plant will need to
shut down). The ventilation strategy will also need to consider the fire
strategy, the DSEAR regulations, the MCPD and the need for acoustic
measures. Combustion air for CHP units shall not be drawn directly from the
boiler room where feasible.
3.10.18 The design shall consider the impact of leakage of water from plant failure
and seek to minimise the damage this might cause by providing adequate
drainage and mounting electrical and control equipment at a higher level.
3.10.19 Oil tanks and oil-filled transformers shall be bunded to contain leakage in
113
the event of a fault.
Figure 40 Design of an energy centre created using BIM
3.10.20 The design team shall consider how the system will be commissioned and
shall develop an outline commissioning plan/programme, including the
overall approach to commissioning and the parameters to be achieved. The
plan shall cover all aspects of the heat network scheme, but in particular the:
• heat generation (the energy centre)
• heat distribution (the heat network and interfaces to the buildings)
• secondary heat network and tertiary systems, i.e. building internal heat
distribution (the heat network within the buildings)
• heat supply (the HIUs, space heating and hot water systems in dwellings).
Best practice
BP3.10a carry out a specific study to analyse the energy centre efficiency
under low-load conditions using suitable simulation software (i.e.
which takes into account both thermal and hydraulic calculations)
and then to make changes to the design as necessary.
BP3.10b design using BIM techniques and 3-D visualisation, as shown in

Figure 40. This could provide a digital twin to aid future operation
of the network.
BP3.10c design the building services so that DH return temperatures are

below 40 °C at all times, to allow condensing heat recovery from
boilers, CHP plant and intercooler heat recovery from the CHP, and
promote enhanced heat pump efficiencies. This lowers the cost
and carbon content of heat.
District cooling systems can similarly use a range of cooling sources, including
absorption chillers, vapour compression chillers or, in some places, river/borehole
water. The main objective is to obtain a significant difference in cost and
efficiency by using centralised chillers compared to using local chillers installed in
buildings. This could be obtained, for example, by being able to use evaporative
cooling towers or heat rejection to a river. Additional advantages can be obtained
if the district cooling system is linked to a heat network in which the rejected heat
114 can be utilised as a heat source for a heat pump that supplies the heat network.

Output 3.10a Low-carbon energy centre plant specification
Output 3.10b Energy centre design
Output 3.10c CO2 heat content calculations
Output 3.10d Energy centre and network commissioning plan
Objective 3.11: To optimise the use of thermal storage

Incorporating thermal storage has a number of potential economic, technical and
environmental benefits:
— Reducing peak boiler capacity by using heat from the store to meet short-term
peak demands.
— Smoothing the daily variation in heat demand and reducing the need to
operate peak boilers, so that peak boilers are used less and low-carbon plant
more; normally of benefit in the spring and autumn months.
— Enabling a CHP plant to operate during times of higher electricity price (e.g.
daytime) and shutting down at times of low electricity price (e.g. night-time).
— Enabling operation of heat pumps and heat extraction from any steam turbines
to be prioritised during times of low electricity price (e.g. at night).
— Allowing the main heat/power source to use demand side response to optimise
revenue.
— Enabling biomass boilers to operate more continuously, improving efficiency.
— Enabling plant to operate at the output that corresponds to maximum

efficiency, rather than having to match the instantaneous demand.
— Reducing the number of start/stops of low-carbon plant, especially CHP units,

to protect the machinery and reduce maintenance costs.
— Providing future flexibility to utilise other less controllable heat sources, e.g.
waste heat, solar thermal etc.
— Enabling heat pumps to work at a higher coefficient of performance (CoP)

when just heating cooler parts of the thermal store.
— By using local distributed thermal stores, reducing the peak heat network
capacity and hence enabling the use of smaller network pipes.
The design and sizing of a thermal store requires an operating model that uses
predicted heat demand profiles on an hour by hour basis for a full year. Where return
temperatures are likely to vary, the model shall use variable return temperatures, not
average temperatures. The operating model should assess the economic benefits of a
range of store sizes and, where site constraints allow, the most economic thermal
store should be selected. Establishing the economic benefit of the store is key to
115
justifying the space and cost that the store requires.
There are a number of different types of thermal store design, both pressurised and
unpressurised, which are all acceptable provided the minimum requirements are met.
3.11.1 The economic benefit and additional CO2 saving generated by including the
thermal store shall be assessed. The size of a thermal store shall be optimised
by using an hour by hour simulation, as required in Objective 2.2, to achieve
minimum lifecycle costs, or to meet other specified criteria, and shall allow
for a mixing zone that effectively reduces the useful volume available by at
least 10%.
6000
Heat from Heat to
CHP heat Top-up boiler Site heat demand
thermal store thermal store
5000
4000
kW of heat
3000
2000
1000
0
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24
Hour of day
Figure 41 Illustration of CHP modelling with thermal store over a 24-hour period
3.11.2 The store shall be designed to operate with the maximum temperature
difference available, which may mean that it uses a flow temperature higher
than the network flow temperature.
3.11.3 Where possible a single store shall be used, to minimise capital cost and heat
losses.
Space for thermal storage needs to be considered as early as possible in the

design process. In new-build energy centres, spaces that span two or three storeys
can be created to allow a single large store to be installed, requiring less overall
volume than multiple smaller stores. The building foundations will need to be
designed to support the thermal store’s weight. Such design would often require
the thermal store to be delivered during construction of the energy centre and
built into the building. In existing buildings, external locations may be required,
requiring aesthetics and planning requirements to be carefully considered. In all
cases, a lifecycle cost optimisation should be carried out.
3.11.4 Each store shall have a diameter to height ratio above 1:1.5 and preferably
1:2, in order to minimise the volume of the inactive separation layer.
Designers departing from these values need to justify their selection.
However, if the entry diffusers are well designed, experience shows that
ratios down to 1:1 are feasible, as discussed in 3.11.6. Multiple small stores
should be avoided where possible as the effects of heat conduction down
the store walls and of mixing at flow entry points have greater impact on
116 stratification.

(a) Bottom entry (b) Top exit
Figure 42 Example of good diffuser design
3.11.5 The dimensions of the store shall take account of practical considerations
including: space constraints, transport constraints, planning requirements,
structural implications and manufacturing/fabrication processes.
3.11.6 The store shall be designed to minimise turbulence and to promote

stratification by using diffusers at entry and exit points that ensure flow
velocities at the point of entry are less than 0.2 m/s. Multiple entry and exit
points into the tank (at the same entry or exit level) could also be used to
minimise turbulence. If turbulence is limited, then the mixing layer between
the hot and cold fluids is minimised and the volume available for energy
storage is maximised. Figure 42 shows an example of good diffuser design,
where the flow into the store passes between two horizontal circular plates
— the flow rate at the outer diameter of the plates can be well below the
maximum of 0.2 m/s.
Figure 43 A thermal store in 117

operation in Coventry
DN200
50.87 kg/s P P
T 85 °C
Air separator
DN200
T
T T T
DN200 DN200
T Thermal T Thermal T Thermal

store 1 store 2 store 3
(27 600 l) (27 600 l) (27 600 l)
T
T T T
T T T
T
DN200
T
T T T
DN200
50.87 kg/s
Figure 44 Schematic of a possible arrangement of thermal stores
3.11.7 Where multiple stores are used, these shall be connected in series to
maximise useful storage volume (see Figure 44). In this case, the height of
the store (in relation to 3.11.4) shall be considered to be the sum of the
heights of the individual stores.
3.11.8 A minimum of five temperature sensors shall be installed on the vessel, aligned
vertically, to enable the operation of the store to be monitored, or an equivalent
alternative system shall be used to provide the same or better facility.
3.11.9 To limit turbulence, connections to the store shall be such that the flows in
and out of the store are only the difference between the scheme heat
demand and the central plant production, and not the total flow to the
network. A common header arrangement shall not be used as the thermal
store itself normally provides this function.
3.11.10 The store shall be insulated to minimise lifecycle costs and meet the
performance requirements with respect to temperature loss.
3.11.11 The central plant shall normally be controlled so that the low-carbon heat
source (e.g. CHP or heat pump) is operated to fill the store at times that
maximise the commercial benefit, e.g. to maximise income from electricity
generation at certain times of the day. The description of operation
(DesOps) shall be based on the techno-economic optimisation model.
Simpler controls shall be avoided, e.g. that just turn plant on when the
temperature at the top of the store drops below a set-point (i.e. when the
store is empty) and turn plant off when the temperature at the bottom of
the store rises above a set-point (when the store is full) as this approach
may fail to achieve the maximum economic benefit from the low- or zero-
118
carbon plant and thermal store.
3.11.12 The control system shall be such that low-carbon heat is delivered to meet

the heat demand as the first priority, with any surplus heat available being
stored for later use.
3.11.13 The control systems shall take account of transient conditions when plant is
started and stopped to ensure that only hot water is delivered to the top of
the store so as to avoid spurious temperature signals being given to the heat
generating plant.
3.11.14 Although it is unlikely that significant maintenance work will be required on

the thermal store, or that wholesale replacement will be required within the
life of the scheme, the requirements of maintenance and replacement shall
be considered as part of the design.
3.11.15 Consideration shall be given to the location of the thermal store, recognising
that a thermal store located close to customers within the heat network has
the potential benefit of reducing the capacity of the primary heat network as
well as providing economic and efficiency benefits at the energy centre
plant. Consideration should also be given to the resilience of the store with
regard to vehicular damage, vandalism or other interference.
Best practice
BP3.11a future-proof any thermal storage. It is likely that the benefits of

thermal storage will become more significant in the future so
planning for additional storage to be added would be a best
practice approach.
BP3.11b use inter-seasonal storage, for some heat sources (e.g. solar
thermal or ground source heat pumps).

Output 3.11a Thermal storage optimisation report
Output 3.11b Thermal storage control strategy
Output 3.11c Storage vessel and insulation specification
Objective 3.12: To finalise the financial analysis, risk analysis and

sensitivities
During and at the end of the design stage the financial analysis (see Objective 2.9)
will be updated to reflect the latest design, the plant performance and the cost
estimates. This may lead to a need for value engineering to maintain a sound
business case, although care should be taken to ensure this does not compromise the
efficiency of the plant and heat network.
The financial model can also be used in conjunction with a risk analysis to assess the
119
impact of risks and the benefits of mitigation.
A wider range of sensitivities may be investigated at this stage using the financial
model. See also BEIS’s collection of guidance for heat network developers and
members of the supply chain (at www.gov.uk/government/collections/heat-networks-
guidance-for-developers-and-the-supply-chain).
The requirements of BS ISO 31000 Risk management. Guidelines (BSI, 2018b) should
be followed throughout this stage.
3.12.1 The financial analysis developed in Stage 2 shall be updated using: the
predicted performance of central plant as designed, the latest cost
estimates, and the more accurate estimates of network heat losses, boiler
standing losses, pumping energy and other parasitic electricity uses. The
analysis shall be based on hourly demand profiles and shall use STOD tariffs,
sought from a prospective electricity supplier, including any DUoS charges
or credits.
3.12.2 The capital cost model (see Objective 2.9) shall be updated and finalised,
within a target tolerance not exceeding ±10%. This shall provide a detailed
breakdown of the cost components, including: fuel supply infrastructure,
energy centre building, each individual low-carbon technology, heat network
pipework (including trenching and road crossings/closures), pumps,
transformers, thermal substations, HIUs and overall installation costs. Costs
shall also include: contractor’s overheads/profit, construction management
and preliminaries alongside estimates for commissioning, design fees,
project management, and a contingency based upon overall project risk. At
this stage, capital costs shall, where possible, be based on firm quotations
from suppliers and contractors.
3.12.3 The risk register shall be reviewed and updated, and progress monitored on
actions assigned for mitigation.
3.12.4 A sensitivity analysis shall be conducted using the risk register as a starting
point so that each risk can be quantified in terms of impact on IRR, NPV and
heat selling price. This shall also include assessing the potential benefit from
defined risk mitigation measures.
3.12.5 As a minimum the following sensitivities shall be included:

• heat, cooling and power sales volume (where applicable)
• delays in the connection of buildings to the network
• downtime of primary heat source, e.g. CHP plant or heat pumps
• variations in future fuel and electricity prices
• out-turn construction cost
• construction programme over-run
• non-fuel operating and maintenance costs and management costs.
3.12.6 Analysis shall be carried out to ensure that the proposed customer heat
charges covering the full operating cost of the heat network (including
billing costs and capital replacement costs) are lower than the counterfactual
heat costs.
3.12.7 A separate analysis which assigns monetary value to the CO2 saved (e.g.
using the BEIS/IAG future social cost of CO2 and NOx emissions (BEIS, 2019,
or latest edition)) shall also be undertaken, although this would not normally
120
be used to evaluate the viability of the investment.
3.12.8 Data about each of the final building connections to be included in the

design, and confirmed by the financial modelling, shall be recorded and
included in the evidence pack. The CP1 (2020) Excel workbook provides a
worksheet entitled Building Connection Checklist to aid this process.
Best practice
BP3.12a prepare a profit and loss/balance sheet in accordance with the

Heat Network Detailed Project Development Resource document
Guidance on the economic and financial case, development of the
financial model heat pricing and maximising opportunities (BEIS,
2016b). This work would be led by a finance specialist.
BP3.12b follow the principles of BS ISO 31000 (BSI, 2018b) when

conducting the risk analysis.

Output 3.12a Updated CapEx model
Output 3.12b Updated lifecycle cashflow model
Output 3.12c Updated risk register and risk analysis
Output 3.12d Updated sensitivity analysis report
Objective 3.13: To assess environmental impacts and benefits

At the design stage a more detailed evaluation of environmental impacts and
benefits will be required to support a planning application, to comply with legislation
and to make the case for the project in terms of CO2 reductions.
3.13.1 The expected emissions from the central plant shall be assessed to determine
stack height (where necessary), updating/detailing the calculations made for
Objective 2.11. Depending on the scale of the scheme, the stage of design
and the requirements of the planning authority, a dispersion model may be
required to calculate the impact on ground-level concentrations or other
sensitive receptors, especially of NOx and, where appropriate, PM10 levels.
3.13.2 Where gas-fired CHP is to be used without further treatment in an air quality
management area, the TA-Luft standard for NOx of 250 mg/Nm3 at 5% O2
shall be specified, unless the requirements of the local planning authority are
more onerous, in which case these shall be specified. The design shall also
comply with the MCPD (or the IED, for larger plant) and associated
regulations.
3.13.3 Where refrigerants are to be used in low-carbon plant (e.g. heat pumps)
then these shall be selected to minimise total global warming potential using
121
predicted refrigerant leakage rates. An assessment of the likely greenhouse
gas emissions associated with refrigerant leakage shall be made and

expressed as CO2 equivalent emissions. Careful consideration should be

given to the longevity of refrigerant supply, as many are being gradually
phased out.
3.13.4 Where biomass boilers are used, the particulate emissions shall be assessed
and suitable control technologies selected.
3.13.5 Biomass shall be sourced from sustainable sources and consideration given
to the transport energy required.
3.13.6 Where necessary, an acoustic survey shall be undertaken to establish

background noise levels in the area of the energy plant. The requirements for
the design of the energy centre acoustic control shall be set accordingly.
3.13.7 The CO2 savings and carbon intensity of the heat supplied shall be updated
from Stage 2, including projections on a year by year basis as to how these
might change in the future as the electricity grid is decarbonised. CO2
emissions calculations shall be based on published emission factors and
realistic efficiencies for central plant, both for the full build-out and the early
years of growth. For the purposes of planning and building control
compliance calculations in new-build schemes, emission factors used in
relevant Building Regulations should be used. However, for both new and
existing buildings, the DH design shall use emission factors taken from
Valuation of Energy Use and Greenhouse Gas (BEIS, 2019, or latest edition)
to ensure that the approach to electricity grid emission factors reflects grid
decarbonisation. Where CHP is used, care must be taken to use efficiencies
quoted against gross calorific value (GCV) as this is the basis on which fuel
emission factors are quoted.
Best practice
BP3.13a use a higher stack, to disperse pollutants more widely, or exhaust

gas treatment in an air quality management area.
BP3.13b consider the use of renewable forms of heat, such as solar water
heating, waste heat or a fuel cell CHP fuelled by hydrogen-rich
fuels, in order to reduce environmental impacts.
BP3.13c evaluate the embodied energy/carbon within the overall heat

network; see Embodied Carbon and Building Services (Hitchin,
2013).

Output 3.13a Updated lifecycle CO2 emissions calculations
Output 3.13b Updated NOx emissions calculations
122

Objective 3.14: To collaborate in establishing scheme investability
Establishing the investability of the scheme is likely to be led by legal or financial
advisors and will take place when the heat network approaches financial closure and
an investment decision is required, i.e. at the end of procurement/commercialisation
(see Figure 20, Figure 21 and Objective 3.12). The design progress made up to this
point will vary depending on the procurement route chosen — the design will not
necessarily be complete, for example if a contractor is being appointed to design and
build the network. At this stage, potential investors will require evidence that the
project is deliverable.
This objective supports technical advisors in contributing to a review and report

setting out the investability of the heat network project. The level of detail required
in the review will vary on a project by project basis, and it should be commensurate
with the scale and complexity of the project and the needs of investors. This due
diligence review will consider the full suite of project documents, including for
example:
— the original business case (see Objective 2.13)
— various contracts prior to signature (e.g. customer supply and connection

agreements, construction contract, operation and maintenance contracts etc.)
— planning approvals and supporting documents
— land ownership and access rights (and associated contracts, e.g. easements,
leases etc.)
— design documents and specifications
— funding agreements
— revisiting the assumptions, sensitivities and risks used in the financial model in
order to provide an updated assessment of financial viability.
Public sector clients refer to this stage as the ‘full business case’ and will often choose
to follow HM Treasury’s guidance on business cases in The Green Book (HMT, 2018).
Third party investors are likely to require a detailed due diligence exercise by
independent advisors. Investors in smaller projects may choose to conduct a more
limited due diligence exercise, as appropriate.
A due diligence report should be produced highlighting the anticipated return on

investment and any areas of risk and the extent to which these have been mitigated.
This should also set out how business structures, contract strategy and procurement
strategy differ from those envisaged in the business case (see Objective 2.13). This
will allow owners and investors to decide whether the project is in line with their risk/
reward appetite. The degree of input from the technical advisor to this exercise will
vary, but is expected to be limited, and in support of financial and legal experts.
The work should be commissioned by the client separately to technical design work
(see the responsibilities set out in section A6). This will need to be carried out jointly
between technical experts and legal and financial advisors. The client should
therefore ensure that suitable financial and legal resources are made available for this
activity to be undertaken. The technical advisor should collaborate with these other
advisors to explain how technical issues impact on viability.
Although this objective appears last in the design stage, this work should be an
123
integral (parallel and interlinked) part of the whole design process, beginning as early
as possible. The work should be carried out jointly between the legal, financial and
technical consultants (led by the legal and financial advisors). Further guidance can
be found in a suite of Heat Network Detailed Project Development guidance
documents (BEIS, 2016b–e). See also BEIS’s collection of guidance for heat network
developers and members of the supply chain (at www.gov.uk/government/collections/
heat-networks-guidance-for-developers-and-the-supply-chain).
3.14.1 The client shall commission a suitable team of legal, financial and technical
advisors to carry out the work in conducting due diligence and confirming
investability. The client shall ensure that suitable financial, legal and technical
resources are made available to undertake this activity.
3.14.2 The client’s technical advisor shall collaborate with the other advisors to
assess the viability of the project ahead of a final investment decision.
3.14.3 The legal, financial and technical advisors shall develop a due diligence
report to ensure the client understands the financial viability and legal risk of
the investment that is being proposed.
3.14.4 A final agreed delivery programme shall be developed.
Best practice
BP3.14a consider the potential for scheme extensions and new connections.
This could include compiling a list of the main stakeholders to be
contacted in the future, which may include owners of individual
properties as well as key building owners, such as hospital trusts,
social landlords etc.

Output 3.14a Due diligence report (redacted if necessary to protect commercially
sensitive information)
Output 3.14b Final agreed delivery programme
124
4: Construction and installation
Objectives:
4.1 To reduce health and safety risks to staff, customers and the general
public
4.2 To achieve a high-quality heat network construction to deliver a long
asset life
4.3 To provide a high-quality heat interface unit (HIU) and building
connection construction to provide good customer service levels
4.4 To reduce adverse environmental impacts of construction
The requirements — Stage 4: Construction and installation Heat networks: Code of Practice for the UK
Objective 4.1: To reduce health and safety risks to staff, customers

and the general public
Reducing health and safety risk is of primary importance in any project and
established contractors will recognise their responsibilities. This section is not
intended to be comprehensive but will emphasise particular risks associated with
heat networks. The health and safety of the general public must be carefully
considered as heat networks are generally installed through areas that are normally
accessible by the public. BSRIA BG 1/2009: Building Services Job Book (BSRIA, 2009)
provides a project framework and further guidance for a construction project team.
District heating construction/installation requires particular care as trench excavations

are generally wider and deeper than for most other utilities and trenches need to be
kept open for longer. As the pipe materials are bulky, the logistics of receiving and
unloading deliveries, storing pipes and transporting pipes to the work area need to
be carefully planned and the safety implications carefully considered.
4.1.1 The Principal Designer under the CDM Regulations shall be appointed. A
health and safety risk register shall be established, taking forward the
residual risks identified at the design stage. The health and safety plan and
the quality management plan shall be updated.
4.1.2 The guidance issued in HSG47 (HSE, 2014b) shall be followed to minimise
health and safety risks associated with excavation around buried services.
4.1.3 The safety risks of trenches and site compounds, both to staff and the
general public, shall be carefully analysed. This may include, for example,
fencing and warning signs.
4.1.4 Trench walls shall be properly supported at all times and kept clear of
ground water and debris (see Figure 45).
4.1.5 Tools and equipment shall not be left unattended at any time and shall be
stored in secure facilities outside working hours.
4.1.6 When welding, suitable screens shall be placed to protect the public.
4.1.7 Traffic management systems and pedestrian signs shall be carefully

considered and a traffic management plan developed. All street works shall
follow the NRSWA 2012 Code of Practice recommendations (DfT, 2012), the
126
Figure 45 Trench wall supports
Street Works UK Guidelines (Street Works UK, 2007–2018) and Advice Note
The requirements — Stage 4: Construction and installation

SA 10/05 (Highways Agency, 2005), after liaison with the appropriate
authorities.
4.1.8 Spoil heaps shall be minimised by removing surplus from site at frequent
intervals.
4.1.9 When working with heating pipes the risk of scalding shall be identified,
especially to residential customers who are vulnerable, and pipe protection
shall be provided, especially on primary side pipework.
4.1.10 Detailed design carried out by the contractor shall take account of the future
needs for safe maintenance and replacement of plant and equipment.

Output 4.1a Health and safety risk register
Output 4.1b Traffic management plan
Objective 4.2: To achieve a high-quality heat network construction

to deliver a long asset life
Heat networks are designed to have a long life and to be very reliable. However, this
is only realised where a high standard of construction is also achieved. Many of the
detailed requirements for pre-insulated steel pipe systems are set out in BS EN 13941
(BSI, 2019c) and the requirements of this Code of Practice given below emphasise
only the most important of these. The potential for failures arising from poor
installation is reduced where pre-insulated polymer pipes with compression sleeve
joints are used, although a high standard of installation is still important.
4.2.1 Where a pre-insulated steel pipe system is selected, this shall comply with
BS EN 253 (BSI, 2019a) and associated standards and shall be installed in
accordance with BS EN 13941 (BSI, 2019c) and the manufacturer’s
instructions and guidance. Where a pre-insulated polymer pipe system is
selected, this shall be installed in accordance with the manufacturer’s
instructions and guidance and shall comply with BS EN 15632 (Parts 1–3)
(BSI, 2009–2014).
4.2.2 For pre-insulated steel pipe systems, the project class of the system under
BS EN 13941 (BSI, 2019c) shall be defined, which determines the appropriate
stress calculation methodology along with the inspection and NDT
requirements (see section 4.4.2 of BS EN 13941-1).
4.2.3 For pre-insulated steel pipe systems, prior to installation commencing, the
designer shall confirm that the necessary stress analysis check has been
carried out in accordance with BS EN 13941 (BSI, 2019c). This design check
shall also be carried out on any deviations in the route that may arise during
construction. The stress analysis shall be documented based on the final
127
pipework route that is installed.
4.2.4 All fitters employed to install a steel pipe system shall have received training
in the joint system in accordance with BS EN 489-1 (BSI, 2019e) and hold
current certificates. For polymer pipe systems, all fitters and welders shall
receive specific training in the pipe system and the jointing system and hold
appropriate certificates demonstrating competence for the type of pipe
system being used.
4.2.5 All steel welders shall be qualified to weld the size and thickness of pipe
concerned, and under site conditions, and shall present up-to-date
certificates as evidence prior to commencing any work on site.
4.2.6 The contractor shall provide documentary evidence that quality inspections
have been made at each stage of the installation process, covering as a
minimum:
• trench inspection prior to installing pipes
• steel welding NDT
• closure welding or shrinking
• closure air test prior to foaming
• continuity checks on surveillance system
• trench inspection prior to backfilling
• compaction around pipes and marker tape
• system pressure test (strength test)
• final surfacing and reinstatement.
BESA TR/6: Site Pressure Testing of Pipework (BESA, 2017b) provides further
guidance. Annex D of BS EN 13941 (Part 2) (BSI, 2019c) provides details of
quality control documentation.
4.2.7 There shall be a system of independent inspection to verify that the quality
checks listed above are being undertaken, including written records of
sample checks carried out. These shall be recorded in a construction quality
log and an installation inspection verification log.
4.2.8 Each steel weld or polymer pipe joint shall be numbered and the individual
welder or jointer responsible shall be identified on a register. The same
process shall be followed for joint closures.
4.2.9 Pre-insulated materials shall be stored in accordance with the manufacturer’s

instructions; site foaming materials shall be kept in insulated containers.
4.2.10 NDT of steel welds shall be carried out in accordance with BS EN 13941 (BSI,
2019c) for the appropriate project class. A range of testing methods exists,
including ultrasonic, phased array and radiographic. The most appropriate
method should be reviewed and agreed prior to the commencement of
installation works, with due consideration for the varying requirements of
each, including the use of permits or the need to inform the HSE. In
addition, the first ten welds by each welder shall be subject to NDT. NDT of
all welds shall be required where the pipe will be relatively inaccessible or
where major disruption would occur if a repair is needed (e.g. at major road
or rail crossings).
4.2.11 Welding shall only be carried out under suitable conditions, with the welding
area covered during inclement weather.
128
4.2.12 Welding equipment for high-density polyethylene (HDPE) casings or polymer

pipe shall be checked regularly and calibration certificates made available.
4.2.13 The insulation on above-ground pipework shall be specifically checked and

an inspection report issued prior to cladding or covering up by building
finishes to confirm compliance with the specification for thickness and type
of insulation, continuity of insulation at joints, supports, flanges, valves and
all other fittings. A thermographic survey may assist in identifying areas with
poor insulation continuity.
4.2.14 Trenches shall be kept dry and free of debris as much as possible.
4.2.15 After installation, each section of the network shall be flushed to remove
debris using specialist flushing equipment in accordance with BSRIA
BG 29/2020: Pre-Commission Cleaning of Pipework Systems (BSRIA, 2020).
Alternatively, and especially for larger diameters (e.g. >150 mm), pigging
using conventional or ice methods may be used. In addition, the system
water may be circulated at high velocity and passed through a filter to
remove suspended solids.
4.2.16 The installation contractor shall provide an ‘as installed’ layout drawing of
the network indicating all joint positions, with GPS coordinates, and any
route deviations from the original approved design. This drawing shall be
included in the maintenance manual for the scheme.
4.2.17 For pre-insulated pipes with surveillance wires there shall be a detailed
wiring diagram for the surveillance system, and this shall be certified as
correct upon commissioning and included in the maintenance manual for
the scheme. The system shall be ‘mapped’ both following installation and
prior to charging the network. This shall be held as part of the ‘as installed’
drawings to provide datum references and facilitate the location of any
leaks. Future and periodic mapping shall be carried out as part of the
maintenance regime and compared with the datum mapping. The systems
shall be tested and calibrated to achieve an accuracy in location detection
of ±1 m.
4.2.18 As soon as possible after cleaning, flushing or pigging, the system shall be
filled and suitable chemical treatment added (see BSRIA BG 29/2020).
Alternatively, the system shall be filled with demineralised water and treated
following directive VDI 2035 Part 2 (Association of German Engineers, 2009).
The system water shall then be circulated regularly until conditions stabilise
within the agreed water treatment parameters (see Annex E).
4.2.19 Where the heat network is not required to be in operation for some time
(e.g. more than six months) then it shall be dried if necessary and filled with
nitrogen, rather than water, in order to preserve the integrity of the
pipework. As part of the nitrogen charging process, the absence of oxygen
shall be suitably demonstrated prior to the sealing of the network.
4.2.20 Where a new network is to be connected to an existing network, the water

treatment regime for the existing system shall be reviewed to ensure
compatibility with the proposals for the new system.
129
Best practice
BP4.2a carry out chemical cleaning of the pipe system. However, care
needs to be taken to ensure that all chemicals are flushed out and
safely discharged before refilling. This process can be difficult to
control in an installation where customer connections are being
progressively completed. In any case, the pipe manufacturer should
be consulted.
BP4.2b maintain a photographic record of each section of the network just

prior to backfilling of the trench.
BP4.2c arrange for the pre-commission cleaning of the network pipe

systems to be audited by an independent water treatment provider
(i.e. not someone associated with the pre-commission cleaning of
the system), using sampling locations and numbers as per BS 8552
(BSI, 2012). This will improve transparency of information and the
handover process.

Output 4.2a Construction quality log
Output 4.2b Installation inspection verification log
Output 4.2c Leakage testing, flushing and water quality report
Objective 4.3: To provide a high-quality heat interface unit (HIU)

and building connection construction to provide good customer
service levels
The HIU is a key component of a heat network system as it provides user control,
ensures hydraulic balance within the heat network and may also include a domestic
hot water heat exchanger. It should also be designed to have low maintenance
requirements and perform reliably over a long period of time. The required customer
service levels of the heat supply will only be achieved from a high-quality HIU and
building connections to non-domestic buildings.
4.3.1 The heat meter installation shall be in accordance with BS EN 1434 (BSI,
2015d) and strictly in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions,
taking care that the flow meter is installed in the correct orientation, with
sufficient straight length upstream and downstream, and in the correct pipe
(flow or return) and that the temperature sensors are installed in the correct
way. Communication systems for meters shall be installed in accordance with
BS EN 13757 (BSI, 2014–2019).
4.3.2 Fittings connecting the HIU to the network shall be selected and installed to
operate under current and future network pressures and temperatures with
130
an appropriate level of quality assurance.
4.3.3 Unless provided as part of the HIU, flushing bypasses shall be installed at the

heat network connections to each HIU to protect sensitive equipment from
the flushing process. It is preferable to use temporary flushing bypasses to
allow them to be disconnected after use, avoiding the possibility of the
bypass being left open. Alternatively, any flushing bypasses should be
tamper-proof and lockable. It is essential that all flushing bypasses are left
closed and locked-off, or removed, after flushing is complete.
4.3.4 The control systems for building connections shall be fully checked prior to
commissioning, including a point to point check that sensors are correctly
addressed and that all sensors are working correctly.
4.3.5 Where dwelling HIUs are required, and are of a type and duty that can be
tested to the BESA UK HIU Test Regime technical standard (BESA, 2018), the
HIU installed shall be one tested and registered with BESA, or tested using
an equivalent accredited independent HIU testing and registration scheme.
4.3.6 The contractor shall review and update the commissioning plan/programme
and acceptance testing plan to ensure it is in line with the scheme as
installed (see also 3.4.14).

Output 4.3a HIU and controls installation report
Output 4.3b Metering installation report
Output 4.3c Updated commissioning plan/programme
Objective 4.4: To reduce adverse environmental impacts of

construction
Although the ultimate aim of a heat network project is to provide an environmental
benefit there will be negative environmental impacts during construction that need
to be identified and minimised as far as possible.
4.4.1 The contractor shall commit to following the requirements of the
Considerate Constructors Scheme.
4.4.2 The contractor shall minimise the amount of waste generated from
excavations, backfilling, surface reinstatement and pipe installation. This may
include the reuse of excavated material for backfill where possible.
4.4.3 The contractor shall manage the site to recycle waste where possible and
provide appropriate facilities to enable recycling of materials.
4.4.4 The contractor shall minimise the risk of waste being blown off site into
surrounding areas by collecting and storing waste as soon as it is created.
4.4.5 Dust shall be controlled by using sprays on road surfaces, which shall be
131
cleaned regularly.
4.4.6 Fuel use for site vehicles and machinery shall be monitored and minimised
— engines shall be turned off when not in use for long periods.
4.4.7 Water use shall be minimised. Waste water shall be sent to road drains only
where unavoidable and run-off into local waterways shall be prevented.
4.4.8 Spoil heaps shall be covered to avoid rain run-off carrying sediment which
may block drains.
4.4.9 Noise and other disturbance to residents shall be minimised and agreed site
operating hours adhered to at all times.
4.4.10 Trees and other landscaping shall be protected from damage, with qualified
arborists or landscape architects consulted as necessary.
Best practice
BP4.4a provide large and easily readable posters, fixed to the site
hoardings, that explain the nature of the works and the wider
district energy scheme and its carbon benefits.
BP4.4b join the CEEQUAL scheme, with the target of achieving a Very
Good or Excellent rating.
BP4.4c engage an environmental consultant to carry out a site audit

during construction.
What is CEEQUAL?
CEEQUAL is an international evidence-based sustainability assessment, rating and
awards scheme for civil engineering, infrastructure, landscaping and works in
public spaces, which celebrates the achievement of high environmental and social
performance.
CEEQUAL aims to assist clients, designers and contractors to deliver improved

project specification, design and construction in civil engineering works. The
scheme rewards project and contract teams who go beyond the legal,
environmental and social minima to achieve distinctive environmental and social
performance in their work. As well as being a rating system for assessing
performance, it will also significantly influence project or contract teams in their
development, design and construction of a project, because it encourages them
to consider key sustainability issues at the most appropriate times and to strive to
secure the CEEQUAL score their work deserves.
See www.ceequal.co.uk

Output 4.4a Waste management and recycling log
Output 4.4b Local environmental impact log
132
5: Commissioning
Objectives:
5.1 To appoint a suitably qualified commissioning team with a clear
commissioning plan
5.2 To achieve consistently low return temperatures through commissioning
building heating systems/controls
5.3 To provide HIU/substation commissioning and heat network balancing to
ensure demands are met at all times
5.4 To commission the energy metering and meter reading system to deliver
accuracy and customer service
5.5 To commission the central plant and network to deliver an efficient and
reliable service
5.6 To provide a smooth handover and sufficient information for the
operations team
5.7 To carry out on-site acceptance tests to deliver an efficient and reliable
service
The requirements — Stage 5: Commissioning Heat networks: Code of Practice for the UK
Objective 5.1: To appoint a suitably qualified commissioning team

with a clear commissioning plan
Commissioning plays a key part in building heat networks that operate correctly and
perform to the client’s original requirements. This stage in the process is also
important for achieving high levels of customer satisfaction. It is essential that a
suitably qualified commissioning team carries out the work, and that the work
follows a clear plan — one that covers the whole integrated heat network and not
just individual components. Unfortunately, commissioning is sometimes rushed due
to pressures of handover and carried out in an ad-hoc manner by untrained staff.
Commissioning teams should adopt an overall system approach in order to achieve
good overall operational performance and customer satisfaction.
5.1.1 The client and/or the contractor shall appoint a suitably qualified
commissioning team with resources appropriate to the size of the heat
network scheme. The team shall be led by a responsible person (the
Commissioning Team Leader) to coordinate the overall commissioning
process. This team could be external to the main contractor and reporting
directly to the client, or a team internal to the contractor with the client’s
agreement.
5.1.2 The commissioning team shall agree the overall commissioning plan/
programme drafted by the heat network designer and contractor. The plan
shall cover all aspects of the heat network scheme:
• heat (and power, if applicable) generation (the energy centre)
• heat distribution (the heat network and interfaces with the buildings)
• building internal heat distribution (the heat network within the
buildings)
• heat supply (the HIUs, space heating and hot water systems within
dwellings)
• system controls, metering and monitoring (including AMR).
5.1.3 The commissioning team shall undergo bespoke training on the particular
heat network involved to ensure there is a full understanding of the whole
system before commissioning begins. The Commissioning Team Leader
should lead this training, and there should be expert input as necessary,
including input or a briefing from the scheme designer.
5.1.4 The client and heat network operator shall identify a responsible person to
witness the commissioning being carried out.
5.1.5 The commissioning stage shall include acceptance testing, as set out in
Objective 5.7, to ensure that customers receive the service levels stated in their
contracts.
134
The requirements — Stage 5: Commissioning

Output 5.1a Suitably qualified commissioning team specification/brief and
appointment
Output 5.1b A clear commissioning plan
Output 5.1c A clear acceptance testing plan
Output 5.1d Client commissioning witness specification/brief and appointment
Objective 5.2: To achieve consistently low return temperatures

through commissioning building heating systems/controls
One of the most critical aspects of the design and operation of a heat network is the
return temperature. The flow temperature is often set by limits on the central plant
and other equipment. For a given flow temperature, it is the return temperature that
governs the capacity of the network, the capacity of a thermal store, the efficiency of
heat production at the central plant, the pumping energy and the network heat
losses. However, the heat network operator has little control over the return
temperature as this is mainly a function of the building’s heating system and its
controls. Maintaining a low return temperature through the life of the network will
be important, but the initial commissioning is particularly important in establishing
this as it will be harder to change settings once the system is in operation.
Achieving this objective may require a culture change among operational staff.
Operatives involved in commissioning heating systems using gas-fired boilers within
buildings are often more concerned in achieving high flow rates and ensuring
radiators deliver their output. As a result, there is a tendency to set flows, and hence
return temperatures, higher than the design value. With heat networks an alternative
approach needs to become the norm, where flow rates are balanced to no more than
the design values and achieving the correct return temperatures is the main
commissioning objective. Essentially, the heating system is used to extract as much
heat as possible before returning water to the energy centre.
Traditionally, commissioning focuses on delivering peak design capacity. For heat

networks, commissioning also needs to ensure that the system is efficient at typically
low operating loads.
5.2.1 Written commissioning procedures shall be produced for each type of

heating circuit, building on the commissioning plan/programme established
during the design stage and based on CIBSE Commissioning Code M (CIBSE,
2003). This shall include coordination of commissioning of primary,
secondary and tertiary systems as these may be the responsibility of different
parties. Other relevant CIBSE Commissioning Codes and BSRIA Guides should
also be followed.
5.2.2 All operatives involved in commissioning shall receive training in the

importance of achieving the design return temperatures and the impact on
135
the overall heat network if return temperatures are too high.
5.2.3 A commissioning record sheet that, as a minimum, follows the example

procedure and checklist given in Annex B shall be used to enter the return
temperatures from the space heating circuits. Temperatures should be
measured after the system has been running in constant operation at full
load for over 60 minutes for radiator systems and 120 minutes for
underfloor systems. This can be achieved by setting the thermostat to
maximum then measuring in steady state and checking that all heat emitters
have reached the target temperature.
5.2.4 To ensure the design return temperatures have been achieved, 100% of the
secondary and tertiary heating circuits within the building/block shall be
commissioned. Further tests and rectification work shall be undertaken as
necessary. An overall summary of secondary and tertiary (dwelling)
commissioning results shall be produced and included in the evidence pack,
including any measures taken to mitigate problems and faults.
5.2.5 Where AMR is available then this shall be used to verify correct
commissioning.
5.2.6 For a dwelling heating system, the radiators shall be fitted with pre-settable
radiator valves designed for use with low flow rates and adjusted to give the
required return temperature and the design flow rate for the radiator
concerned. Final measured return temperatures shall be recorded as per the
checklist in Annex B.
5.2.7 The total flow to the radiator circuit shall be adjusted to the design value.
This may be by using a variable speed pump for indirect connection systems,
or a balancing valve or an adjustable differential pressure control valve
(DPCV) or pressure independent control valve (PICV) for direct connection
systems. Where a hot water cylinder is used, the flow rate to the cylinder
shall be adjusted to the design value.
5.2.8 Commissioning procedures shall ensure that the system is set up to operate
as per the design at low and zero heat demands.
5.2.9 As new phases of a wider heat network are brought on stream, the control,
temporary commissioning and pressure difference (DP) sensor location(s) for
the main system pumps shall be regularly assessed and adjusted accordingly.
Best practice
BP5.2a commission systems by using monitored data from the average

flow and return temperatures, the DT across any circuit, and the
flow volume and energy through the use of the heat meters and
AMR.

Output 5.2a Commissioning procedures
Output 5.2b Dwelling commissioning record sheets
Output 5.2c Summary of dwelling commissioning results
136

Objective 5.3: To provide HIU/substation commissioning and heat
network balancing to ensure demands are met at all times
A fundamental requirement for the heat network is to deliver the required amount of
heat to each customer, critically at the times of peak demand.
This is achieved by ensuring that each customer cannot take more than the design
flow rate that has been set in the supply contract (typically defined as a kW supply
rate at defined flow and return temperatures).
In addition, for residential properties, an HIU is often used to provide a central

control and metering point at each dwelling. This unit requires checking and
commissioning. Further guidance on heat metering is provided in BESA SUS 01: Heat
Metering (BESA, 2015).
5.3.1 Commissioning in accordance with the manufacturer’s recommendations,
and with the performance specification/acceptance criteria set out by the
network designers, shall be carried out on 100% of the HIUs and substations
and the results shall be documented. As a minimum, the example procedure
and checklist in Annex B shall be used for commissioning and acceptance
testing of HIUs and tertiary systems. This work shall also follow CIBSE
Commissioning Code W (CIBSE, 2010).
5.3.2 Commissioning operatives shall receive training in the importance of

commissioning the system to achieve the correct return temperatures before
commencing work.
5.3.3 At each point where the primary flow rate is to be controlled, the maximum
flow rate that the building, block or dwelling can receive shall be adjusted to
the design value, e.g. by using an adjustable DPCV or a PICV (see BSRIA
AG 16/2002: Variable-Flow Water Systems (BSRIA, 2002)).
5.3.4 The flow rate shall be measured using the flow rate function of the heat
meter. The flow and return temperatures and average temperature
difference shall be measured, as shown in Figure 46.
The following is the methodology for

calculating the average DT between two
periods of time using energy meter data
Reading 1 Reading 1
900 m 3
00100 MW·h
Reading 2 Reading 2
01450 m 3
00120 MW·h The 860 is a constant, and is defined as the quantity
in m3 of water that will be heated by 1 °C by 1 MW·h
Cubic metre consumption in period:
1450 – 900 = 550 m3 So in this example the DT calculation is as follows:
Energy consumption in period: 20

120 – 100 = 20 MW·h × 860 = 31.27 °C
550
DT calculated as follows:
The average DT in this example
MW·h
× 860 = cooling in °C is therefore 31.27 °C
m3
Figure 46 Method for establishing the average temperature difference from two heat meter readings 137
5.3.5 All measured data and set-points on valves etc. shall be recorded on the
commissioning record sheet and included in the operation and maintenance

(O&M) manuals and a copy provided to the customer.
5.3.6 Any flushing bypasses and loops shall be closed off before commissioning
starts and, where possible, this shall be proved by tests prior to commissioning.

Output 5.3a HIU and substation commissioning record sheets
Output 5.3b HIU and substation flow rate measurement/balancing records
Objective 5.4: To commission the energy metering and meter

reading system to deliver accuracy and customer service
The energy metering system is fundamental to the operation of the scheme, enabling
revenues to be collected and feedback to be provided to customers on their energy use.
5.4.1 There shall be an initial check prior to commissioning that the heat meter
installation has been carried out in accordance with BS EN 1434 (BSI, 2015d),
the manufacturer’s instructions and the Measuring Instruments Regulations
2016, particularly in relation to meter location, orientation and sensor
installation, as appropriate for the specific meter. This should not be necessary
on heat meters preassembled within HIUs.
5.4.2 Any central or common elements of the AMR system, such as central data
logger and broadband connections, shall be fully working prior to the
commissioning of individual customer meters, such that the AMR system
operation can be confirmed at the time of customer commissioning and
AMR data is available for the purposes of commissioning the HIUs and
overall heat network performance. This work shall be carried out in
accordance with BS EN 13757 (BSI, 2014–2019).
5.4.3 Where a prepayment system is installed there shall be a number of ways that
credit can be purchased by residents, including by telephone, via a website
or using a mobile phone and, if in person, from sufficient local outlets. These
systems need to be tested and commissioned by the contractor and/or
operator prior to the heat network going live.
5.4.4 The correct reporting of kW·h from each meter through the AMR system
shall be demonstrated and confirmed by manual meter readings. These
readings must be repeatable.
5.4.5 Each meter shall be monitored for a short period on-load to establish that
flow rates and temperatures are being recorded and that the data received
by the AMR is credible.
5.4.6 A hand calculation check, based on manual meter readings, shall be carried
out to prove that the conversion to kW·h from the flow rate and
138
temperature measurements is correct.
5.4.7 An overall reconciliation calculation shall be carried out between the central

plant meters, main building meters and dwelling meters, from which system
losses can be estimated.
5.4.8 A meter schedule or register shall be prepared and maintained, detailing for
each meter:
• the meter serial number
• the postal address or plot number of the property
• the exact location of the meter within the building or dwelling
• the communication address for the AMR
• the date commissioned
• the initial reading
• the date of last calibration.
5.4.9 The installed meters shall be confirmed to be as per the overall metering
strategy diagram developed at the design stage, in accordance with CIBSE
TM39: Building energy metering (CIBSE, 2009). Initial checks shall be carried
out to ensure correct installation and operation of the meters shown in this
strategy. The metering strategy and meter schedule or register shall be
updated with the serial numbers and locations of the installed meters. Meter
point labels shall be installed at each meter point (not on the meter, which
may be exchanged in the future).
5.4.10 Commissioning checks shall be carried out on 100% of meters to ensure that
each meter is operational (recording meter movement) and that readings are
reasonable in relation to expected consumption. The end to end operation of
the AMR system should be confirmed and readings from all meters should
be visible on any central AMR monitoring system.
5.4.11 An information pack shall be provided to each customer showing the

function and operation of the heating system, its controls, the heat meter
and the prepayment system, if used. It shall also comply with the
requirements of the Heat Trust scheme, where applicable. The information
pack shall be written to be visually attractive and easy to understand, and
not just be a collection of manufacturers’ leaflets. It shall contain a list of
FAQs and suitable answers (see Figure 47).
Figure 47 Typical customer

welcome pack
139
Best practice
BP5.4a make a follow-up visit to each property, to ensure that the

customer knows how to operate the heating system and
understands the metering and billing or prepayment process.
Information packs could be translated into other languages.
BP5.4b record and store data for an extended period. Outputs from the
AMR system could be displayed online, including the average
percentage heat loss from the network and information on the
central plant inputs, outputs and efficiency.

Output 5.4a Heat metering commissioning record sheets
Output 5.4b TM39 metering register/schedule and metering strategy
Output 5.4c Copy of customer information pack
Objective 5.5: To commission the central plant and network to

deliver an efficient and reliable service
Well designed and installed central plant can still fail to deliver an efficient and
reliable service if it has not been properly commissioned and tested. Without
adequate testing, faults will only emerge during the early years of operation — which
are then typically more expensive and disruptive to resolve.
5.5.1 The design specification will typically include a description of operation
(DesOps) and a functional controls specification, which should be key
components for commissioning the energy centre. These documents shall be
reviewed and, as a result, a commissioning and testing procedure shall be
established to demonstrate compliance with these documents. This procedure
shall involve some proving and testing at various times during the first year of
operation, when suitable system loads are available. Where necessary, the
load may be artificially induced by changing set-points or using load banks.
5.5.2 Each item of plant in the energy centre shall be commissioned. The
commissioning procedure shall also ensure that the integrated operation of
the entire plant delivers the required levels of service at the expected levels
of operation and efficiency.
5.5.3 There shall be a specific demonstration to show that the low-carbon heat
source is controlled to operate as the lead unit and to maintain its output as
secondary heat sources are brought on line.
5.5.4 Each sensor point connected to the building energy management system
(BEMS) or supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) system shall be
checked to prove that it is correctly addressed and providing a consistent
140
and correct signal.
5.5.5 The stable and efficient operation of the plant shall be demonstrated at all

expected load conditions and especially at minimum load conditions.
5.5.6 The energy centre and network shall be commissioned following the
recommendations in CIBSE Commissioning Code M: Commissioning
management (CIBSE, 2003) and an energy balance carried out to ensure
metering is working correctly. This work shall also follow other CIBSE
Commissioning Codes, including:
• CIBSE Commissioning Code B: Boilers (CIBSE, 2002a)
• CIBSE Commissioning Code C: Automatic controls (CIBSE, 2001)
• CIBSE Commissioning Code R: Refrigerating systems (CIBSE, 2002b)
• CIBSE Commissioning Code W: Water distribution systems (CIBSE, 2010).
5.5.7 A specific check shall be carried out at times of minimum demand (summer
nights) to confirm that bypass flows have been correctly set up and
controlled.
5.5.8 The operation of the variable speed pump system shall be checked to verify
that the required pressure differences are achieved at all points of the
network and that excessive pressure differences are not found at periods of
low flow.
5.5.9 On completion of the commissioning, a written handover process shall be

followed to enable the operating organisation to take full control.
5.5.10 The construction team and the designer shall be contractually appointed in a
supporting role for a minimum of 12 months following handover to carry
out seasonal checks and to fine tune the control system.
Best practice
BP5.5a require the project team to follow the Soft Landings approach
defined in BSRIA BG 54/2018: Soft Landings Framework (BSRIA,
2018b). Soft Landings requires, in particular, that success criteria
are defined at the start of the project. The success criteria are then
evaluated at the end using suitable post-occupancy evaluation
(POE) methods that will run for up to three years after practical
completion.
BP5.5b require the BEMS software to undergo full dynamic testing offsite
prior to uploading on site, in order to highlight any shortfall in the
controls package.

Output 5.5a Commissioning and testing procedures
Output 5.5b Energy centre and network commissioning records
Output 5.5c Full energy centre energy balance
141
The requirements — Stage 5: Commissioning Heat networks: Code of Practice for the UK
Objective 5.6: To provide a smooth handover and sufficient

information for the operations team
In order to encourage good, energy efficient operation, it is essential to ensure that
correct handover procedures are followed. A key part of this is to provide the
operations team with all the necessary information about the heat network, including
O&M manuals, log books and metering strategies.
5.6.1 The handover procedures shall follow the recommendations in CIBSE
Commissioning Code M (CIBSE, 2003) and BSRIA BG 1/2007: Handover, O&M
Manuals, and Project Feedback (BSRIA, 2007). There shall be a sign-off by
the operator confirming that sufficient information has been received to
operate the system within its design parameters.
5.6.2 A full O&M manual shall be provided for the heat network, including control
strategies and commissioning records. This shall also include: records of
material specifications for the network, as installed drawings, stress analysis
report, time-domain reflectometer (TDR) cable fault mapping of the
surveillance system, and copies of pressure tests and non-destructive tests.
5.6.3 Appropriate customer instructions shall be developed and distributed to

customers at handover, supplemented by customer training if necessary.
5.6.4 Where appropriate, CIBSE TM31 log books (CIBSE, 2006) shall be put in place
for each main connected building and central heat interface unit (thermal
substation).
5.6.5 Metering strategies shall be provided for the whole heat network, main
buildings and the energy centre plant rooms. Evidence that the metering
strategy has been implemented shall be provided in the form of meter point
142
Figure 48 Inside the King’s Cross energy centre
schedules with populated meter serial numbers and, in the case of AMR,

remotely obtained readings to prove successful data capture. AMR shall be
set up and commissioned in such a way as to make transparent the
performance of the heat network. On-site meter points shall be clearly
labelled with references that match the AMR.

Output 5.6a Handover documentation, O&M manuals and control strategies
Output 5.6b Energy centre and building TM31 log books and metering
strategies
Objective 5.7: To carry out on-site acceptance tests to deliver an

efficient and reliable service
Even plant that has been formally commissioned can still fail to deliver an efficient
and reliable service to the heat customer. Unfortunately, it is common for formal
commissioning to focus solely on testing that equipment ‘actually works’ when
turned on — often a single item of equipment in isolation — without reflecting the
overall network performance.
Traditionally, heat network commissioning has typically focused on the main plant
(e.g. boilers, pumps etc.) and the end users are often an afterthought in the process.
The standard approach to commissioning also tends to focus on peak operation and
not on efficient operation during the more common part-load operating conditions.
It is also common for commissioning to require witnessing of only a limited number
of end-customer points, which can lead to issues being missed. In heat networks, the
commissioning of end users’ equipment (e.g. HIUs, space heating circuits etc.) has
significant implications for the ongoing performance of the overall heat network.
A series of on-site ‘acceptance’ tests should be carried out to ensure that the system
meets the required performance standards and that the end customer receives the
promised service. If commissioning is done properly then this might not be necessary,
but that is not what happens in practice. Without adequate acceptance testing, faults
will only emerge during the early years of operation — when they are typically more
expensive and disruptive to resolve.
5.7.1 An appropriately qualified heat network specialist shall be appointed to carry

out the following on-site acceptance tests:
• energy centre heat efficiency (%)
• average CO2 content of heat produced at the energy centre over an
agreed period (kgCO2/kW·h)
• heat network loss per dwelling or thermal substation (kW·h/dwelling or
substation)
• average return temperature at energy centre boundary (°C)
• average flow temperature at energy centre boundary (°C)
143
• district heat network loss per linear metre
• average return temperature from each building or block and a selection

of the HIUs while domestic hot water is being drawn off (°C)
• seven-day ‘reliability run’, to show that the plant runs with acceptable
reliability.
A full acceptance test procedure shall form part of the construction contract
and shall be agreed between the client and the contractor well in advance of
the test dates. Dates for carrying out the acceptance tests and submitting
the results shall be agreed in the construction contract. This procedure shall
fully detail all the tests to be carried out, the conditions for the tests, agreed
tolerances to be applied to results, and any agreed liquidated damages or
other terms and conditions to be followed in the event of non-performance.
All of the above tests (except tests in dwelling and standby tests) should be
measured over a reasonably typical period of at least seven days. Results
shall be compared to targets provided by the designer’s expected values for
any given outside air temperature and used to verify that the system
conforms to the minimum performance requirements. Where performance is
found to be below the required level, the performance deficiency shall be
remedied by the contractor before practical completion and recorded in the
evidence pack. Standby return temperature shall be measured over a night-
time period. It is also important to commission not just each item of plant in
the energy centre but also the integrated operation of the entire heat
network so that the network will deliver the required levels of service at the
expected levels of operation and efficiency.
5.7.2 Where practical, acceptance testing should begin at the energy centre and
then move progressively closer to the heat consumer. If the network return
temperatures at the energy centre are at or below the design levels, then the
client and heat network specialist may decide to reduce the amount of
testing at a block and/or dwelling level. Conversely, where the energy centre
shows poor performance then increased testing should be undertaken at a
block and dwelling level.
5.7.3 On completion of the acceptance tests a written ‘acceptance test summary

report’ shall be produced by the heat network specialist and included in the
evidence pack in order to summarise the acceptance testing and any
problem or fault mitigation measures taken.
5.7.4 Where tests have failed, a failure log shall be produced showing mitigation
carried out and retest results until full acceptance has been achieved, or
liquidated damages or other agreed terms and conditions applied, if
performance guarantees cannot be met.
5.7.5 In residential dwellings, an initial set of tests shall be carried out on a small
number of dwellings to establish common problems that can be fixed before
testing the remainder of the estate. This can prevent extensive retesting on
large numbers of dwellings.
5.7.6 Following commissioning on 100% of the HIUs and secondary/tertiary

heating circuits within the building, independently inspected acceptance
tests shall also be carried out on a sample (or all) of the circuits to establish
whether the service levels and design return temperatures have been
achieved. Where systems fail to deliver the specified service then remedial
work, recertification and further tests shall be undertaken as necessary.
Independent acceptance testing shall be carried out on the first 10%
installed, then, if they pass, on a randomised 10% sample of the remainder.
144
If any of the first 10% tests fails to meet the requirements then acceptance
testing shall continue on the next 10%, and so on. This graduated risk-based

approach will help to avoid installation and commissioning problems being
rolled out across 100% of the dwellings. It should be noted that best
practice is to carry out independent acceptance testing on 100% of
dwellings (BP5.7a).
5.7.7 The operation/control of the main system pumps shall be assessed and
adjusted to ensure it meets the design stage DesOps, in particular the
location of the DP control sensor(s). This is especially important when newly
built out phases of a heat network are brought on stream.
Best practice
BP5.7a carry out independent acceptance testing on 100% of dwellings to

ensure that service levels and design return temperatures have
been achieved in all properties.
BP5.7b allocate a further period of time (around two weeks) to an in-use

‘proving period’, during which meter readings should be taken
more frequently, i.e. hourly, to ensure the heat network is
operating correctly and meets performance targets. Further
proving periods should be regularly performed, and comparisons
made to identify any performance gaps.

Output 5.7a Acceptance testing record sheets
Output 5.7b Non-acceptance log showing mitigation carried out and retest
results
Output 5.7c Acceptance test summary report
145
6: Operation and maintenance
Objectives:
6.1 To reduce health and safety risks to staff, customers and the general
public
6.2 To achieve cost-effective, accurate and reliable heat metering,
prepayment and billing systems
6.3 To maintain a high level of reliability and a long life for the heat network
6.4 To provide cost-effective maintenance of heat network assets resulting in
efficient operation and long life
6.5 To provide appropriate monitoring and reporting of the whole heat
network
6.6 To maintain the building connections to provide good customer service
6.7 To minimise environmental impacts of operation and maintenance
The requirements — Stage 6: Operation and maintenance Heat networks: Code of Practice for the UK
Objective 6.1: To reduce health and safety risks to staff, customers

and the general public
In operation, the health and safety of staff, customers and the public are of paramount
importance. While legislation exists to enforce many risk mitigation measures, heat
networks have some specific operating risks, which are emphasised below.
6.1.1 The energy centre and network shall be operated and maintained in
accordance with the health and safety file and operation and maintenance
manuals. An operating risk register shall be developed and kept up to date
throughout the life of the network.
6.1.2 There shall be a disaster recovery plan detailing the chain of command and
communications required in the event of a major incident and all staff shall
be trained in these procedures.
6.1.3 The COSHH and DSEAR regulations may apply and shall be followed.
6.1.4 The heat network operator shall be certified under BS ISO 45001 (BSI,
2018a), the occupational health and safety standard.
6.1.5 The energy centre and plant rooms containing heat exchangers, pumps and
other equipment shall be kept locked and access controlled appropriately
even where they are on customers’ premises.
6.1.6 Isolating valves within dwellings for use by residential customers shall be
labelled as ‘emergency shut-off’ with advice given to customers on
emergency procedures in the event of a leak within a dwelling.
6.1.7 A fire risk assessment shall be carried out and fire detection and alarm
systems and any fire suppression systems shall be checked regularly in
accordance with regulations.
6.1.8 Where centralised DHW systems are used these shall be checked regularly
and records kept of any water treatment carried out. The control of
Legionella risk is an important consideration and should follow CIBSE
Guidance Note: Domestic hot water temperatures from instantaneous heat
interface units (HIUs) (CIBSE, forthcoming). HSE Approved Code of Practice
and guidance L8 (HSE, 2013) and HSG274, Part 2 (HSE, 2014a) also need to
be followed. Further guidance can be found in CIBSE TM13 (CIBSE, 2013c),
BS 8580-1 (BSI, 2019b) and BSRIA BG 57/2015 (BSRIA, 2015).
6.1.9 Space temperatures within compact plant rooms may be higher than normal
which may impact on the safety of operatives. Working regimes shall be
planned accordingly.
6.1.10 Surface temperatures on equipment and pipework may be higher than

normally found in heating systems, especially in plant rooms in buildings
connected to a heat network. Suitable warning notices, guards and training
shall be provided and maintained.
6.1.11 When insulation needs to be removed for maintenance or repair purposes it

shall be refitted as soon as practically possible. When it must be left off for
an extended period then suitable barriers and notices shall be put in place.
6.1.12 Where lone-working occurs, a system shall be implemented to allow the heat
148
network operator to regularly check the location and wellbeing of operatives.
The requirements — Stage 6: Operation and maintenance

Output 6.1a Disaster recovery plan
Output 6.1b Operating risk register
Output 6.1c Health and safety procedures
Objective 6.2: To achieve cost-effective, accurate and reliable heat

metering, prepayment and billing systems
The revenue from a scheme is dependent on the heat metering system employed.
Significant management costs and cashflow costs can be expended if customers lack
confidence in the system, query bills or have difficulty understanding the charges.
Further guidance on heat metering is provided in BESA SUS 01: Heat Metering (BESA,
2015).
6.2.1 Metering and billing contractual terms shall be developed to set out
operator responsibilities and the customer relationship. This should include:
meter reading intervals, maintenance arrangements, and processes for
dealing with meter and consumption exceptions.
6.2.2 For residential customers, the heat meter shall be inspected at regular
intervals, including a check to detect tampering, in accordance with the Heat
Trust scheme requirements.
6.2.3 The meter maintenance and calibration plan shall be finalised. Heat meters
shall be tested, recalibrated or exchanged at suitable intervals. Heat meter
installations should be physically checked for damage and interference at
regular intervals.
6.2.4 If meters are battery operated, the batteries shall be replaced at the
appropriate time and with a suitable margin before failure.
6.2.5 On a change of residency, the new occupant shall be provided with a new
set of operating instructions for the system. The change of residency process
shall be in accordance with the Heat Trust scheme requirements.
6.2.6 Bills shall be prepared in accordance with the Heat Network (Metering and
Billing) Regulations 2014 and the Heat Trust scheme requirements.
6.2.7 Each customer’s heat consumption shall be monitored and, where significant
divergence from typical trends is seen, investigations shall be undertaken to
ensure the heat meter, AMR system, HIU and heat network are operating
correctly.
6.2.8 Where a prepayment system is used, the adjustment of the meters to reflect
any price changes shall be carried out within one week.
6.2.9 A report summarising the annual analysis and review of meter data shall be
149
prepared.
Best practice
BP6.2a develop (in residential schemes) a distribution curve for all heat
meters on a monthly basis for each dwelling size (e.g. number of
bedrooms) and the meters with abnormal readings can then be
identified and passed to the meter maintenance engineer for
further investigation.
BP6.2b inspect the heat meter (for larger non-domestic customers) at least
annually and continuously monitor the readings utilising automatic
monitoring and targeting to identify abnormal readings that could
indicate a fault.

Output 6.2a Metering and billing contractual terms
Output 6.2b Meter maintenance and calibration plan
Output 6.2c Annual analysis and review of meter data report
Objective 6.3: To maintain a high level of reliability and a long life

for the heat network
A heat network is a high capital cost capital asset and the investment has to be
justified over a long operating period. It is essential that investors have confidence
that the asset can be maintained in operation without undue maintenance costs. If
there is a leak in the system, repairs can be costly because of the need to excavate
and reinstate the ground, which may be a major road. If the leak is difficult to find
then the repair costs can be even higher. In addition, a high standard of reliability is
required to deliver a satisfactory heating service to customers. The quality of
materials, design and construction of the heat network are important in determining
the reliability of the system, but there are important aspects of operation that can
enhance the life of the system and maintain reliability.
6.3.1 Side-stream filters, in-line filters and dirt separators/pockets shall be

monitored and inspected regularly to ensure suspended solids are being
removed as required.
6.3.2 A comprehensive water treatment regime shall be proposed by a water

treatment specialist and implemented for each separate water system. This
shall include: sampling and monitoring of water quality, chemical and
biocide dosing where required, quality requirements for make-up water,
pressurisation and air removal, use of side-stream filters and recording of
treatment carried out and results achieved. Make-up water volumes shall be
monitored on at least a weekly basis using a dedicated water meter or
continuously by the BEMS connection. The water quality parameters to be
monitored, the frequency of monitoring and the target and acceptable
150
tolerances to be achieved shall be defined for each parameter.
Recommended water quality parameters, which have been found to be

satisfactory for heat networks, are given in Annex E, although variations
from these parameters is permitted where justified. Careful attention should
be given to maintaining high water quality in tertiary systems as flow-
limiting pre-settable radiator valves are sensitive to corrosion and blockages
due to their small internal apertures.
6.3.3 Where chemical dosing is required, this shall be carried out in accordance with
the recommendations of the appointed specialist water treatment company,
which must have knowledge of heat networks. The recommendations will be
appropriate for the metals and other materials used in the system.
6.3.4 Where stagnant conditions occur in parts of the network, temporary

circulation of the system water shall be established periodically in a
controlled manner to limit corrosion.
6.3.5 To avoid creating stagnant water conditions, any equipment that is no
longer in use shall be disconnected from the system and fully drained,
including all associated pipework.
6.3.6 The system shall be monitored to detect leaks by at least weekly recording of
make-up water or daily recording for larger systems. Any anomalies shall be
investigated in a timely manner.
6.3.7 The surveillance system shall be maintained in operation with alarm signals
reported through the main control system. All alarms shall be investigated
and the location of each fault identified and repairs carried out as required.
6.3.8 To minimise the risk of third party damage, record drawings of the network,
locations of valve chambers and building entry points shall be maintained
and provided to the local highways authority and other utility service
providers on request, in both hard copy and digital format. For new
buildings, record drawings should also be provided to the architect, the
building services engineer and the client, as required.
6.3.9 Regular inspections of isolating valves and valve chambers shall be carried
out at appropriate intervals to ensure valves remain operable and corrosion
is not occurring.
6.3.10 In the event of a leak causing a shutdown of the system, the system disaster
recovery plan shall be followed to provide temporary heating to customers
or, in the case of a short-term interruption, to advise customers in advance
of the timing and reason for the interruption, in accordance with the supply
agreements and the Heat Trust scheme requirements.
6.3.11 Comprehensive records of water treatment, water test results and repairs on
the system shall be kept as these will be very valuable in assessing the life of
the system should the network be the subject of a future sale or transfer.
6.3.12 Pressures and temperatures shall also be recorded in the BEMS to check that
the network has not been regularly subjected to excess pressure or
temperature. This is particularly important for polymer pipe systems and to
identify any cycling of the network.
Best practice
BP6.3a systematically monitor corrosion in the system using the electronic

coupon method.
BP6.3b use automatic pH monitoring systems, with alarms and monitoring

151
on the BEMS system.

Output 6.3a Water treatment plan and log
Output 6.3b Leakage surveillance plan and log
Output 6.3c Pressure and temperature log
Objective 6.4: To provide cost-effective maintenance of heat

network assets resulting in efficient operation and long life
A high quality maintenance regime for the central plant will improve energy
efficiency, provide a more reliable service, maximise environmental benefits and
prolong the life of the plant. A range of established standards and industry guidance
is available, including specific guidance for each type of heat source that might be
used. The following generic requirements shall be followed.
6.4.1 The basis for the planned preventative maintenance (PPM) regime shall be in
accordance with BS ISO 55000 (BSI, 2014a), following the ‘plan–do–check–
act’ cycle of continual improvement.
6.4.2 Maintenance on central plant and all heat network assets shall be according
to manufacturers’ instructions and shall follow BSRIA BG 66/2016:
Maintenance Contracts: A guide to best practice for procurement (BSRIA
2016) and CIBSE Guide M: Maintenance engineering and management
(CIBSE, 2014).
6.4.3 All staff shall receive appropriate training before operating or maintaining
any equipment.
6.4.4 The operations team shall undertake a process of continual improvement to

achieve optimum efficiency for the scheme at all times, based on effective
monitoring of all energy flows and optimisation of controls. This will include
technology reviews to consider investment which could be made on a
financially viable basis to improve the system efficiency. In particular,
performance should be monitored against performance targets set by the
client/operator in order to maintain and improve efficiency (see KPIs in the
Performance Metrics worksheet in the CP1 (2020) Excel workbook).
6.4.5 A periodic inspection (at least annually) by senior management of the

organisation responsible for the operation of the scheme shall be undertaken
to demonstrate to the operators the importance that is attached to this
phase of the project.
6.4.6 Major plant maintenance shall always be scheduled to minimise any

interruptions in heat supply and wherever possible there shall be sufficient
resilience in the system to prevent supply interruptions.
6.4.7 The organisation responsible for operating and maintaining the energy
152
centre and network shall carry out this work in a manner that not only
delivers a high-quality and cost-effective service, but also supplies heat at the

design carbon intensity. This organisation shall take ownership of these
issues and work with the building owner and operator to achieve the design
return temperature.
6.4.8 The operator of the plant shall provide feedback to the designer regarding
how the plant has operated in practice, with recommendations as to how
future designs can be improved.
6.4.9 When plant (e.g. boilers, pumps etc.) needs to be replaced, the operating
data collected (as per Objective 6.5) shall be used to assess the required
replacement plant size and performance. Replacing like with like will only be
acceptable if the operational data indicates that this is the correct size.
Best practice
BP6.4a continuously monitor the whole system performance to aid in

optimising the operation. Monitoring each heat source
independently will also allow the system to be optimised and to
identify any inefficiencies within particular central plant.
BP6.4b include in any maintenance contracts KPIs (as per Objective 6.5)
that set minimum plant and system efficiencies, network heat loss
and low- or zero-carbon plant heat contributions. These KPIs
should be tracked and the maintenance contractor required to
meet the minimum standards and be incentivised to go beyond the
minimum requirements (see KPIs in the Performance Metrics
worksheet in the CP1 (2020) Excel workbook).
BP6.4c identify and evaluate options to improve the system reliability,

lower the heat cost and reduce the environmental impacts. The
system owner shall consider undertaking improvements identified
by the system operator when opportunities arise, especially when
plant needs modification and/or replacement.
BP6.4d review maintenance techniques regularly and undertake

independent audits of maintenance records to continually improve
maintenance practices.
BP6.4e provide continuous emission monitoring systems (CEMS) where

combustion equipment is used, with automatic monitoring and
targeting to identify trends and alarms.

Output 6.4a Maintenance plan and log
Output 6.4b Operational staff training plan
Output 6.4c Annual report on review of maintenance
153
Objective 6.5: To provide appropriate monitoring and reporting of

the whole heat network
It is important to monitor the operation of the whole heat network, including the
central plant, pipework, substations, HIUs etc. Regular operating reports should be
provided to the client so that a high standard of performance can be maintained.
These reports may be standardised and use KPIs based on the requirements listed
below and in the CP1 checklists. The details of the reporting requirements will
typically form part of any contract for the operation of the plant.
6.5.1 An operating report shall be produced at an agreed interval (e.g. monthly,
quarterly or annually) to be issued to the owner. This should be consistent with
the KPIs given in the CP1 checklists (see KPIs in the Performance Metrics
worksheet in the CP1 (2020) Excel workbook) and shall contain the following
information:
• health and safety incidents
• a full energy balance for the scheme including:
— fuel/electricity input to the low-carbon heat source(s)
— fuel for any top-up or standby boilers
— heat sent out from energy centre
— heat delivered to customers
— network heat losses (estimated from meter readings)
— heat produced by each heat source, compared to a planned level
— electricity generated from CHP
— electricity consumed for parasitic loads
— electricity supplied to private wire customers and/or exported to the

grid
• calculated efficiency of each heat source, and the overall heat network,
including any top-up or standby boilers
• CO2 emissions from direct combustion of fuel to generate heat
• indirect CO2 emissions from electricity use and displaced CO2 emissions
from electricity generation
• net CO2 emissions
• a comparison with the efficiency and CO2 emissions of any relevant
counterfactual heat generation plant
• average summer and winter flow and return water temperatures at the
energy centre
• water make-up volumes (on a weekly basis)
• water quality test results
• log of alarms from leakage detection systems and the BEMS
154
• availability of heat supply
• unplanned downtime (customer minutes lost), plant failures and faults

that occurred
• planned downtime (customer minutes lost) and maintenance activities
carried out
• forward look on maintenance work over the next quarter.
6.5.2 The actual measured in-use energy performance and resulting operating
costs shall be compared with forecasts on an annual basis. Initially, the
comparison will be against the performance metrics and cost forecasts
developed for Objective 3.12 and the KPIs in the CP1 checklists, then there
will be a gradual move towards a regular annual round of forecasting and
measuring in order to validate an ongoing financial model.
6.5.3 Where total measured primary network heat losses are greater than 20%, or
are 25% greater than predicted at the design stage, then a detailed
investigation shall be carried out to determine why this is the case and to
identify remedial measures necessary to reduce losses to below that figure.
The outcome shall be included in the annual operational report.
6.5.4 Where average summer or winter return water temperatures at the energy
centre are greater than 60 °C, or 5 °C greater than predicted at the design
stage, then a detailed investigation shall be carried out to determine why
this is the case and to identify remedial measures necessary to reduce the
return water temperatures. The outcome shall be included in the annual
operational report.
6.5.5 The minimum frequency of data collection and billing shall be monthly for
all customers. Half-hourly readings should be gathered to allow the heat
network to be analysed and improved and performance targets to be met.
6.5.6 The operator shall provide to customers feedback on their heat use
compared with norms and advice on how to manage their consumption. For
non-domestic customers, monitoring of heat demand profiles shall be
carried out on a half-hour basis. This will enable both parties to identify
control modifications that would reduce peak demands or change the timing
of peak demands for the benefit of the heat network and hence result in
lower costs for customers.
6.5.7 An annual report shall include the information listed in 6.5.1 and also:
• information on the strategic development of the scheme, e.g. customers
added, new extensions planned
• an overview of the heat supply and the way the heat was generated over
the year
• a calculation of the average CO2 emission factor for heat over the year
• information on other environmental impacts, such as NOx emissions.
6.5.8 The annual report shall be made available electronically, and issued to
customers as hard copy by request, subject to any confidentiality
requirements.
6.5.9 The operation of the main low-carbon plant shall be continuously monitored
to identify issues that may be causing unnecessary downtime or losses or a
reduction in the level of heat recovery. This may in turn lead to corrective
155
action to reduce return temperatures or adjustment of control set-points.
6.5.10 Where there is a thermal substation in a building or block, the secondary

temperature shall be monitored to:
• prove sufficient secondary flow temperature stability (e.g. percentage

time the flow temperature is 5 °C lower than the weather-related
contract set-point)
• ensure that flow temperature stability and pump differential pressure

stability are achieved on the secondary network within the building or
block.
6.5.11 Data about each of the buildings connected to the heat network, and any
new or additional connections, shall be kept up to date and shall be
recorded in the evidence pack. The CP1 (2020) Excel workbook provides a
worksheet entitled Building Connection Checklist to aid this process.
Best practice
BP6.5a provide a website showing real-time hourly/daily information

about the operation of the heat network and energy centre. This
might include central plant efficiency, return water temperatures
and CO2 emissions.

Output 6.5a Daily, weekly, monthly and annual operational reports
Output 6.5b Annual performance targets, including CO2 intensity report
Output 6.5c Annual strategic development plan and report to customers
Objective 6.6: To maintain the building connections to provide good

customer service
The interface between the building heating systems and the heat network is critical in
delivering customer satisfaction. The maintenance of the building heating systems is
also important (not covered in this Code of Practice), particularly to ensure that over
time the flows to each heat emitter remain balanced so that the correct design return
temperatures are maintained.
Scheme operators should work with customers to achieve lower return temperatures
in order to reduce heat losses, improve central plant efficiency and increase the
capacity of the DH network. Heat network operators should provide guidance to help
building owners achieve this, and it may even be in the heat network operator’s
commercial interest to pay for improvements within heat customers’ buildings.
156

6.6.1 Scheme operators shall offer a maintenance service in accordance with the
requirements of the Heat Trust scheme for domestic customers. This shall
include developing an HIU/building connection maintenance plan and log.
6.6.2 The need for servicing of the HIUs in domestic properties shall be assessed to
minimise costs to residents while providing an acceptable level of service
with respect to reliability and performance.
6.6.3 Building connections for non-domestic customers’ systems shall be inspected

to minimise costs while providing an acceptable level of service with respect
to reliability and performance and at a maximum interval of six months.
6.6.4 Suitable strainers shall be provided to prevent debris in the heat network
damaging the building interface equipment. The strainers shall be inspected
and cleaned regularly at intervals based on experience. Where pressure
gauges or sensors are installed these shall be monitored to determine the
need for strainer cleaning.
6.6.5 Regular checks shall be made on the pressure drop across heat exchangers to
determine the level of fouling.
6.6.6 Plant rooms shall be kept locked to prevent unauthorised access.
6.6.7 Clear signage showing demarcation between different clients/owners/

developers shall be provided with lock offs to prevent tampering.
6.6.8 A process and instrument diagram (showing heating pipework and gas and
electrical supplies, as appropriate) and valve schedule shall be affixed to the
wall of the plant room.
6.6.9 Contact details of who maintains plant and who to call in the event of an
emergency shall be affixed inside the plant area and on the wall externally.
6.6.10 Heat network operators shall work with customers to encourage reductions
in return temperatures in order to reduce heat losses, improve central plant
efficiency and increase the capacity of the DH network. Heat network
operators shall provide guidance and support to help building owners
achieve this.
6.6.11 Any expansion of an existing heat network to a new connection shall follow
the process, principles and minimum requirements set out in the feasibility,
design, construction and commissioning stages of this Code of Practice. This
shall include:
• establishing the feasibility/viability of adding a new connection
• optimising the pipework routes, interfaces and controls
• ensuring that the new connection is commissioned correctly and that
appropriate acceptance tests are carried out
• installing appropriate metering to allow the new connection to be
monitored
• updating the scheme documentation, drawings and evidence pack to
record the new connection
• providing the new connection customer with appropriate information on
system operation, safety and billing.
157
Best practice
BP6.6a provide a website showing recent key maintenance carried out.

This might include a daily maintenance log and an indication/status
of any emergency maintenance being carried out.

Output 6.6a HIU/building connection maintenance plan and log
Objective 6.7: To minimise environmental impacts of operation and

maintenance
Although the overall aim of the heat network is to reduce environmental impact this
is often seen only in terms of reducing global CO2 emissions. It is also important to
operate the heat network and its central plant to minimise impact on the local
environment.
6.7.1 The operation of the scheme and the heat network operator shall be
certified to BS EN ISO 14001 (BSI, 2015b).
6.7.2 The CO2 content of heat delivered to customers shall be calculated regularly
and reported to customers, and the carbon intensity of heat supplied shall
be delivered in accordance with the scheme design (see the Performance
Metrics worksheet in the CP1 (2020) Excel workbook for an example
calculation).
6.7.3 Where legally required, undertake periodic or continuous emission

monitoring in accordance with the Environment Agency MCPD or IED permit.
All activities shall be undertaken in accordance with the MCPD or IED permit.
6.7.4 Combustion tests shall be carried out annually on boilers and CHP plant to
establish energy efficiency. Any remedial works required as a result of these
tests shall be undertaken as soon as practically possible.
6.7.5 Noise measurements shall be taken at intervals of not more than five years
to ensure original design conditions are being maintained.
6.7.6 Due to the nature of heat networks it is likely that from time to time, due to
failures or maintenance works, water is lost from the system. It is essential
that any such discharges are dealt with rapidly as, due to the nature of
networks, the volume of water lost even from a small leak could be large.
Suitable health, safety and environmental procedures to deal with such
eventualities shall be put in place.
6.7.7 In the event that there are regular failures of, or discharges from, the plant
or network, a review shall be undertaken of the failures or discharges and a
158
plan put in place to rectify these issues to prevent recurrence.
Best practice

Best practice would be:
BP6.7a for the owner/operator to develop short- and long-term plans for
how to reduce the scheme’s environmental impacts, e.g. through
changes in heat sources, lowering of temperatures etc. This work
could be combined with BP6.4c; for example, if the long-term plan
is to switch to heat pumps, then shorter-term modifications could
focus more on lowering temperatures, which would improve the
efficiency of the heat pumps when fitted.

Output 6.7a Environmental operational plan and log
Output 6.7b CO2 content of heat delivered to customers
Output 6.7c Operational failures log
159
7: Customer satisfaction and
obligations
Objectives:
7.1 In residential and micro-business schemes, to provide customer
protection
7.2 In non-domestic schemes, to provide reports on energy supply/use and
bills that are clear and informative
7.3 In non-domestic schemes, to develop communications with customers
that meet customer expectations
7.4 To ensure customers are aware of their obligations
The requirements — Stage 7: Customer satisfaction and obligations Heat networks: Code of Practice for the UK
Objective 7.1: In residential and micro-business schemes, to provide

customer protection
Issues relating to the quality of heat networks, particularly reliability, have the
potential to cause serious harm to customers. Heat networks can be natural
monopolies and are, at the time of writing, unregulated. In a recent Heat Networks
Market Study, the UK Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has recommended
that heat network customers should be provided with similar protections as
customers in the gas and electricity sectors (CMA, 2018). The CMA study states that
all heat suppliers and heat network operators should introduce:
— a priority services register and support for vulnerable customers
— a minimum standard of complaint handling
— performance measures for quality of service and response to supply issues
— access to an ombudsman with the ability to investigate suppliers and make

binding remedies.
The Heat Trust has developed an approach for the accreditation of heat networks
that provide customer protection. This example is relevant for other heat networks
looking to meet consumer protection obligations. Over time, it is anticipated that all
heat networks, including smaller network operators, will need to meet standardised
requirements to protect consumers through membership of an accredited protection
scheme.
7.1.1 In all residential and micro-business heat networks, the heat supplier shall
join the Heat Trust scheme (www.heattrust.org) or an equivalent accredited,
independent heat customer protection scheme with the same or more
stringent standards. Evidence of this registration shall be included in the
evidence pack.
7.1.2 In exceptional circumstances, where a residential or micro-business heat

network does not join the Heat Trust scheme or an equivalent accredited,
independent heat customer protection scheme that has the same or more
stringent standards, then a detailed justification should be provided and
included in the evidence pack. Where this is the case then the heat network
scheme shall be treated as non-domestic and all the minimum requirements
in Objectives 7.2 and 7.3 shall be met.
Figure 49 Heat Trust trademark.

The Heat Trust mark is a sign that the heat supplier has agreed to
abide by the standards set out in the Heat Trust scheme (use of
this mark is strictly reserved to those heat networks that have
successfully applied to the scheme and committed to abide by the
scheme’s rules)
7.1.3 A bespoke, clearly written information pack shall be provided to all residents
explaining how they can control the heating and hot water system. This shall
162 include:
• the setting of room temperatures
The requirements — Stage 7: Customer satisfaction and obligations

• the programming of on/off times
• the location of the heat meter and how to read it
• the temperature of hot water supply
• any key safety issues and locations of emergency shut-off valves
• a set of frequently asked questions (FAQs)
• procedures if a leak is detected
• telephone numbers to call for assistance or in an emergency.
In addition to the above operational points, it is important that the

information pack issued to residents sets out the heat tariffs and contact
details for the billing department.
7.1.4 Customers shall be advised, where relevant, that the heat meter may record
a heat use even when there is no space heating demand or hot water
demand in the property as a result of the keep-warm facility being activated.
Best practice
BP7.1a issue regular newsletters giving information about the operation of

the scheme, set up and engage with a resident representative body
and provide more detailed information on the operation of the
scheme. This could involve the use of social media to provide
two-way communication with customers.
BP7.1b send automatic notifications to customers (or nominated contacts)

via text message in the event of any interruption of service.
BP7.1c provide information to customers about maintenance work that

affects public areas, including the reasons for the work and the
expected duration.

Output 7.1a Certificate from the Heat Trust heat network scheme, or equivalent
customer protection scheme
Output 7.1b Heat Trust (or equivalent) biannual heat network monitoring report
Objective 7.2: In non-domestic schemes, to provide reports on

energy supply/use and bills that are clear and informative
Non-domestic customers are entitled to receive information on the way in which their
energy is produced and supplied and on their own energy use and to receive bills
that are clearly set out. In this respect a supply of heat should be no different to the
supply of any other type of utility service. Depending upon the circumstances, much
163
of this objective will be addressed through a bespoke heat sales agreement with the
non-domestic customer. It should also be noted that in some circumstances the

customer may jointly own part of the heat network and so has an interest in its
operation.
Heat networks are unregulated, and in many cases are effective monopolies. As such,
protection must be provided to customers to ensure they do not suffer under such
monopolies and so that the industry is not brought into disrepute.
7.2.1 Clear information shall be given to the customer about the tariff structure
(including any options available), detailing the standing (fixed) and variable
charges and all other elements of the bill (metering, routine maintenance,
response service, VAT etc.). This shall include how the charges have been
derived and any assumptions used, in a transparent manner and in
accordance with the Heat Trust scheme requirements that are relevant to
non-domestic buildings and the Heat Networks (Metering and Billing)
Regulations 2014.
7.2.2 Heat tariffs for subsequent years shall be governed by a heat price review
formula, the details of which will be defined in the contract between the
heat provider and the customer and, where applicable, between the heat
provider and those undertaking governance of the scheme.
7.2.3 Customers shall receive a bill once per month based on actual meter
readings, clearly itemising: the energy used, the charge for energy, the
charge for availability, the charges for any maintenance, any standing
charges and VAT, in accordance with the Heat Networks (Metering and
Billing) Regulations 2014. The heat provider/operator will develop a summary
report on the regularity of billing and any issues arising.
7.2.4 Customers shall be offered the choice of whether they wish to receive a bill
electronically or in paper format.
7.2.5 Heat customers shall receive a statement annually comparing the heating
charges for the heat network supply with the equivalent charges for the
most common form of alternative means of heat supply for this building and
its location, taking into account maintenance and capital replacement costs.
The annual statement should include:
• the amount of heat energy supplied to the network from each energy
source
• the heat losses on the network based on meter readings where available
• the parasitic electricity used to deliver the heat (pumping energy and
other energy centre electricity use)
• the CO2 content of the heat delivered to the customer (taking account of
heat losses and pumping energy) and a comparison with emissions from
other counterfactual energy supply systems, such as individual gas-fired
boilers, direct electric heating or individual heat pumps.
The heat supplier shall publish an annual summary report of heat usage,
charges and CO2 intensity.
7.2.6 The heat supplier shall provide bills at frequent intervals, using actual meter
data not estimates, and install AMR/smart metering systems so that users
can see their heating use and the heating cost in real time via an energy
164
display device.
Best practice

BP7.2a include a discount on the bill if the return temperature achieved is

consistently lower than a specified threshold and/or a penalty for
consistently high return temperatures.
BP7.2b report on NOx emissions as well as CO2 savings as this may be the
main negative impact of the scheme.
BP7.2c provide an online display of the overall system performance,

environmental benefits and any general fault updates.

Output 7.2a Summary report of billing regularity
Output 7.2b Annual summary report of heat usage, charges and CO2 intensity
Output 7.2c Annual review of tariffs
Objective 7.3: In non-domestic schemes, to develop communications

with customers that meet customer expectations
Non-domestic customer satisfaction can be improved through good communication.
Often, customers are dissatisfied more by a lack of information about a problem than
by the problem itself.
7.3.1 The heat supplier shall provide information to customers about the
operation of the scheme, preferably quarterly but at least on an annual
basis. This shall include information on availability of the heat supply over
the year, reasons for any outages and the terms under which any
compensation payments will be made.
7.3.2 The heat supplier shall provide notice of any interruptions of supply at least
two days prior to any planned works and as soon as possible for any
unplanned works.
7.3.3 The heat supplier shall make specific arrangements to communicate with
high-risk customers, e.g. hospitals and care homes, regarding any
interruption to supply.
7.3.4 The heat supplier shall ensure that all customers are aware of a helpline
phone number to call in an emergency or to report a fault.
7.3.5 The heat supplier shall set up a complaints procedure and a dispute
resolution procedure and ensure customers are aware of this.
7.3.6 The heat supplier shall provide information to prospective buyers, renters,
165
sellers and landlords about the heat network and the expected charges.
7.3.7 A bespoke, clearly written information pack shall be provided to all customer
building managers explaining how they can control the heating and hot
water system. This shall include:
• the setting of building/room temperatures
• the programming of on/off times
• the temperature of hot water supply
• any key safety issues and locations of emergency shut-off valves
• a set of frequently asked questions (FAQs)
• procedures if a leak is detected
• telephone numbers to call for assistance or in an emergency.
Best practice
BP7.3a issue even more frequent newsletters, set up and engage with a
customer representative body and provide more detailed
information on the operation of the scheme. This could involve the
use of social media to provide two-way communication with
customers.
BP7.3b send automatic notifications to customers (or nominated contacts)

via text message in the event of any interruption of service.
BP7.3c provide information to customers about maintenance work that

affects public areas, including the reasons for the work and the
expected duration.

Output 7.3a Copies of regular customer information and annual report
Output 7.3b Copy of dispute resolution procedures
Output 7.3c Copy of customer energy efficient instructions/information pack
Objective 7.4: To ensure customers are aware of their obligations

A successful heat network also depends on the cooperation of the heat customers.
This section sets out obligations that both residential and non-domestic customers
should be encouraged to accept. These obligations should be provided in the form of
a customer charter to all customers of the scheme when joining and reminders issued
at regular intervals thereafter.
7.4.1 The heat supplier shall include customer obligations in all contracts with
166
customers.
7.4.2 All customers, but especially larger users, shall recognise the importance of

return temperatures and ensure that their system operates as designed.
Customers shall take and act on advice provided by the heat network
operator.
7.4.3 Customers shall not tamper with the system and shall not touch the valves
or any parts of the system except designated user controls.
7.4.4 Customers shall check whether their system is at fault before calling the heat
network operator in case it is an issue with their building heating system.
7.4.5 Customers shall treat operatives with respect and understand that if a heat
network failure has taken place then the operator will be doing all that they
can to resolve the issue, but by virtue of it being a heat network there are
likely to be multiple customers affected.
7.4.6 Customers shall pay charges levied in accordance with the contract between
the customer and the supplier in a timely manner, recognising that the heat
supplier is operating a local business with specific funding.
7.4.7 Customers shall not draw water from the heat network system as this
represents a theft of energy and the treated water is costly to replace in the
system and water quality can suffer.
7.4.8 Customers shall not use heat network plant rooms for storing other
equipment and shall keep these areas locked and prevent unauthorised
access.
7.4.9 Customers shall inform the heat network operator of any changes to their
property that would alter their heat demand.
7.4.10 Customers shall read the instruction manual provided and be responsible for
adjusting settings for room temperature and on/off times.
7.4.11 All customers shall allow access for planned and emergency maintenance or
replacement of HIUs and other pipes, plant and meters that are within the
heat supplier’s remit and installed within customers’ properties. Access
rights for maintenance and replacement shall be recorded in a customer
agreement.

Output 7.4a Copy of customer responsibilities charter
167
Annexes
Annex A: Glossary of terms and abbreviations
Annex B: Example commissioning procedure to ensure design return
temperatures are achieved in dwellings
Annex C: Measuring performance
Annex D: Pipe sizing worked example
Annex E: Recommended water quality parameters for heat networks
Annex F: Ambient temperature heat networks
Annex G: Guidance on the use of SAP modelling of heat networks
Annex H: Guidance on types of building connections and internal heating
systems for dwellings
Annex I: Guidance on achieving an energy-efficient heat network
Annex J: Legislation
Annex K: References and further reading
Annex A: Glossary of terms and abbreviations Heat networks: Code of Practice for the UK
The definitions given here relate specifically to the context of heat networks. Terms
may have broader or alternative meanings in other contexts.
AMR Automatic meter reading: a system where heat meters are monitored and data on
energy use recorded and stored at intervals and then communicated to a heat
meter operator so that bills can be produced without the need for manual reading
of the meters.
Approach The temperature difference between the leaving process fluid and the entering
temperature service fluid.
In heat networks, the heat exchanger approach temperature on the return is the
difference between the secondary inlet temperature and the primary outlet
temperature at a heat exchanger.
BEMS Building energy management system: a computer-based system for remote control
and monitoring of building services used for interactive energy management.
BIM Building information modelling: a process of value-creating collaboration through
the entire lifecycle of an asset, underpinned by the creation, collation and
exchange of shared 3D models and intelligent, structured data attached to them.
Building operator The lead organisation or person carrying out operation and maintenance of the
building connected. An assigned individual responsible for delivering key
requirements as stated for Stage 6 and signing off accordingly.
Building thermal The main interface (which may include a heat exchanger) between the district
substation heating network and the heating and/or DHW systems in a building or block.
CapEx Capital expenditure.
CDM Regulations Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015: replaced the CDM
Regulations 2007 and the Construction (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations
1996. The key aim of the CDM Regulations is to integrate health and safety into
the management of a project and to encourage everyone involved to work
together. The principles of the CDM Regulations apply to all construction projects.
However, notification is required where work will last more than 30 days, or will
involve more than four persons working on site at any time, or will involve more
than 500 person days.
The CDM Regulations identify task functions for the client, designers, the Principal
Designer, the Principal Contractor and contractors that must be carried out by
nominated bodies.
CfD Contracts for Difference.
CHP Combined heat and power: the generation of electricity and heat simultaneously in
a single process to achieve a higher primary energy efficiency than by the separate
generation of electricity (e.g. from power stations) and heat (from local boilers).
Client Normally the owner or developer of a heat network. In later stages, this could be a
different party, e.g. a new body responsible for operating the network.
CO, CO2 Carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide: oxides of carbon produced by fuel combustion.
CO represents incomplete combustion and can be burnt to CO2, which is the
product of complete combustion.
Commissioning The person leading or carrying out commissioning. An assigned individual
team leader responsible for delivering key requirements as stated for Stage 5 and signing off
accordingly.
Contractor The organisation carrying out construction. An assigned individual responsible for
delivering key requirements as stated for Stage 4 and signing off accordingly.
CoP (sometimes Coefficient of performance (of a heat pump, refrigerator or air conditioning
CP or COP) system): a ratio of the useful heating or cooling provided to the work required.
COSHH Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002: these require
employers to control the use of hazardous substances.
170
CV Calorific value: the heat energy available from a fuel when it is completely burnt,

expressed as heat energy units per unit of weight or volume of the fuel. The gross
or higher calorific value (GCV/HCV) is the total heat energy available when all the
products of combustion are cooled to standard conditions and the heat released
from the condensation of water vapour is included. The net or lower calorific value
(NCV/LCV) is the total heat energy released from combustion excluding the latent
heat of the water vapour from condensation of the products of combustion.
DP Pressure difference.
DT Temperature difference (between flow and return).

DBO, DBOM Design, build, operate; design, build, operate and maintain: two typical
procurement routes (also BOO: build, own and operate).
DC District cooling: the centralised production and distribution of cooling energy. The
opposite of district heating.
Demand; The rate at which energy is required, expressed in kW or MW. It is usually related
maximum to a time period, typically half an hour, e.g. 1 kW·h used over half an hour is a
demand; demand demand rate of 2 kW. Maximum demand is the highest half-hourly rate at which
profile electricity is required during a month or year. Peak load or peak demand are the
terms usually used for heat energy. A graph of the demand rate over a specific
period of time, e.g. a day, is the demand profile.
Designer The lead organisation or person carrying out design. An assigned individual
responsible for delivering key requirements as stated for Stage 3 and signing off
accordingly.
DesOps Description of operation: A document setting out the control philosophy and
operating procedures for running an item of plant or a system.
DH District heating: the provision of heat to a group of buildings, a district or even a
whole city, usually in the form of piped hot water from one or more centralised
heat sources. See Heat network below.
DHW Domestic hot water: hot water for handwashing, cleaning etc. Sometimes referred
to as domestic hot water services (DHWS).
DSEAR Dangerous Substances and Explosive Atmospheres Regulations 2002.
DUoS Distribution use-of-system charges for electricity.
Energy centre A main plant room housing low-carbon technologies (CHP, heat pumps, biomass
boilers etc.) and any top-up or standby boiler plant. It usually includes the main
heat network pumps, pressurisation units, strainers, heat meter and control valves.
ESCo Energy service company: a company offering a total energy supply service, taking
responsibility for the provision, financing, operation and maintenance of energy
facilities. Energy services contracts may define the outcome of the service
provided, such as temperatures, rather than how much energy is to be supplied.
Evidence pack This Code of Practice requires evidence to be produced to demonstrate that
processes have been followed. The items of evidence produced at each stage are
compiled into an evidence pack, which can then be assessed to show that the
Code has been followed. At the completion of the project the evidence pack
should be handed over to the building operator.
FCU Fan coil unit.
Feasibility The lead person carrying out a feasibility assessment. An assigned individual
consultant responsible for delivering key requirements as stated for Stage 2 and signing off
accordingly.
FiT Feed-in Tariffs: UK government programme offering subsidies to promote the
uptake of renewable and low-carbon electricity generation technologies.
GIS Geographic information system.
HazID, HazOP Hazard identification (HazID): a risk analysis tool designed to identify risk and alert
management to threats and hazards as early in the process as possible.
Hazard and operability study (HazOP): a risk analysis tool used during the detailed
design process to identify abnormalities in the working environment and to design
them out if the consequence of the risk is considered unacceptable.
171
HDPE High-density polyethylene.

Heat exchanger A device in which heat is transferred from one fluid stream to another without
mixing. There must obviously be a temperature difference between the streams for
heat exchange to occur. Heat exchangers are characterised by the method of
construction or operation, e.g. shell-and-tube, plate, rotary.
Heat meter A device that measures thermal energy provided by a heat source or delivered to a
heat demand by measuring the flow rate and change in temperature (DT) of the
heat transfer fluid between the outward and return legs of the system. Heat
meters are typically used to measure the heat output from each technology and
from the overall energy centre, and to measure the heat delivered to consumers.
Heat network The flow and return pipes that convey heat from the energy centre to the customers.
The pipes are frequently buried but may be above ground or within buildings. Heat
networks can be either communal heating or district heating networks.
— Communal heating: the heat network serves a single building that contains
more than one customer (the building does not need to contain the plant).
— District heating: the heat network serves more than one building and the
building owners are not the asset owners (also called ‘decentralised energy
networks’).
See also Primary heat network, Secondary heat network/system and Tertiary heat
network/system.
Heat network A person who has been trained in the use of this Code of Practice and who could
assessor support the client in the process of using the Code checklists to establish
compliance. However, there is no requirement for this person to be a registered
CIBSE Heat Network Assessor (or for an appointment to be made at all).
Heat network Heat networks comprise three main component systems (see Figure 5, section A2.1):
component parts
— Primary heat network: the distribution pipes that connect the energy centre
to the buildings served by the network — mostly buried pre-insulated pipes.
— Secondary heat network/system: the pipes within buildings, and up to the
dwelling in residential blocks, even if no hydraulic break is installed.
— Tertiary heat network/system: the internal circuits, radiators etc. within
dwellings, even if no hydraulic break is installed.
He at network The organisation that has a heat supply agreement with the end user/customer.
operator
Heat Trust A not-for-profit customer protection scheme to protect the interests of
householders and micro-businesses connected to heat networks. See www.
heattrust.org for more information.
HIU Hydraulic interface unit or heat interface unit: the interface between the primary
(or secondary) heat network and the tertiary heat network (a dwelling’s heating
system). HIUs, which usually have the external appearance of a wall-hung boiler,
typically consist of a small prefabricated assembly of components that includes:
isolating valves, strainer, heat meter and control valves, and may also include a
plate heat exchanger for the production of domestic hot water. An HIU may
include a heat exchanger to separate the dwelling’s space heating circuit from the
heat network (indirect connection option).
IED Industrial Emissions Directive.
IRR Internal rate of return.
KPI Key performance indicator
LZC Low/zero carbon: LZC technologies include renewable technologies, such as
photovoltaics, solar water heating and biomass, and also low-carbon technologies,
such as CHP and heat pumps.
Maximum The maximum amount of power, measured in kW or kV·A, supplied to a customer
demand by a supply/distribution company. Maximum demand is equal to twice the largest
number of kW·h or kV·A·h consumed in any half-hour during a specified period
(usually a month). Charges for maximum demand usually vary seasonally.
M-Bus Meter-Bus: a standard for the remote reading of water, gas or electricity meters
(BS EN 13757-2 and BS EN 13757-3 (BSI, 2018c, 2018d). The M-Bus interface is
communication on two wires, making it cost-effective. A radio variant of M-Bus
(Wireless M-Bus) is specified in BS EN 13757-4 (BSI, 2019f).
172
MCPD Medium Combustion Plant Directive.

MTHW Medium temperature hot water: pressurised hot water at 95 ºC to 120 ºC used for
space and process heating.
Network The distribution system that links energy production to energy usage.
NDT Non-destructive testing.
NPV Net present value.
NRB Nitrate-reducing bacteria
NRSWA New Roads and Streetworks Act 1991.
O&M Operation and maintenance (manuals).
OpEx Operational expenditure.
Particulate Particles of solid matter, usually of very small size, derived from the fuel — either
directly or as a result of incomplete combustion — and considered deleterious
emissions.
PICV Pressure independent control valve: a multi-functional valve, combining the
operation of three different valves in one convenient and compact unit. The PICV
acts as a differential pressure control valve, a regulating valve and a two-port
control valve.
POE Post-occupancy evaluation: the process of evaluating buildings in a systematic and
rigorous manner after they have been built and occupied and which may continue
for some time. The methodology and techniques can be applied to heat networks.
Primary heat See Heat network component parts.
network
RHI Renewable Heat Incentive: UK government programme offering subsidies to
promote the uptake of renewable and low-carbon heat generation technologies.
Secondary heat See Heat network component parts.
network/system
Shared heat A heat network created as part of a new development which includes the
network connection of neighbouring buildings.
SLA Service level agreement: a commitment between a service provider and a
customer. Particular aspects of the service — e.g. quality, availability and
responsibilities — are agreed between the service provider and the service user.
Smart meter An internet-ready meter that allows operator reading via the internet. Smart meter
features may include an in-home display device, half-hourly meter readings (often
more granular) and a ‘pay as you go’ (PAYG) facility.
SRB Sulphate-reducing bacteria
STOD Seasonal time of day: a tariff structure — typically for electricity import/export and
use-of-system charges — in which prices vary according to time of the day, day of
the week and month of the year.
Tertiary heat See Heat network component parts.
network/system
Thermal storage The storage of heat, typically in an insulated tank as hot water, to provide a buffer
against peak demand. The water may be pressurised to allow it to be kept at a
temperature higher than 100 ºC.
Thermal The interface between the primary heat network and a secondary heat network/
substation system (a building or block’s space heating/DHW system). Thermal substations are
typically larger than HIUs and are usually located in a plant room at the base of
the building or block. They are usually prefabricated assemblies of components
that typically include: isolating valves, strainer, heat meter and control valves, and
may also include a plate heat exchanger for the production of domestic hot water.
Thermal substations may include a heat exchanger to separate the building or
block’s space heating circuit from the heat network (indirect connection option).
TRV Thermostatic radiator valve.
VWART Volume-weighted average return temperature from an HIU. Further information
and a calculation method are available at www.thebesa.com/ukhiu.
173
Annex B: Example commissioning procedure Heat networks: Code of Practice for the UK
Annex B: Example commissioning procedure to ensure

design return temperatures are achieved in dwellings
The example commissioning checklist shown below (Figure 51) (and provided in the
CP1 (2020) Excel workbook) is appropriate for a residential HIU with instantaneous
DHW and indirect space heating, although the principles can be applied to other
connection and HIU types. The designer needs to complete some parts of the
checklist, in particular: the system settings, the acceptable measured values to be
achieved during commissioning and the tolerances to be used by the commissioning
team. The targets set in the checklist should be achievable in practice, so may be
different to the theoretical optimum. The aim is for the measured values recorded on
the checklist to provide a confirmation that the designer’s intended performance is
achieved. This procedure should act as a minimum set of checks — additional steps
may need to be included depending upon the circumstances and the particular HIU
involved. The procedure should work in parallel with the manufacturer’s specific
procedure for setting up the HIU.
Why is this procedure important?

Typically, the focus of commissioning has been purely to ensure that the customer is
provided with heating and hot water, with little attention given to ensuring that
commissioning results in efficient heat network operation. The commissioning
process needs to ensure that the anticipated design return temperatures are achieved
under typical HIU operating conditions. Other functions should also be checked, such
as heat metering, prepayment systems etc.
In practice, the commissioning checklist may be completed by several parties, e.g.

where different contractors install and set up the radiators and the HIU. The aim is to
provide a robust process that allows correct ‘first-time’ commissioning to be achieved
and for commissioning to be considered fully at the design and tendering stages. A
commissioning process that requires different parties to return at different times to
address issues found during commissioning will be time consuming and expensive.
Retrospective post-occupation identification and remedying of poor performance is
often even more time consuming and expensive.
It is suggested that the BESA UK HIU Test Regime data can be used to inform some of
the required commissioned performance values (see BESA, 2018).
The steps detailed below are recommended to ensure the HIU delivers both the
intended customer service and the design return temperatures. It is expected that
different sites, other forms of heating (e.g. underfloor) and other HIUs may require
additional steps and alternative set-up methods, and that this procedure would need
to be modified accordingly. However, this procedure represents a reasonable
minimum set of checks.
174
Commissioning procedure
Annex B: Example commissioning procedure

Pre-commissioning
1. All operatives involved in commissioning shall receive training on the correct
set-up of the space heating system installed, e.g. from the designer’s and
manufacturer’s commissioning information for the specific HIU they are
commissioning; see Objective 5.1. Specifically, the commissioning engineer
shall understand how to set the flow-limiting radiator valves installed.
2. The designer shall pre-populate the commissioning checklist with the

radiator valve and HIU pump settings for each property. The designer shall
also state the DHW and space heating flow set-point temperatures and the
return temperatures to be achieved during space heating and DHW
generation operation, within a reasonable tolerance. This information should
be developed at the design stage and reviewed during construction prior to
the commissioning requirements being finalised.
The elements of the checklist that the designer shall complete are shaded in
yellow with example values in square brackets. Boxes shaded grey are to be
completed by the commissioning engineer.
Commissioning stages
3. The commissioning team shall confirm that the flushing valve at the HIU DH
supply is closed. The strainer shall be checked to ensure it is clean. The DHW
should be run until the DH supply temperature has stabilised and hence can
be checked. The tertiary system shall be confirmed to be at the required
pressure and rechecked after the radiators have been bled of air.
4. The heat meter shall be checked to ensure there are no error messages and
that when the HIU is delivering heat the flow is not negative and the DH
flow temperature is higher than the DH return temperature. Heat meter
specific information must be available to ensure error messages can be
understood and acted upon.
5. Each radiator shall be checked to confirm that:

• the pre-settable valve is set as per the commissioning checklist and the
lock shield valve is fully open
• the TRV is mounted horizontally
• where possible, the flow enters the top of the radiator and the return
leaves from the bottom (see guidance box for minimim requirement
3.4.8)
• any air has been bled from the radiator.
6. The commissioning team shall set the HIU pump to the prescribed setting on
the commissioning checklist (see minimim requirement 3.4.10).
7. Temporary temperature sensors (see Figure 50) shall be placed on the tertiary
flow and return pipes and the heating turned on with all TRVs fully open and
the room thermostat calling for heat. The tertiary flow temperature shall be
adjusted to achieve the prescribed value. After the operating space heating
system has stabilised (demonstrated by the secondary return temperature
being stable over an appropriate period, i.e. 60 minutes for radiators and
120 minutes for underfloor systems) the secondary and tertiary return
temperatures shall be checked to ensure they meet the requirements
prescribed on the commissioning checklist.
175
Annex B: Example commissioning procedure Heat networks: Code of Practice for the UK
Figure 50 Example Bluetooth® clamp

thermometer
During the stabilisation of the heating return temperature, the tertiary flow
temperature shall be checked and adjusted if necessary (some HIUs limit the
space heating output and therefore when starting the heating from cold it
may take more than 10 minutes to achieve the design flow temperature).
If the secondary return temperature is too high, then the tertiary flow rate is
too high through one or more radiators and must be corrected. To assess
where the tertiary flow rate is too high, each radiator return temperature
should be checked and the pre-settable valve adjusted where necessary.
Optionally, at this point the space heating output can be recorded. This
forms an approximate check that all the radiators were on at the time of
commissioning and hence all radiators have been correctly set up.
As an alternative to measuring the tertiary return temperature, which takes

some time due to the need to allow the heating system to stabilise (see
above), the flow rate in the tertiary system can be checked when all the TRVs
are set fully on. If the tertiary flow rate is at the designer’s intended value
then the required return temperature should be achieved. The flow rate can
be derived by calculation from the heat meter and temporary thermometers
placed on the secondary. If the DT (temperature difference between flow
and return) on the tertiary system is the same as the DT on the secondary,
then the flow rates must be the same. Based on this proportional
relationship:
tertiary flow rate = secondary flow rate × (secondary DT / tertiary DT)
where the secondary flow rate and DT can be taken from the HIU heat meter
and the tertiary DT can be measured from the temporary thermometers on
the flow and return to the heating system.
8. The commissioning team shall confirm that lowering the room thermostat
turns the heating off.
9. Once heating commissioning and checks are complete, the heating shall be
turned off and the DHW then set up. The kitchen tap (recommended, as
other taps may have thermostatic mixing valves (TMVs), affecting
temperature) shall be opened and the HIU set up to achieve the required
DHW temperature at the kitchen tap (or other nominated outlet). CP1 (2020)
requires the HIU to achieve 50 °C at the plate heat exchanger outlet, unless
there is a particular requirement for a higher temperature (minimum
176
requirement 3.4.16). CP1 (2020) also requires a minimum of 45 °C at the tap
within 45 seconds of turning the tap on to full flow rate (minimum

requirement 3.4.17). The DH return temperature, as measured by the heat
meter, shall be confirmed to be within the prescribed tolerance, as detailed
on the commissioning checklist. The cold water supply (CWS) temperature
shall be measured and recorded. Depending upon the allowed tolerance on
the secondary DH return temperature, a correction calculation may be needed
for different CWS temperatures. The designer should propose the correction
calculation method.
The DHW flow rate should register a heat demand on the heat meter in the
range 10–20 kW, so that the return temperature measurement is at a similar
flow rate to that in the BESA HIU Test.
Example dwelling HIU and space heating commissioning checklist (indirect HIU with radiators)
HIU model Yellow: designer to complete prior to commissioning
HIU serial number KEY Grey: complete during commissioning
Building visited Heat meter seri al no.
Flat number kWh on meter
Engi neer Date
Start time End time
Action 1: Initial checks Design value Confirmation
Flushing bypass closed n/a (ti ck)
Strai ner clean n/a (ti ck)
Check DH supply to HIU (secondary) is up to temperature [70 °C +/– 3 °C] (ti ck) Run DHW to get hot DH flow to HIU
Check heat meter worki ng, no errors, no negati ve flows. Not negati ve dT
n/a (ti ck) If not OK stop commi ssi oni ng process
when HIU supplying heat
Action 2: Turn heating on, check flow into top of radiator while heating up then check valve setting and that no air in radiators
Set radi ator valves Confirm heating flow in at Pre-setting value Confirm setting and Confirm no air in radiator
top of radiator and return that lock shield fully
out of bottom open
Hall Yes / No [1] Yes / No Yes / No
Living room Yes / No [6] Yes / No Yes / No
Kitchen Yes / No [3] Yes / No Yes / No
Bedroom 1 Yes / No [2] Yes / No Yes / No
etc. Yes / No Yes / No Yes / No
Towel rai l return temperature li mi ter Yes / No [3] Yes / No Yes / No
NOTE (may be different setting method for radiator with no TRV)
Terti ary system pressure [1.5 bar] Confirm
Pump speed setting [2] Confirm pump set
Action 3: Confirm space heating system commissioned to achieve design objectives,

Put clamp-on thermometer on tertiary flow and return pipes next to HIU, set all TRVs to highest temperature and room thermostat to maximum. Monitor temperatures until
stabilised (60 mins radiators, 120 mins underfloor) then take measurements below. Or use heat meter kW and measurement of tertiary dT to check secondary flow rate.
Desi gn value Tolerance Value achi eved Meets cri teri a?
Terti ary flow temperature [60] [+/– 4 °C] Yes / No
Recommended starting setting for space heat
[2.5]
control valve
Tertiary return temperature [40 °C] [–5/+3 °C]
Yes / No (i f cri teri a not met need to check i ndi vi dual
DH return (i.e. secondary) temperature from heat radiator return temperatures)
[41 °C] [–5/+3 °C]
meter
Heat consumption kW (optional?) [4 kW] [+/-–1 kW] Yes / No
OR (i nstead of 3 li nes above)
Calculate secondary flow rate based on kW from
heat meter and measured tertiary dT with all [0.2 m3 /hr] [+/– 0.04 m3 /hr] Yes / No
radi ators fully on
Confirm room thermostat turns heating off Yes / No
Action 4: Set up DHW

Recommended DHW control valve start setting [2]
DHW DELIVERY temperature at kitchen tap is
[45 °C] Yes / No
mi ni mum of 45 °C wi thi n 45 seconds
GENERATION DHW temperature at the HIU PHEx [50 °C] [–2/+2 °C] Yes / No
CWS temperature n/a n/a n/a
DH return (i.e. secondary) temperature from heat [8 °C above CWS supply
[–4/+4 °C] Yes / No
meter temperature]
Confirm output – needs to be in range 10–20
Power output – check kitchen tap output is
kW to use return temperature data from HIU Yes / No
between 10 and 20 kW
test as basis for design return temperature
(OPTIONAL) Action 5: Use AMR data to confirm acceptable HIU standby return temperatures and heat losses
To be assessed after in-flat commissioning (as on many HIUs the DHW set point impacts upon the standby temperature settings)
Use values averaged over a long peri od when no DHW or space heati ng use)
DH return temperature [50 °C] [ +4 °C] Yes / No
HIU standby heat loss [70 W] [+20 W] Yes / No
Other possible checks
– Check operation of prepayment system if fitted
– It i s advi sable that heati ng programmers are not all set for the heati ng to come on i n all flats at the same ti me
– Present graph of high frequency AMR data for the duration of commissioning process to show at least one meter read during DHW draw off, and a number of meters read
showing that space heating has stabilised and the subsequent performance is satisfactory
– State some setti ngs for the thermostat and TRVs to be set to, e.g. for frost protecti on
177
Figure 51 CP1 example commissioning checklist
Checklist additional options

— If a prepayment system is fitted in the property, the operation of the system

shall be checked.
— Where available, AMR data shall be used for the duration of the commissioning
process to verify the secondary return temperatures achieved.
— Where available, AMR data shall be used to confirm the standby performance
of the HIU, e.g. the return temperature and HIU heat loss.
— Electronic commissioning checklists may be used. (These can include photos of

the heat meter, with readable serial number, and the dwelling number to
enable checks that these are correct on the billing system.)
— To provide frost protection, the room thermostat and TRVs shall be set to
provide heating after commissioning is completed and before the property is
occupied. (Suitable settings can be specified in the commissioning checklist.)
— If heating programmers are set during commissioning, the heat-on times shall
be randomised to avoid large peaks in heat demand.
Notes on why parameters have been chosen

— Measurement of tertiary (radiator) return temperature: This is not strictly
required, but it clarifies what the source of a high return temperature is, which
in most cases will be the radiators rather than the HIU. When monitoring just
the secondary (heat network) return temperature, the temptation is to ‘blame’
the HIU.
— Space heating heat consumption: This provides a rough check that all the
radiators are on. A commissioning short-cut could be to turn off any
problematic radiators and note the return temperature with those radiators off.
— CWS temperature: Measuring the secondary (heat network) return temperature

when the HIU CWS is at 20 °C will give a different result than if the CWS is at
10 °C. The designer could use the difference between the secondary return
temperature and CWS temperature, as measured in the HIU test, and then
require a similar temperature difference at commissioning.
— DHW power output: This provides a check that the DHW flow is within the
range of the HIU test values. If the HIU test shows little variation in return
temperature over the test range of 10–20 kW then a precise power output is
unnecessary.
The example commissioning checklist shown in Figure 51 is also provided as a

worksheet in the CP1 (2020) Excel workbook, for use as a practical tool.
178

Metering requirements
Ensure performance can be measured
The use of data is key to ensuring the optimal performance of a heat network —
consultants should therefore follow the principle that ‘if you can’t measure it, you
can’t manage it’.
Due to legislation, almost all new and existing buildings connected to a heat network
will need to incorporate heat meters. There is strong evidence that metering rather
than flat rate charging significantly reduces heat demand. Therefore, in new
developments, metering infrastructure will need to be installed by default. Through
the introduction of a few additional meters, much more information can be
ascertained about the behaviour of the heat network.
The financial value of metering is dependent on the potential energy savings that can
be obtained by using the data. A small fault on a heat network has the potential to
greatly increase the return temperatures and, in turn, significantly increase the heat
loss of the network. Installing a few extra heat meters in critical locations on the
network will greatly assist in monitoring and analysing the behaviour of the system
and is almost always economically justified.
Best practice would be to refer to the International Performance Measurement and

Verification Protocol (IPMVP), as far as it is relevant, and to apply the IPMVP
principles where possible.
Heat network metering requirements

Dwelling/end-point metering
In line with the Heat Networks (Metering and Billing) Regulations 2014, heat meters
need to be installed at the boundary to every dwelling and/or at the entry to every
end customer (in the case of commercial consumers).
Building network metering (district heat networks)

In line with the Heat Networks (Metering and Billing) Regulations 2014, if the heat
network qualifies as a ‘district heat network’ under the regulations, then heat meters
are to be installed at the point of entry into each building or at the heat exchanger
for each building on the network.
In this case, the secondary network comprises the pipe infrastructure between the
building-level meter and individual dwelling meters. All building-level meters should
be connected to the AMR system, as set out below.
Energy centre metering

In order to monitor the ongoing performance of the heat network, energy meters are
to be installed at the boundary of the energy centre as a minimum, to record all
energy entering the energy centre (gas meters, electricity meters etc.) and all energy
leaving the energy centre via the heat network. However, meters should also be
installed on any significant branches in the development, such as at the base of
risers, as it will provide greater clarity when investigating any issues with network
performance.
179
Where multiple heat sources are specified then each heat source shall be metered
directly to obtain the following data: kW·h, kW, flow and return temperatures and
flow volumes. Note that many small-scale CHP units have in-built electricity meters
and only generate estimated heat production based on electricity generation. Where
this is the case, the CHP heat production data should not be relied upon and a
dedicated heat meter should be installed. All energy centre meters should be
connected to the AMR system, as set out below.
District heating heat network Non-domestic
M Measurement points
HIU (if used)
Thermal substation
(if used) Block of flats
Energy Individual dwellings

Energy in
M centre
M
M M
Heat out
Communal heating network
M Measurement points
HIU
M
Figure 52 Key measurement points
on heat networks. Note: There are
M many different types of heat network
Energy centre
and these diagrams are indicative only.
Careful consideration will need to be
given to the specific measurement
M strategy for a given project. A clear
M metering strategy diagram and
Energy in register of meters with locations
should be developed and kept up to
date.
Ensure meters are Metering Instruments Regulations compliant with M-Bus

output of all key data
The meters and the meter network are vital for assessing the health and ongoing
performance of a heat network. Specifying inferior heat meters or an inadequate
meter network to make a small saving in capital cost can result in significantly
180
increased operational costs over the lifetime of the network.
Therefore, all heat meters shall be in accordance with the Measuring Instruments

Regulations 2016 and shall be at least Class 2 accuracy in line with BS EN 1434 (BSI,
2015d). All heat meters shall use an open output protocol (e.g. the M-Bus output
protocol).
Ensure the metering system is able to be remotely read on a half-hourly basis

The effectiveness of the metering system is related to the quantity and availability of
data. This data shall be accessible by a user via a remote connection.
All heat meters shall be connected to a data logger via an open protocol network
(e.g. M-Bus) and/or connected to an AMR system. If the meters are connected to an
AMR system (which may be a ‘pay as you go’ system), access to all system reads (raw
data) shall be able to be provided to either the client or a services provider appointed
by the client.
Furthermore, the AMR system shall be able to record, transmit and store the
following information on at least a half-hourly basis:
— meter read (kW·h)
— flow temperature (°C)
— return temperature (°C)
— flow rate (l/s)
— instantaneous power (kW).
Dedicated monitoring system

There has been a tendency to use BEMS to monitor and collect data from energy
centre meters. The disadvantage of this approach is that BEMS are not specifically
designed with metering and monitoring in mind. In particular, BEMS are often not
designed to store and analyse large quantities of historic data and it can be difficult
to extract and use data in a meaningful way. Therefore, it is recommended that the
BEMS should not be used to monitor data from the heat meters in the plant room
and at other key locations on the network, other than at measurement points
specifically used by the BEMS to control plant.
The metering network should be viewed as a piece of infrastructure for residential

metering and billing. It is recommended that any non-dwelling meters are connected
to the same system, including the energy centre meters. One advantage of this
approach is that the metering system will constantly be maintained and monitored
by the metering and billing service provider (in order to bill residents for their heat
consumption).
Performance measurement and testing

As part of the commissioning process, tests shall be carried out to verify that the
system conforms to the minimum performance requirements. These tests should also
be carried out regularly (at least annually) during the operational life of the heat
network.
Where performance is found to be below the required level, the performance

deficiency shall be remedied by the contractor before practical completion. For the
avoidance of doubt, achieving all performance requirements is a condition for
practical completion.
181
Performance standards
Figure 53 shows the minimum performance standards to be targeted/measured

throughout a heat network project, as provided in the CP1 (2020) Excel workbook, in
the worksheet entitled Performance Metrics. Performance standards should be stated
at a headline KPI level and be underpinned by monitoring at the energy centre,
building/block and dwelling levels.
OUTLINE DEFINITION
HEADLINE KPI KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATOR
(tailored to each application)
ENERGY CENTRE – Average variable cost (p/kW·h) Average variable cost all inclusive (p/kW·h)
Average fixed cost (all inclusive but excluding cost of

ENERGY CENTRE – Average fixed costs (£/yr)
capital) (£/yr)
Average variable cost all inclusive (p/kW·h) (metered on

BUILDING/BLOCK (Additional to energy centre) – Average
ECONOMIC VIABILITY primary) [calculated value based on energy centre costs
variable cost (p/kW·h) [block by block if different]
Cost of heat delivered factored by heat loss]
(annual average all inclusive BUILDING/BLOCK (additional to energy centre) – Average fixed Average fixed cost all inclusive over and above energy centre
p/kW·h) cost (£/yr) [block by block if different] costs (£) (excluding cost of capital)
Average variable cost inclusive (p/kW·h) [calculated value

DWELLING – Average variable cost (p/kW·h)
based on energy centre costs factored by heat loss]
Average fixed cost all inclusive over and above energy centre
DWELLING – Average fixed costs (£/dwelling/yr)
and block costs (£) (excluding cost of capital)
Flow temperature stability – percentage of time flow

ENERGY CENTRE – Flow temperature stability temperature is 5 °C or more lower than a weather-related
SYSTEM RELIABILITY contract set-point, averaged over 1 hour (%)
(average annual % system
Pressure differential stability – percentage of time that
heat availability) ENERGY CENTRE – Pressure differential stability pump differential pressure is below the minimum required
for the network over the year (%)
Heat delivered to the network divided by the energy centre

ENERGY CENTRE EFFICIENCY net primary energy input (%). Electricity flows to or from
ENERGY CENTRE PLANT EFFICIENCY (%) of each plant item,
(% annual average all e.g. LZC1, LZC2, boilers etc.
the national electricity system (e.g. CHP export or heat
inclusive) pump import) shall be assumed to be delivered with a
primary energy efficiency of 45%
Primary heat network loss between energy centre and

ENERGY CENTRE – Primary heat network loss (kW·h/yr)
buildings (kW·h/yr)
BUILDING/BLOCK – Average primary summer return BUILDING/BLOCK – Average primary summer return
temperature at the building/block (°C) temperature at the building/block (°C) [non-space heating]
BUILDING/BLOCK – Average primary winter return

BUILDING/BLOCK – Average primary winter return
temperature at the building/block (°C) [typically October
to March]
BUILDING/BLOCK – Secondary heat network loss

NETWORK HEAT LOSSES (kW·h/dwelling/yr)
Secondary heat network loss (kW·h/dwelling/yr)
(annual average kW·h/yr)
Stage 1: to tested HIU VWART. Stages 4–6:
DWELLING -– HIU average return temperature based on HIU Commissioning/operating values to demonstrate space
performance and space heating design and set-up (°C) heating achieves criteria. Standby and DHW could be
assumed from HIU test or additionally checked (°C)
Stages 1–3: tested HIU standby loss. Stages 4–6:

DWELLING – HIU standby heat losses (W) commissioning/operating values – Tertiary standby heat
losses measured with no demand, e.g. overnight (W)
DWELLING – Time to deliver 45°C to the kitchen tap (seconds) Time to deliver 45°C to the kitchen tap (seconds)
ENVIRONMENTAL
ENERGY CENTRE – kgCO2 /kW·h heat
Carbon intensity of heat ENERGY CENTRE – kgCO2 /kW·h heat
(annual average all inclusive). Emission factors to be agreed
(annual average all inclusive (annual average all inclusive)
with stakeholders
kgCO2/kW·h heat)
Figure 53 Key performance indicators to be targeted and monitored in heat networks

182

Where instantaneous hot water heat exchangers are used for the DHW system, the
peak demands shall be diversified using the approach set out in 3.2.8 and the worked
example below (FairHeat, 2019). CIBSE is grateful for the work carried out by FairHeat
in helping to develop the sections on diversity and this worked example, in particular
Gareth Jones, Michael Ridge and Tom Naughton.
The method presented here shows how DS 439 (Dansk Standard, 2009) may be used
as an acceptable approach to diversifying hot water demand in the UK market.
BS EN 806-3 (BSI, 2006) specifically allows the use of DS 439 for sizing pipes, through
its reference in Annex C, meaning its use is permitted under British Standards.
The following worked example is intended to provide a methodology for sizing heat
network distribution pipework serving instantaneous twin-plate HIUs. There are
several areas where assumptions and simplifications have been made for the
purposes of the worked example. Designers will need to make these assumptions
specific to the heat network in question. For example, estimates of peak space
heating demands have been made, which will need to be assessed on a case by case
basis for each dwelling type.
In addition, the conversion of l/s to kg/s in this example has assumed the density of
water to be 1000 kg/m3, for simplicity. The actual density of water at the
temperatures being assessed should be used for this conversion.
Figure 54 shows the layout of a hypothetical building of five storeys with identical
floor plans. This will be used to demonstrate the methodology for sizing riser, lateral
and terminal run pipework in a heat network distribution system. It should be noted
that, while this is relatively indicative of many network designs in the industry to
date, a more optimal arrangement is to have multiple risers, which minimises the
need for long laterals and so shortens the overall pipework length and hence reduces
network losses.
1 bath 1 bath 2 bath 2 bath 3 bath
Point 2 1 bath 1 bath 2 bath 2 bath 3 bath
Point 1 1 bath 1 bath 2 bath 2 bath 3 bath
Figure 54 Case study based on five 183

storeys with identical flat layouts
Table 11 Dwelling types 1, 2 and 3 and their corresponding required DHW flow rates and
space heating demands
Type 1 Type 2 Type 3

(1 bath) (2 bath) (3 bath)
Required DHW draw off, qf (l/s) 0.24 0.34 0.44
Space heating demand per HIU, QSH (kW) 2.0 2.5 3.0
Table 12 Pipe sections categories for the building shown in Figure 54 and the corresponding number of
dwelling types each pipe section must serve
Pipe section No. of dwellings to serve Total number

of dwellings,
Type 1 Type 2 Type 3
NT
dwellings, N1 dwellings, N2 dwellings, N3
Terminal run for type 1 1 — — 1
Terminal run for type 2 — 1 — 1
Terminal run for type 3 — — 1 1
Lateral, serving 5 dwellings 2 2 1 5
Lateral, serving 4 dwellings 1 2 1 4
Lateral, serving 3 dwellings — 2 1 3
Lateral, serving 2 dwellings — 1 1 2
Riser, serving storeys 1 to 5 10 10 5 25
Three different dwelling types have been chosen for this worked example, with
typical DHW and space heating loads, as shown in Table 11.
The required DHW draw-off flow rate qf is determined by considering the design
maximum flow rate for each outlet and its supply temperature, together with an
assumption about which outlets would be used simultaneously. For example, where
there is a bath tap and a basin tap in the same bathroom, only the higher of these
outlets would be assumed. For designs following the NHBC Standards (NHBC, 2019)
the flow rates given in Table 9 in 3.9.15 should be used for qf.
The space heating demands assumed are representative of newly constructed

dwellings within an apartment block.
Initially, it is important to recognise that different sections of pipework will be

designed to have different pipe sizes, depending on the demand each section must
meet. For example, at Point 1 in Figure 54, the pipe must be sized to meet the demand
of all 25 dwellings. However, at point 2, the pipe only has to supply the ten dwellings
on the two uppermost storeys. As such, all pipework should be categorised based on
the demand or number of dwelling types it must serve, as shown in Table 12.
The objective is to determine the mass flow rate required through each pipe section
so that the smallest feasible pipe diameter can be selected.
The following assumptions have been made for the purposes of providing workable
answers:
— DHW is supplied at a temperature of 50 °C and the cold feed temperature is

10 °C, i.e. DT is 40 °C
— network flow temperature is 60 °C

184
— all pipework material is medium grade steel
— the return temperature from the DHW heat exchanger is 16 °C, i.e. DT is 44 °C

on the heat network side
— the return temperature from the space heating heat exchanger is 35 °C (based
on underfloor heating performance from actual heat networks), i.e. DT is 25 °C
on the heat network side
— space heating diversity is based on 0.62 + 0.38/N, where N is the number of

dwellings.
Initially, the diversified DHW and space heating flow rates for each pipe section
outlined above in Table 12 are calculated.
DHW diversified flow rate

To determine the required DHW flow rate for each pipe section, the qf values for all
dwellings served by the pipe section are summed (using the data in Table 11 and
Table 12). With the required DHW flow rate for the pipe section, the corresponding
diversified DHW flow rate can be calculated using the design flow rate equation in
DS 439, as given below. The design flow rate equation from DS 439 is
qd = 2qm + i R / qf - 2qm W + A qm $ i / qf - 2qm

where qd is the design water flow for a distributing pipe to randomly used outlets only
(i.e. the diversified design flow rate), qm is the weighted mean water flow to several
outlets connected to the distributing pipe (e.g. in a dwelling), ∑qf is the sum of
assumed water flows for all randomly used outlets connected to the distributing pipe, A
is a safety factor and i is the probability of draining qm in a peak load period. For this
example, qm is taken to be 0.1 l/s based on the frequency, usage times and mean flow
rate of appliances. The constant A is taken as 3.1 and the constant i is taken as 0.015.
The diversified flow rate to meet DHW demand for the riser pipe section serving
storeys 1 to 5 is calculated as:
/ qf = Qqf1 N1V + Qqf2 N2V + Qqf3 N3V

= Q0.24 # 10V + Q0.34 # 10V + Q0.44 # 5V
= 8 l/s
Inserting ∑qf into the design flow rate equation* gives
qd = "2qm + i Q8 - 2qmV + A qm # i 8 - 2qm% #

40
44
= "Q2 # 0.1V + Q0.015 # Q8 - 2 # 0.1VV + 3.1 # Q 0.1 # 0.015 8 - 2 # 0.1 V% #
40
44
= 0.59 l/s
Converting qd into a mass flow rate gives
diversified riser flow rate for DHW demand = 0.59 kg/s.
* For simplicity, the calculations have been based on the DHW flow rates. The flow
rate on the heat network side is calculated by applying the ratio of the DTs at the
design condition, i.e. 40 °C for the DHW system (50 °C supply, 10 °C cold feed) and
44 °C for the heat network (60 °C supply, 16 °C return). This ratio should reflect the
worst case, i.e. the lowest heat network flow temperature and highest return
temperature, which is typically seen during summer conditions. 185
Space heating diversified flow demand

A similar approach is used to determine the space heating diversified flow rate;
however, the flow rate is diversified according to a different factor. For the purposes
of this worked example, the Danish approach referenced in Objective 3.2 has been
used:
0.38
space heating diversity = 0.62 +
N
The space heating demand for each pipe section is calculated and translated into a
flow rate before applying this diversity factor.
For the riser pipe section serving storeys 1 to 5, the diversified space heating demand
is calculated as
/ QSH = QSH1 N1 + QSH2 N2 + QSH3 N3
= Q2 # 10V + Q2.5 # 10V + Q3 # 5V
= 60 kW
Translating ∑QSH to a space heating flow rate gives
/ QSH = 60
4.18 # Q60 - 35V
= 0.57kg/s
cp # DT
For N = 25, the space heating diversity factor becomes 0.635, therefore
space heating diversified flow rate = 0.364 kg/s
Repeating these calculations for all pipe sections generates the values in Table 13.
Pipework sizing
Requirement 3.6.2 states that pipe sizes shall be selected based on a whole-lifecycle
approach, considering the capital costs of the pipework, pipe insulation and pumps
and the operational costs resulting from the network heat losses and pump electricity
consumption. Adopting a lifecycle approach would require a more complex and
detailed case study, therefore pipe sizes in this example have been selected based on
flow velocity constraints.
Table 13 Combined DHW and space heating diversified flow rates for each pipe section for the case
study illustrated in Figure 54
Pipe section ∑qf Diversified Diversified Combined

(l/s) DHW flow rate space heating diversified flow
(kg/s) flow rate (kg/s) rate (kg/s)
Terminal run for type 1 0.24 0.204 0.019 0.223
Lateral, serving 5 dwellings 1.60 0.330 0.080 0.410
Riser, serving storeys 1 to 5 8.00 0.593 0.364 0.957
186
For medium grade steel, the flow velocity should be no more than 1.5 m/s for

nominal pipe diameters below DN50 and no more than 3 m/s for nominal pipe
diameters above DN50 (see CIBSE Guide B1: Heating (CIBSE, 2016b)).
A minimum velocity for the design condition should also be considered as low flow
rates can result in the build-up of debris and air within the system, which may lead to
increased corrosion, biofouling and microbially influenced corrosion (MIC). The
velocity constraints assumed are outlined in Table 14.
The maximum flow velocity in each pipe section has been calculated using the
maximum flow rates in Table 14 and allowing for a reduction in the cross-sectional
area of the pipe of 15% to take account of possible pipe fouling in the future.
To select the smallest practicable pipe size for a pipe section, a methodical approach
should be taken starting with the minimum allowable nominal diameter. For medium
grade steel, it is reasonable to begin with a nominal diameter of DN20 as the
majority of HIU connections are of this size.
For a specific pipe section under analysis, the calculated flow velocity for DN20 is
considered to determine whether the flow velocity is within the velocity constraints
stated in Table 14. If the flow velocity is within the velocity constraints, then DN20 is
selected to be the smallest practicable pipe size for that pipe section. Otherwise, the
next pipe size up should be considered. This continues until a flow velocity within the
velocity constraints is found. This process has been highlighted in Table 15, using
green cells to indicate that the smallest practicable pipe size has been found and
amber cells to indicate that the next pipe size up shall be considered.
This approach will rapidly provide an initial pipe size for the heat network. It is
recommended to check whether a larger pipe size will lead to a lower lifecycle cost
when pressure drops, and hence pumping energy cost, are taken into account.
Table 14 Basis of pipe size selection: velocity constraints for medium grade steel
Pipe size Lower flow velocity limit (m/s) Upper flow velocity limit (m/s)
Below and including DN50 0.5 1.5
Above DN50 0.5 3
Table 15 Methodology for selecting the smallest practicable pipe size for a pipe section
Pipe section Flow velocity for each pipe size (m/s) Selected
nominal pipe
DN20 DN25 DN32 DN40 DN50 DN65 diameter (mm)
Terminal run for type 1 0.723 0.453 0.261 0.193 0.121 0.072 20
Lateral, serving 5 dwellings 1.326 0.832 0.479 0.354 0.222 0.132 20
Riser, serving storeys 1 to 5 3.098 1.943 1.120 0.827 0.517 0.308 32
187
Annex E: Recommended water quality parameters Heat networks: Code of Practice for the UK
Annex E: Recommended water quality parameters for heat

networks
The parameters shown in Table 16 have been found to give satisfactory control of
corrosion and are based on the limits set in Table 5 of BSRIA BG 29/2020: Pre-
Commission Cleaning of Pipework Systems (BSRIA, 2020) for a recently cleaned system.
The parameters shown in Table 17 are based on VDI 2035 Part 2: Prevention of
damage in water heating installations. Water-side corrosion (Association of German
Engineers, 2009).
The parameters, limits and monitoring frequency shall be set out in the water
treatment regime and agreed with all parties. The limits and monitoring frequency
may deviate from those in Table 16 and Table 17 provided that such difference can be
justified based on the individual circumstances of the scheme. In particular, some of
the limits vary with the type of treatment. Additional parameters may be used if
required.
CIBSE is grateful for the contribution of Jon Greaves of Hydro-X Group and Chris
Parsloe of Parsloe Consulting in compiling Table 16 and David Whitfield of Elysator in
compiling Table 17.
Further guidance is provided in BSRIA BG 50/2013 (BSRIA, 2013), BSRIA BG 29/2020

(BSRIA, 2020), VDI 2035 Parts 1 and 2 (Association of German Engineers, 2005,
2009), Water quality assessment in UK district heating systems (Greaves, 2019) and
Water Treatment and Corrosion Prevention: Recommendations (Danish District
Heating Association, 2015).
188
Table 16 Parameters for control of water quality and pipe corrosion, assuming initial fill with mains
Annex E: Recommended water quality parameters

water and chemical treatment used in operation
Parameter Units Control limit Frequency of Reasons for using this parameter
monitoring
Visual Clear with no Monthly This is subjective — a photograph of
suspended solids or the system water in a clear
gassing container should be taken as soon
as possible following sampling. An
extended period before a visual
check can lead to changes in
appearance, e.g. precipitation of
dissolved iron when contacting with
oxygen.
Odour No strong sulphurous Monthly Sulphide smells indicate potential
or ammoniacal smell growth of sulphate-reducing
bacteria (SRB). Ammonia smells can
indicate growth of nitrate-reducing
bacteria (NRB) (some inhibitors have
a mild ammonia smell).
pH Aluminium < 8.5 Weekly (or Sudden changes in pH can indicate
(control range continuous) changes in system water quality,
defined by least therefore continuous monitoring is
Iron-based 9.2–10.0
noble part of advised. pH control should be based
system Copper and brass on the metallurgy of the system.
metallurgy) 7.5–10.0
Note: Where aluminimum and steel
are used in the same system the pH
value shall be less than 8.5 to avoid
corrosion of the aluminium.
Conductivity µS/cm See note 1 Weekly (or Sudden changes in conductivity can
continuous) indicate changes in system water
quality, therefore continuous
monitoring is advised.
Oil and grease mg/l Not present Annually Oil and grease being present
indicates contamination of the
system water.
Chloride mg/l < 100 Monthly Excess chlorides in the DH network
measured at will increase the potential for
80 °C corrosion, particularly stress
corrosion cracking in stainless steels
and dezincification in brass fittings.
Sulphate mg/l — Monthly Monitoring of trends recommended
as changes can indicate bacterial
growth.
Iron total mg/l < 15.0 (see note 2) Monthly Monitoring of trends recommended
as changes can indicate potential
corrosion issues.
Iron dissolved mg/l < 3.0 Monthly Monitoring of trends recommended
corrosion issues.
Copper dissolved mg/l < 1.0 Monthly Monitoring of trends recommended
corrosion issues.
Aluminium total mg/l < 1.0 Monthly Monitoring of trends recommended
corrosion issues. Only relevant if
aluminium used in the system.
Calcium mg/l See note 3 Monthly High levels of hardness in system
hardness water will increase precipitation of
calcium carbonate scale onto heat
exchanger surfaces, which will
reduce efficiency. It also increases
the surface temperatures of the
exchangers, which may lead to the
potential for stress corrosion.
189
Table 16 Parameters for control of water quality and pipe corrosion, assuming initial fill with mains
water and chemical treatment used in operation — continued
monitoring
Total alkalinity mg/l > 250, < 1250 Monthly Low levels of alkalinity indicate a
lack of protection against corrosive
water. High levels of alkalinity
indicate the potential for caustic
embrittlement.
Ammonia mg/l < 30 Monthly Increasing trend of ammonia in the
system water is an indication of
bacterial growth.
Oxygen mg/l See note 4 Monthly (or Increases in dissolved oxygen
continuous) content indicates ingress of oxygen
which will potentially drive
corrosion, therefore continuous
Suspended mg/l < 30 Monthly Suspended solids indicate poor
solids system water quality and further
filtration and treatment is required.
Settled solids mg/l As defined in BSRIA Monthly Not all detrimental solids are in
BG 29/2020 and suspension, therefore it is also
BS 8552: 2012 — essential to test for settled solids.
limits as specified for Settled solids can reduce flow rate,
pipework at extremes and can lead to greater risk of
of the system and for corrosion.
terminal units
Inhibitor(s) Inhibitor levels Monthly Inhibitor reserves should be
should be checked in monitored to ensure adequate
accordance with the reserves are present to minimise the
water treatment potential for corrosion.
specialist’s and
manufacturers’
guidance
TVC (total viable cfu/ml < 10,000 cfu/ml at Monthly Increasing trends of bacteria
count) 30 °C and no indicate poor water quality.
increasing trend
Pseudomonads cfu/ml <1000 cfu/ml at Monthly Increasing levels of pseudomonads
30 ˚C and no indicate poor water quality and
increasing trend potential biofilm proliferation.
SRB (sulphate- cfu/ml Absent Monthly Counts of SRB indicate poor water
reducing quality and potential for pitting
bacteria) (at corrosion under deposits and
5 days) biofilms.
Note 1: Although it is important to monitor conductivity, a hard limit is not considered necessary.
Note 2: This value is from Table 5 of BG 29/2020 (BSRIA, 2020), which also states that lower limits may
be used.
Note 3: Total hardness will depend on the amount and type of softening applied.
Note 4: Oxygen limits are not defined in BG 29/2020 but should be as low as possible. BG 50/2013
(BSRIA, 2013) states that a value >2 mg/l would indicate a problem with air entering the system.
190
Table 17 Parameters for control of water quality and pipe corrosion, assuming that demineralised fill

water with a controlled pH within VDI parameters is used and treatment following VDI 2035 Parts 1 and 2
monitoring
Visual Clear with no Monthly This is subjective — a photograph
suspended solids or of the system water in a clear
gassing container should be taken as soon
as possible following sampling. An
extended period before a visual
check can lead to changes in
appearance, e.g. precipitation of
dissolved iron when contacting
with oxygen.
Odour No strong sulphurous Monthly Sulphide smells indicate potential
or ammoniacal smell growth of sulphate-reducing
bacteria (SRB). Ammonia smells can
indicate growth of nitrate-reducing
bacteria (NRB) (some inhibitors
have a mild ammonia smell).
pH Aluminium < 8.2–8.5 Weekly (or Sudden changes in pH can indicate
(control range continuous) changes in system water quality,
defined by least therefore continuous monitoring is
Iron-based 8.2–10.0
noble part of advised. pH control should be based
system Copper and brass on the metallurgy of the system.
metallurgy) 8.2–10.0
Where aluminimum and steel are
used in the same system the pH
value shall be less than 8.5 to avoid
corrosion of the aluminium.
Magnesium sacrificial anode
technology may be used, which
would allow a higher pH limit to be
adopted.
Conductivity µS/cm > 50, < 100 Weekly (or Sudden changes in conductivity
continuous) can indicate changes in system
water quality, therefore continuous
Oil and grease mg/l Not present Annually Oil and grease being present
indicates contamination of the
system water.
Chloride mg/l < 10 Monthly Excess chlorides in the DH network
measured at will increase the potential for
80 °C corrosion, particularly stress
corrosion cracking in stainless steels
and dezincification in brass fittings.
Sulphate mg/l — Monthly Monitoring of trends
recommended as changes can
indicate bacterial growth.
Iron total mg/l — Monthly Monitoring of trends
indicate potential corrosion issues.
Iron dissolved mg/l < 0.1 Monthly Monitoring of trends
Copper dissolved mg/l < 0.02 Monthly Monitoring of trends
Aluminium total mg/l — Monthly Monitoring of trends
Total hardness mg/l > 10, < 200 Monthly High levels of hardness in system
water will increase precipitation
onto heat exchanger surfaces,
which will reduce efficiency. It also
increases the surface temperatures
of the exchangers, which may lead
to the potential for stress corrosion. 191
Table 17 Parameters for control of water quality and pipe corrosion, assuming that demineralised fill
water with a controlled pH within VDI parameters is used and treatment following VDI 2035 Parts 1 and 2
— continued
monitoring
Total alkalinity mg/l — Monthly Low levels of alkalinity indicate a
lack of protection against corrosive
water. High levels of alkalinity
indicate the potential for caustic
embrittlement.
Ammonia mg/l — Monthly Increasing trend of ammonia in the
system water is an indication of
bacterial growth.
Oxygen mg/l < 0.1 Monthly (or Increases in dissolved oxygen
continuous) content indicate changes in system
water quality, therefore continuous
Suspended mg/l < 1.0 Monthly Suspended solids indicate poor
solids system water quality and further
filtration and treatment is required.
TVC (total viable cfu/ml < 10 cfu/ml for Monthly Increasing trends of bacteria
count) 48 hours at 37 °C and indicate poor water quality.
72 hours at 22 °C
Pseudomonads cfu/ml Nil Monthly Increasing levels of pseudomonads
indicate poor water quality and
potential biofilm proliferation in
the system.
SRB (sulphate- cfu/ml Absent Monthly Counts of SRB indicate poor water
reducing quality and potential for pitting
bacteria) corrosion under deposits and
(at 21 days) biofilms.
Note: Specialist advice should be sought when adopting the VDI 2035 approach.
192

Heat networks beyond third generation district heating and cooling are not covered
in detail by this Code of Practice. However, in recent years the use of ambient
temperature heat networks, often involving ground source heat pumps, has come to
the fore. Many of the considerations for more traditional networks apply to their
ambient temperature equivalents. However, it is important to be aware of the
concept, applications and key differences of such ultra-low-temperature heat
networks.
Ambient temperature heat network concept

In its simplest form an ambient temperature heat network moves water around a
building, or group of buildings, to deliver heating and cooling via decentralised heat
pumps. The ambient loop acts as the water source for water source heat pumps that
can provide both heating and cooling. As heat pumps can efficiently deliver both
heating and cooling at source water temperatures close to ambient, the insulation
requirements for such networks can be eliminated, or at least significantly reduced
compared with their higher temperature equivalents. A deficit or excess of heat in the
network is most commonly addressed by introducing an element of ground sourcing
to the ambient loop. This can be via closed loops of pipe buried or drilled into the
ground, or via open loop systems, as outlined in CIBSE/GSHPA CP2: Surface water
source heat pumps (CIBSE, 2016a) and CP3: Open-loop groundwater source heat
pumps (CIBSE, 2019a). Figure 55 shows an example open-loop ambient heat network
with decentralised heat pumps in each building.
Heat Load 1
pump
Heat
exchanger
Heat Load 2
pump
Variable speed
submersible
borehole pump
Abstraction Injection Heat Load 3

well well pump
Figure 55 Example of an open-loop ambient temperature network (from CIBSE/GSHPA CP3: CIBSE, 2019a)
193
Applications
Ambient temperature networks can deliver benefits through both heating-only and
cooling-only applications. However, their advantages are most strongly seen where
there are simultaneous heating and cooling demands across different buildings/
dwellings, allowing prosuming (heat exchange) between these. Using the ground or
ground water as a source also offers opportunities for significant inter-seasonal heat
storage and recovery. Ambient temperature heat networks are also able to harvest
energy from very low grade waste heat sources, such as data centres, underground
tunnels and water treatment facilities. As heat pumps can be selected independently
for each space heating, DHW or cooling need, a range of temperature outputs can be
delivered. This avoids the need to compromise the efficiency of the whole network in
order to, for example, serve a few harder to heat areas.
Case study
In the London Borough of Enfield, 400 flats over eight tower blocks have been
retrofitted with decentralised heat pumps connected to the largest collection of
district ground arrays of its kind in England. Completed in 2018, the heating upgrade
will result in residents’ energy bills reducing by 30–50%.
Figure 56 Example of an ambient ground loop using heat pumps in Enfield
Achieving an ambient temperature network project

Particular skills and experience are required to evaluate and ultimately design an
ambient temperature solution. Specialist input is therefore recommended, from the
early concept and detailed design stages of a project through to commissioning. The
Ground Source Heat Pump Association (GSHPA) provides a framework of standards,
and its members are bound to adhere to a code of practice for design and installation
of these systems. Further information from the GSHPA and a list of its members can
194
be found at www.gshp.org.uk.
Annex G: Use of SAP modelling of heat networks

Annex G: Guidance on the use of SAP modelling of heat
networks
The Standard Assessment Procedure (SAP) is the UK’s National Calculation

Methodology (NCM) for calculating the energy rating of dwellings (BRE, 2012). It is
used for many policy purposes, including the production of energy performance
certificates (EPCs) and for Building Regulations compliance.
SAP assesses the performance of all fixed elements of a dwelling, which includes
building services equipment, such as boilers and mechanical ventilation. It does not
consider the performance of non-fixed appliances, such as domestic refrigerators.
SAP assessments are supported by the Product Characteristics Database (PCDB),

which holds in-use performance information for building services equipment, such as
boilers. This data is provided by manufacturers on a declaration basis, typically via
test data, that is processed into a different form using a calculation method that
represents typical operation in UK homes. An example is the SEDBUK (Seasonal
Efficiency of Domestic Boilers in the UK) calculation method for boilers.
Data from the PCDB is easy for SAP assessors to use because it is read automatically
by SAP software. SAP 2012 and future versions allow for a heat network’s
performance characteristics to be recorded. These include a derived distribution loss
factor (for heat loss), the thermal efficiency of the heat generator(s) and the fraction
of service provided by each generator.
Plant selection
If there is no data record for a heat network in the PCDB, then characteristics for the
heat generator(s) can be entered manually within the SAP software. The fuel type,
efficiency (and electrical efficiency if CHP plant) and proportion of heat for each heat
generator must be derived and formally declared to the SAP assessor.
Efficiency
Boiler efficiency must be calculated in accordance with the methodology provided in
Appendix C of SAP 2012. Plant efficiencies should be the same as those used in the
modelling described in Code Objective 2.2.
CHP efficiencies are defined for heat as the annual useful heat, excluding dumped
heat, supplied by a CHP scheme divided by the total annual fuel input. For power
efficiency the total annual power output is divided by the total annual fuel input.
Proportion of heat
The proportion of heat for each heat generator is based on annual operational
records allocating the proportion of useful heat energy each item provides. In the
case of new systems this should be based on the modelling described in Code
Objective 2.2. Higher proportions of low- or zero-carbon heat will improve the SAP
assessment results.
Distribution losses
For SAP 2012, default distribution losses based on system type can be used if any of
the following are met:
195
— the only dwellings connected to any part of the network are flats, or
Annex G: Use of SAP modelling of heat networks
— the total trench length of the network is no longer than 100 metres, or
— the linear heat density is not less than 2 MW·h/year per metre of network.
Where these conditions are not met the losses must be calculated in accordance with
Appendix C3 of SAP 2012.
For SAP 10 onwards, four options are currently proposed:
— For either design-stage or as-built SAP assessments, the network-specific heat

loss (expressed as a distribution loss factor (DLF)) can be determined using
actual consumption data and entered in the PCDB.
— For assessments where the heat network has not been built, network heat
losses may be estimated for the purpose of the PCDB entry. An in-use factor for
heat networks will be part of the PCDB record, allowing it to be varied
depending on the nature of the source of the data.
— For as-built assessments, where a PCDB entry is not sought, a DLF of 1.5 is
applied within SAP assessments if the heat network is compliant with this Code
of Practice.
— For as-built assessments, where a PCDB entry is not sought, a DLF of 2.0 is
applied within SAP assessments if the heat network is not compliant with this
Code of Practice.
Hot water
Where DHW heating is provided by the heat network, the characteristics of hot water
cylinders must be entered by the SAP assessor in accordance with the SAP
specification.
Where HIU’s are specified, these are treated as analogous to hot water cyclinders
within SAP 2012 assessments. For subsequent versions of SAP (SAP 10 onwards),
check the latest SAP specification for fixed standing losses for HIUs or possible look-
up of HIU losses through product records in the PCDB.
Submitting heat network performance data to the Product

Characteristics Database
It is important to note that the NCMs (SAP and the Simplified Building Energy Model
(SBEM)) do not implement a compliance requirement for heat networks, they simply
require the input of characteristics in order to assess the energy and CO2 intensity of
a building.
The document Application guide for entry of heat network performance data in SAP
Products Characteristics Database (2014) provides guidance on the entry of heat
network performance data in the PCDB by the network operator, in particular the
completion of the SAP PCDB Application Workbook for Heat Networks. The latest
version of these documents is available at www.ncm-pcdb.org.uk.
196
Annex H: Building connections and internal heating systems for dwellings

Annex H: Guidance on types of building connections and
internal heating systems for dwellings
Space heating systems

Objective 3.5 discusses the selection of operating temperatures for the heat network.
The space heating circuit within the building needs to be designed to be compatible
with the network temperatures. The building services designer should aim to achieve
as low a return temperature as practical as this will benefit the heat network. This
can be achieved by:
— selecting lower mean heating circuit temperatures and using larger heat
emitters to compensate
— reducing the flow rates to the emitters to create a wider temperature difference
and hence a lower return temperature
— using weather compensated temperatures for the space heating circuit
— using optimum start control of heating for intermittently heated buildings.
The first option will add to the costs of the heating systems but may be beneficial
overall after taking into account the heat network costs. The second option requires
consideration of balancing and control and also the need to ensure that flow
velocities in pipework are not too low resulting in a sluggish response. The third
option adds only a small cost through additional control or BEMS programming, and
results in lower return temperatures at all but the peak loads. This will not reduce DH
pipe sizes, but it will lower DH return temperatures for the vast majority of the
heating season. The fourth option reduces required peak output of radiators and so
peak DH demands by bringing the heating on earlier on the coldest days, and hence
spreading out the larger heat requirement to get the building up to temperature.
This requires the addition of either small local optimum start controls or BEMS
programming, but will reduce the capital cost of both DH and building heat emitters.
Even where the existing heating system has been designed for the conventional 82 °C
flow 71 °C return, it is usually possible to reduce the flow rates to provide 82 °C/60 °C
radiator circuit temperatures, resulting in only a small loss of output (typically about
12.5% for these temperatures). An assessment of building heat loss and existing heat
emitter sizing may establish that even lower temperatures can be used, especially
where fabric improvements have been made subsequent to the original heating
installation. It is also important to investigate whether the control system can be
modified to a variable volume control system that will maintain low return
temperatures under part-load operation.
Domestic hot water systems

Domestic hot water can be generated with a storage system or instantaneously and
either centrally or at a dwelling or outlet position.
Storage hot water systems have the following design advantages and disadvantages.
Pros:
— Lower peak demands in the final branch pipework to the dwelling.
— Storage provides a degree of standby enabling short-term interruptions of the

network supply to be tolerated in summer, especially where electric immersion
197
heaters are also installed as back-up.
— Opportunity to provide intermittent heat supply from the network to reduce

heat losses from local branch pipework and there is no need for thermal
bypasses.
— Opportunity to schedule the time when the heat from the network is used (e.g.
use of night-time heating which could be advantageous if a heat pump-based
heat network is used).
Cons:
— Possible to ‘empty’ the tank if long demand duration.
— Heat losses from the cylinders are higher and need to be taken into account
and may contribute to summer overheating in well-insulated properties.
— Water needs to be stored at 60 °C for Legionella control, which increases the

required DH flow temperature and results in scaling in hard water areas. This
also increases the risk of scalding.
— Where a domestic storage cylinder with an indirect coil is used, return

temperatures will generally be higher than for instantaneous, except in the
infrequent case of heating up from cold.
— Space is required in the dwelling for the storage cylinder.
— Mains pressure cylinders will require an annual maintenance check to ensure

safety equipment is functioning correctly.
— Generally results in higher network return temperatures.
Instantaneous hot water systems have the following design advantages and
disadvantages.
Pros:
— No limit to duration of hot water supply.
— Low return temperatures achieved when drawing off hot water.
— Compact design, releasing space within dwelling.
— Low heat losses from heat exchanger (when insulated) so minimal impact on
overheating risk.
— Generally, no required annual inspections as many instantaneous HIUs do not

require annual servicing.
Cons:
— Higher flow rates and pipe diameters in branches serving five or fewer
dwellings.
— Heat exchanger needs warm water to be available in the local distribution

system at all times when draw-off is expected in order to give a good response
time. This can lead to higher return temperatures in off-periods and higher
losses from the pipes.
— No opportunity for short interruptions of heat network supply without

198
impacting the service.
Centralised hot water services have the following design advantages and

disadvantages.
Pros:
— Lower cost for heat exchanger equipment as it is centralised.
— Lower maintenance costs as simpler system at dwelling.
— No space required in dwellings.
— No heat losses within dwellings so no impact on overheating risk.
— Legionella risk can be controlled as water is stored and circulated at 60 °C with

a maximum return temperature of 50 °C; see HSG274, Part 2 (HSE, 2014a) and
HSE Approved Code of Practice and guidance L8 (HSE, 2013). Further guidance
can be found in CIBSE TM13 (CIBSE, 2013c).
— Space heating circuit can have variable flow temperature to limit heating use
(valuable for unmetered schemes).
— Space heating circuit can be shut down entirely in summer (subject to

contractual arrangements), reducing secondary pipework heat losses.
— Opportunity for use of a two-stage DHW system, where cold feed water is
preheated by space heating return.
Cons:
— Higher cost of distribution pipework (four-pipe system — flow and return

heating and flow and return DHW system). More space required in risers for
four pipes.
— Additional heat losses in winter from DHW system flow and return as well as
space heating flow and return (although the latter can be smaller than for a
two-pipe system, which offsets this disadvantage).
— Separate metering of hot water use is needed, resulting in higher costs; this
could be an advantage in providing feedback (energy use data), and volume-
based metering for hot water use is low cost, however a more complex
metering and billing system would be required.
Individual dwelling hot water services have the following design advantages and
disadvantages.
Pros:
— A single heat meter can be used for both space and water heating.
— Space required for secondary distribution is less (two-pipe not four-pipe).
Cons:
— More space is required within the dwelling, although for instantaneous DHW
systems this is relatively small.
The options available for dwelling heating systems in apartment blocks are given in
Figures 57 to 64.
199
Annex H: Building connections and internal heating systems for dwellings Heat networks: Code of Practice for the UK
Radiator circuit
Radiator circuit
TRV
TRV
DHW to taps
DHW to taps
Cold feed
Cold feed
HIU boundary
HIU boundary
Flow Heat network Flow Heat network

Return Return
Figure 57 Indirect space heating and Figure 58 Indirect space heating and hot water
instantaneous hot water heating cylinder (external plate heat exchanger for the hot
water storage is also possible)
DPCV DPCV Radiator circuit

Radiator circuit
TRV
TRV
DHW to taps DHW to taps
Cold feed
Cold feed
HIU boundary HIU boundary
Flow Heat network Flow Heat network
Return Return
Figure 59 Direct space heating and instantaneous Figure 60 Direct space heating and hot water
hot water heating cylinder (external plate heat exchanger for the hot
water storage is also possible)
Radiator circuit DPCV Radiator circuit
TRV TRV
DHW to taps DHW to taps
HIU boundary To other HIU boundary To other

dwellings dwellings
Circulating
DHW return
Cold feed
Flow Cold feed Heat network

Flow Heat network
Return Return
Figure 61 Indirect space heating and centralised Figure 62 Direct space heating and centralised
hot water hot water
In the new-build sector, individual dwelling instantaneous hot water heat exchanger
systems predominate due to their compactness and because lower return
temperatures can be achieved compared with cylinders with coils.
Where centralised hot water is produced, external plate heat exchangers should be
used instead of coils — this would also be a good technical solution for individual
dwellings. Existing buildings will have a wider range of designs with the four-pipe
200
centralised hot water system popular with unmetered social housing.
Flow

Heat
bank
Flow primary
store
Return Cold Return Cold

feed feed
Figure 63 External plate heat exchanger and Figure 64 Primary side heat store
domestic hot water cylinder Note: the heat bank primary store is
normally mains fed
Two further arrangements are available at an individual dwelling level:
External plate heat exchanger: The use of an external plate heat exchanger together
with a DHW store has the benefit of achieving low return temperatures. This is similar
to the instantaneous solution but with much lower primary flow rates, enabling local
pipework diameters to be reduced and hence achieve lower material costs and heat
losses. In addition, heating the store can be timed to benefit the system — for
example, to avoid coincident peaks with space heating demand or to benefit the
operation of CHP or heat pumps in relation to electricity market prices. In the
summer, continuous circulation of the primary network can be avoided by remotely
programming the store heat-up times, further reducing heat losses. The
disadvantages are the same as for the conventional storage solutions: additional cost,
higher heat losses in the dwelling and additional space requirement. This option
would be most applicable to lower density housing, where space may be at less of a
premium but where there is a significant branch length from a street main and
continuous circulation results in high heat loss (see Figure 63).
Primary side heat store: This has advantages over the DHW-only store in that the
storage benefit can be applied to both space and water heating and so provides a
greater potential for actively managing the demand profile over a day when suitable
controls are used. In addition, the flow temperature can be much higher than for the
DHW-only store, so a greater amount of energy can be stored in a given volume (see
Figure 64). The disadvantages are higher heat losses and greater space requirement
than for an instantaneous non-storage solution.
Heating systems within dwellings

The above discussion has described the connection options for buildings, but the
performance of a heat network is also strongly influenced by the types of building
heating systems used and their controls.
Underfloor heating is becoming increasingly popular for new buildings and has
benefits for heat networks due to its low operating temperatures and the likelihood
that users will operate the system more continuously. However, the majority of
systems will continue to use conventional radiators and there are a number of control
options for these.
The most common is for each radiator to be fitted with a thermostatic radiator valve
(TRV) to give room by room temperature control. The TRV should include a balancing
facility so that the flow rate can be set up accurately for a given pressure difference
generated by the dwelling circulating pump (indirect systems) or the differential
pressure control valve (direct systems). This pressure difference should be as low as
possible to achieve modulating variable volume control by the TRV. When the
temperature of the room approaches the set-point the radiator valve will modulate
201
the flow down to the required flow rate to maintain the set-point, leading to reduced
return temperatures. The TRVs need to be selected for the design flow rates and
some manufacturers have developed valves specifically to deal with the low flow
rates and high temperature drops which greatly benefit heat networks.
The flow-limiting element of the TRV could be replaced by a return temperature

limiter (RTL). This may be fitted to each radiator, or to the circuit as a whole. Some
HIUs have the latter functionality built into their control system. This valve is of
benefit to the heat network as it ensures that the design return temperature is not
exceeded, even if the system has not been well balanced. In most circumstances, the
better solution is to ensure pre-settable TRVs are correctly commissioned. The option
of relying only on the central RTL at the HIU may reduce comfort levels and increase
the frequency of customer complaints due to reduced quality of service. The RTL can
be useful on towel rails where towels on the radiator prevent heat loss and hence
result in higher return temperatures, even at pre-set low flow rates.
Ideally, RTLs would not be adjusted by the resident and so there is a need for a
separate direct control of room temperature, either by a TRV or a room thermostat.
The normal disadvantage of a room thermostat is that it provides on/off control and
so there is the potential for high return temperatures unless the flow is carefully
controlled to each radiator. An RTL and room thermostat combination would be
more effective and so could be a useful option for retrofitting systems (see Figure 65
and Figure 66).
70
Flow temperature
Throttled 80 °C
80 °C
60 Throttled 90 °C
71.1 °C Compensated
Return temperature (°C)
61.9 °C
50
52.1 °C
40
41.4 °C
29.1 °C
30
20 Figure 65 Reduction in return

-4 0 4 8 12 16 temperature for variable flow
temperature (compensated) and variable
Ambient temperature (°C) volume (throttled control)
100
80
Return temperature (°C)
60
40
20
System supply flow temperature
Radiator with TRV return temperature
0
-10 -5 0 5 10 15 Figure 66 Reduction in return
temperature with load for two levels of
Ambient temperature (°C) flow temperature
202
Annex I: Achieving an energy-efficient heat network

Annex I: Guidance on achieving an energy-efficient heat
network
Length of network
The most fundamental requirement is to minimise the length of the installed
network. This will also normally be driven by a requirement to minimise capital costs.
The overall density of development will be a major factor in the length of the
network, but the designer should consider other issues, including the location of the
energy centre, and assess the various options for network routes.
Pipe sizing
If the pipe is oversized then heat losses will be higher. This may arise as a result of
overestimates of peak heat demands (see Objective 3.2) or a failure to analyse the
network to minimise lifecycle costs (see Objective 3.6).
Operating temperatures
A key factor is the selection of operating temperatures. A lower operating
temperatures will result in lower heat losses. However, pumping energy and the
capital cost of the network will be lower if flow rates are reduced by increasing the
difference between flow and return temperatures. As these two requirements cannot
both be satisfied there is a need for optimising the temperatures within any heat
network.
Although a lower mean operating temperature (the average of flow and return
temperatures over the year) will lead to lower heat losses, a smaller temperature
difference between flow and return at peak design conditions will lead to higher heat
losses for the same mean temperature as the pipes will need to be larger. Hence, a
network designed for 70 °C/50 °C will have higher heat losses than one designed for
80 °C/ 40°C, especially if the 80 °C temperature is only used at peak times. Also, for
example, the losses for a network designed for 90 °C/40 °C will be similar to one
designed for 65 °C/40 °C (and lower if a variable flow temperature is used), but the
network will have significantly lower capital costs.
The network cannot be analysed in isolation from the building services within the
customer’s buildings and the heat source(s). Lower operating temperatures and
lower return temperatures can be achieved through appropriate building services
design, i.e. by using larger heat emitters and selecting suitable approaches to
controls. This may lead to higher costs for the building services but lower costs
overall. The operating temperatures selected for the network can have an impact on
the efficiency of the heat source and hence the cost of heat production and its CO2
content.
There has been a trend over the past 30 years towards the use of lower operating
temperatures so as to:
— reduce heat losses from the network
— obtain energy efficiency benefits at the heat production plant, especially where
heat is extracted from a steam cycle or where a heat pump is used.
The analysis also needs to consider the operation over the year, not just at times of
peak demand. Reducing the flow rates at part load using variable volume control
203
principles and limiting bypass flows is important in order to limit pumping energy
and to maintain low return temperatures and hence low heat losses from the return
pipe. The use of a variable flow temperature, with a higher temperature used for
short peak demand periods, can also be advantageous.
The selection of operating temperatures for peak design conditions and how they
vary with demand requires an optimisation study for any given scheme as it will be
impacted by the type of heat supply plant and the characteristics of the heat
network. The designer has also to consider constraints such as the temperatures used
for existing heating systems and the degree that these can be varied.
Insulation levels
Although operating temperatures are important, the selection of the pipe system
itself and the insulation type and thickness also have an important influence on the
heat losses. The network losses will need to be calculated for a range of design
choices and taken into account in an overall economic analysis. In particular,
consideration shall be given to:
— the thickness of insulation available for pre-insulated pipe systems

manufactured to BS EN 253 (BSI, 2019a) (typically three thicknesses are
available)
— the thickness and type of insulation available for pre-insulated flexible steel pipe
systems where a range of heat losses can result
— the thickness and type of insulation available for pre-insulated polymer pipe
systems where a range of heat losses can result
— the thickness and type of insulation used for above-ground pipework (in this
case the marginal cost of additional thickness is often very low)
— the use of twin-pipe systems (two carrier pipes in one casing), which will result
in lower heat losses
— the potential benefits of using diffusion barriers.
Pump selection
The use of variable flow control systems and variable pump speeds to match the
variation in flows and pressures will lead to much lower pumping energy than for
constant flow systems. However, operating a variable speed pump at very low speeds
is not advisable due to losses in the control inverters. Consideration should be given
to selecting a range of pump duties, with respect to both flow and head, to better
match the network part-load conditions.
It is emphasised that the heat network will only rarely, if ever, operate at its peak
design condition and for the majority of the time the demands will be much lower
than this, typically 10–25% of peak (see Figure 67). This has implications for the
selection of pumps, the sizing of pipes and the setting of bypass flows.
204
250

200
Heat load (kW)
150
100
50
0
0 500 1000 1500 2000 2500 3000 3500 4000 4500 5000 5500 6000 6500 7000 7500 8000 8500
Hour of the year
Figure 67 Load duration curve for typical new-build scheme of 50 houses
Figure 68 The new-build scheme of 50 houses described by Figure 67
205
Annex J: Legislation Heat networks: Code of Practice for the UK
This annex describes in broad terms the scope of legislation that is likely to impact on
heat network development in England. It is not comprehensive nor in sufficient detail
to enable compliance to be tested. It is essential that readers consult the latest
regulations, which are published at www.legislation.gov.uk.
This annex describes current and proposed legislation at the time of writing, and this
will inevitably change in the future. Anyone using this Code of Practice should check
for any new legislation and any updates or withdrawals of existing legislation.
It should be noted that building regulations are devolved and that each of the
administrations in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland has adopted variations.
Anyone using this Code of Practice outside England should check for local differences
in building regulations and other legislation and statutory guidance.
Health and safety legislation

Although the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 is fundamental, the
Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015 (CDM) will govern all
stages from design through to operation. The Control of Substances Hazardous to
Health Regulations 2002 (COSSH) and the Dangerous Substances and Explosive
Atmospheres Regulations 2002 (DSEAR) are also likely to apply in most cases. During
the operating phase, the control of Legionella risk and scalding risk are important
considerations and the HSE Approved Code of Practice and guidance L8 (HSE, 2013)
and HSG274, Part 2 (HSE, 2014a) need to be followed. Further guidance can be
found in CIBSE TM13: Minimising the risk of Legionnaires disease (CIBSE, 2013c), BS
8580-1 (BSI, 2019b) and BSRIA BG 57/2015 (BSRIA, 2015). The Pressure Equipment
(Safety) Regulations 2016 and the Pressure Equipment Directive (2014/68/EU) need to
be followed, although the heat network pipes themselves are exempt.
Planning legislation
Obtaining planning permission under the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 for
any new construction is a fundamental requirement. For major new heat network
schemes, planning permission will be required for energy centre(s) and often also for
the buried network, unless permitted development applies or a local development
order is obtained. Planning permission may be needed for temporary works,
including any major site compounds needed for storage of materials and other
construction purposes. Permissions will typically be needed from any landowners in
addition to planning permission.
For new-build schemes the planning permission may be sought as part of the
application for the development itself, and local planning policies may have a strong
influence on the nature of the energy solution to be used, including the incorporation
of renewable energy. Planning policies may encourage the use of heat networks as they
can use a wider range of low-carbon technologies, some of which may only be
available at scale. For example, the London Plan (GLA, 2017) requires developments to
connect to existing heat networks or to make provision for future connection.
Early consultation with the local planning authority is recommended to establish the
extent of permissions that will be required and which policies will be applied during
consideration of the application.
206
Planning approval may impose conditions on other construction requirements, such as
how to deal with removal of waste, storage of materials, dust and noise nuisance.
There may also be a requirement to comply with the Considerate Constructors Scheme.
The legislation that provides local authorities with powers to develop and operate
heat networks and sell heat energy is contained in the Planning and Energy Act 2008.
Local authorities are allowed to set their own standards regarding carbon emissions
targets for new buildings, which has encouraged heat networks and renewable
energy generation. For further information, see the National Planning Policy
Framework, available on the UK Government’s website.
Local authority legislation

The UK Government has indicated that local authorities should play a leading role in
the development of heat networks. The following legislation gives powers to local
authorities to develop and operate heat networks and sell heat energy:
— London County Council (General Powers) Act 1948 (for authorities in London
only)
— Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1976
— Local Government Act 2000; this contains the well-being powers that have
been used by local authorities to promote and participate in heat network
projects
— Housing Act 1985.
Procurement of heat networks by local authorities (and certain other bodies) will
need to be in accordance with public procurement rules. In England and Wales, such
procurement may fall under the Public Contracts Regulations 2015, the Utilities
Contracts Regulations 2016 or the Concession Contracts Regulations 2016. In
Scotland, the relevant legislation is the Procurement (Scotland) Regulations 2016, as
set out in the Guidance on the Development of Heat Supply Agreements for District
Heating Schemes developed by the Scottish Futures Trust (SFT, 2018).
Additional legislation that applies in Scotland includes the Tenements (Scotland) Act
2004, which affects the right to install infrastructure within buildings in joint ownership.
The applicability of the legislation and powers outlined above will affect what type of
delivery vehicle local authorities will choose to use (hence the choice of delivery vehicle
can sometimes be more complicated for local authorities than for other bodies).
State aid legislation

State aid legislation is also important when developing business structures. Guidance
can be found in the BEIS Heat Network Detailed Project Development Resource
document Guidance on powers, public procurement and state aid (BEIS, 2016e).
The General Block Exemption Regulation (651/2014/EU) (which allows states to

provide aid without going through the European Commission’s full notification
process) includes provisions allowing aid to heat networks in some circumstances.
Note: As the UK has now left the European Union, state aid rules are likely to change.
207
Design and construction legislation

Building Regulations
The Building Regulations govern the construction of new buildings and the
refurbishment of existing ones. However, this is a devolved matter and so the
Building Regulations differ across the devolved administrations. The main impact on
heat network design and delivery arises where part of the compliance route for a
building connected to the network is to use a low-carbon heat supply to achieve the
required CO2 emissions.
There is currently provision within the regulations for non-domestic buildings in

England and Wales for a heat network operator to provide the carbon intensity of the
heat supply to be used in the CO2 calculations. At the time of publication, if the CO2
intensity from the heat network is less than 190 g/kW·h of heat supplied then the
designer will be able to take account of the benefit of a low-carbon heat supply as
part of the low-carbon design solution, which may add value to the project.
For dwellings, information is required for the Standard Assessment Procedure (SAP)
calculation which details how the heat is produced, which may be the proportion
from CHP, for example. Guidance on the necessary input data is given in Annex G.
The Building Services Compliance Guides for domestic and non-domestic buildings
(HM Government, 2013, 2018) contain information on CHP and heat networks. It is
anticipated that the Compliance Guides will be updated in the near future and a
consultation is expected.
At the time of publication, the government has published a draft Building Safety Bill.
This represents the most radical overhaul of building safety legislation in England in
some 40 years. If enacted, this will create a new Building Safety Regulator, introduce
a new, more stringent regulatory regime for buildings over six storeys or 18 m in
height and enable the introduction of a five-yearly safety case regime for those
buildings throughout their operating life. There will also be a new oversight regime
for building control supported by a national scheme for professional competence of
building control officers supported by mandatory registration. For other
professionals, new competence requirements will be introduced for those working on
high-rise residential buildings. There will be more significant penalties for non-
compliance with Building Regulations, including potential criminal sanctions and up
to two years in prison.
Anyone involved in the design, construction or operation of a heat network scheme

should be aware of the changes and of the likely impact on the construction sector
and on the operation of the building control system. Schemes which serve buildings
within the scope of the more stringent requirements may be particularly affected by
the new legislation.
New Roads and Street Works Act 1991 (NRSWA)
It is normally necessary for organisations wishing to install a heat network in a public

highway to obtain an NRSWA Section 50 licence from the local authority. The licence
imposes important obligations on the holder to give suitable notice of its operations
and to provide record details of all installed equipment. A particular feature of this
licence will be the highways management and traffic plan, which has to be prepared,
submitted and then implemented. This should also follow the NRSWA 2012 Code of
Practice (DfT, 2012) recommendations and Advice Note SA 10/05 (Highways Agency,
2005) requirements.
Early contact with the local authority highways department and other statutory
208
undertakers working or with systems installed in the area is recommended. There will
be a need to obtain licences for site compounds and there may be payments to be
made for loss of car parking spaces. There may be opportunities for coordinating the
heat network installation with other utility works or road resurfacing programmes.
Contact may also be necessary with the Highways Agency, Network Rail, the Canal
and River Trust or the Environment Agency where major crossings are envisaged.
G99 embedded generator regulations

Energy Recommendation (EREC) G99 (ENA, 2020) is the current regulation regarding
the connection of any form of generator device to run ‘in parallel’ or ‘synchronised’
with the mains electrical utility grid. This is relevant for all power generation,
including CHP units greater than 16 A per phase.
EREC G99 sets regulations to prevent the embedded generator from sending
electricity out onto the national grid in a dangerous manner, including standards
regarding voltage rise, interface protection capability, harmonics, distortion, fault
level contribution and reverse power flow.
Metering and billing regulations

Requirements related to the metering and billing of heating and cooling supply
originated from the Energy Efficiency Directive 2012/27/EU, which has been
transposed into UK legislation.
The Energy Efficiency Directive requirements for metering and billing apply to both
the non-domestic and domestic sectors and have been implemented through the
Heat Network (Metering and Billing) Regulations 2014. For buildings with multiple
customers on a district (multiple building) network, heat suppliers must ensure that
heat meters are installed which measure the supply of heating, cooling or hot water
to each building at the point of entry or at a heat exchanger for that building.
Heat suppliers must ensure that individual customer heat meters are installed in all
newly constructed buildings connected to a district network or in buildings where a
relevant major renovation is undertaken. This requirement is for both individual
dwellings and industrial/commercial consumers in multi-occupancy buildings. In
addition, heat suppliers need to retrofit individual heat meters in each unit supplied
unless it can be shown that this is not cost-effective or technically feasible. Where
individual heat meters are shown not to be cost-effective or technically feasible, heat
suppliers should ensure that heat cost allocators (HCAs) are installed, unless they too
are not cost-effective.
Water supply regulations and byelaws

There are a number of interface points with the water industry, including for the
supply of make-up water at the energy centre, the coordination of the buried heat
network with water infrastructure and the supply of DHW within buildings.
Regulations and byelaws, particularly the Water Supply (Water Fittings) Regulations
1999 and Scottish Water Byelaws 2014, need to be followed. Early consultation with
the local water supplier is recommended to avoid late changes to design and
installation and the cost of aborted work.
Operational legislation
The Electricity Act 2013
The Electricity Act 2013 makes provision for the setting of Contracts for Difference
(CfD), which support renewable electricity generation, including CHP plant that might
209
supply heat networks.
The Electricity (Class Exemptions from the Requirement for a Licence) Order 2001
rules that operators and generators need to determine if they meet the Order’s
requirements to qualify for an exemption. Such an exemption will be important to
obtain if planning a ‘private wire’ electricity network in association with the heat
network. For further guidance, see Heat Network Electricity Revenues and Licencing
Guidance (Cornwall Insight and Lux Nova, 2017).
Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) and Feed-in Tariffs (FiT)

These financial mechanisms exist to promote renewable electricity and heat
generation. They will be of importance to heat networks that intend to use heat
sources, such as large-scale heat pumps and biomass boilers, and to small-scale
biomass CHP schemes. Larger-scale biomass CHP will be eligible for CfD.
Heat Networks Investment Project (HNIP)

The HNIP is a government funding programme that aims to:
— increase the number of heat networks being built
— deliver carbon savings
— help create the conditions necessary for a sustainable heat network market to
develop.
This scheme comes to an end in 2022.
CHP Quality Assurance (CHPQA) programme

The CHPQA system is a method for establishing the relative performance of a CHP
system. It uses a quality index (QI) that is related to how much CHP heat is used over
the year — a QI over 100 is termed ‘good quality’. If this threshold is met then it is
possible to claim exemption from the Climate Change Levy (CCL) for fuel and
electricity used on site and to obtain tax relief under the Enhanced Capital Allowance
(ECA) scheme.
Carbon Price Support (CPS) payments

Under the CPS mechanism, payments need to be made for electricity generated using
gas. However, fuel used in a CHP system to generate heat is not liable for CPS
payments. CPS payments are not required for systems below 2 MWe. Since April
2015, CHP-generated electricity used on site is not liable for CPS.
EU Emissions Trading System (EU ETS)

If the energy centre has more than 20 MW thermal input then it will need to be
included within the EU ETS, unless this changes as a result of the UK’s exit from the
European Union. This will require payments based on the fuel used, however there
are free allocations for CHP systems. An opt-out provision was set by BEIS’s
legislation for small emitters and hospitals in the UK for the phase III of the EU ETS.
Energy Company Obligation (ECO)

This scheme requires large energy users to deliver reduced carbon emissions from
housing, usually through energy efficiency improvements. However, a number of heat
networks have also been supported under this scheme, and in the future heat networks
will be allowed as a Primary Measure under the ECO, but with some pre-requirements.
The current ECO regulations include heat networks and require heat networks that
wish to access ECO funding to provide customer protection. This can be achieved
through registration with the Heat Trust or by providing evidence that networks meet
210
equivalent standards.
Medium Combustion Plant Directive
The Medium Combustion Plant Directive (MCPD) (2015/2193/EU) was introduced in
2018 to improve air quality by placing emission controls on generators. Medium-
sized combustion plants and generators are a significant source of air pollution and
many have not previously been regulated in the UK. The Government’s primary driver
for action on air quality is the impact it can have on health and the environment. A
cleaner, healthier environment benefits people and the economy.
The MCPD introduced cost-effective emission controls on new plants from December
2018, and controls on existing plants are to be introduced in 2025 and 2030, depending
on size. For larger plant, the Industrial Emissions Directive (2010/75/EU) applies.
Consumer legislation
There is no legislation that specifically covers the sale of heat, apart from the Heat
Network (Metering and Billing) Regulations 2014 referred to above. However, the sale
of heat is governed by consumer protection legislation and subject to the supervision
of the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA).
Heat Trust, a voluntary customer protection scheme for customers on existing and
future heat networks, has been developed through collaboration between industry,
consumer groups and government. Information is available at www.heattrust.org.
The Consumer Rights Act 2015 applies to all services and so heat suppliers must
ensure they comply with it. The CMA has recommended that heat network customers
are given similar protections to customers in the gas and electricity sectors. Its recent
report (CMA, 2018) also highlights the role of the Consumer Rights Act.
The Landlord and Tenant Act 1985 has implications for how heat can be supplied to
tenants. Existing tenancy agreements and leases need to be considered when
carrying out retrofit works.
Scottish Government: local heat and energy efficiency strategies

and district heating regulation
The Scottish Government issued a consultation paper titled Scotland’s Energy
Efficiency Programme: Second consultation on Local Heat & Energy Efficiency
Strategies, and regulation of district and communal heating (Scottish Government,
2017). The consultation closed on 20 February 2018. The paper set out specific policy
proposals, including the following:
— Local authorities would have a statutory duty to develop Local Heat and Energy
Efficiency Strategies (LHEES), which would set out an authority-wide overall
energy efficiency and heat decarbonisation strategy covering a 15 to 20-year
period. LHEES would designate zones and for each zone set out the most
appropriate energy efficiency and heat decarbonisation options. These zones
would help to phase the operation of area-based delivery programmes for
energy efficiency.
— The Scottish Government would develop a district heating consenting regime

for the development of district heating. Under this regime, a consent to
develop district heating would be needed, both for new district heating
development and for extension of existing schemes. This consent could
potentially confer permitted development rights in relation to pipelines and
associated infrastructure.
— In addition to a district heating consent, a district heating licence would be

211
required to develop and/or to operate. The role of the licence would be to
ensure technical and operational quality standards, ensure network

compatibility and codify existing UK-wide consumer protection frameworks.
— Socio-economic assessments, based on guidance provided by the Scottish

Government (in the form of a detailed methodology), would be required to
assess potential solutions. Assessments would be used within the context of
LHEES to designate zones, to inform business cases and investment decisions,
to help determine approval of LHEES and to monitor impacts. Socio-economic
assessments would also be relevant within the district heating consenting
process, to inform decisions on district heating consent applications for
connecting heat users and surplus heat suppliers (building level).
The Scottish Government is currently analysing the responses to the second

consultation. It is considering the evidence alongside ongoing findings from LHEES
pilots in order to develop detailed policy proposals and potential regulation for
encouraging investment in district heating while protecting consumers.
Legislation and statutory guidance

Europe
Industrial Emissions Directive (IED) (Directive 2010/75/EU) (Brussels: European Union)
Energy Efficiency Directive (EED) (Directive 2012/27/EU) (Brussels: European Union)
Pressure Equipment Directive (PED) (Directive 2014/68/EU) (Brussels: European Union)
Medium Combustion Plant Directive (MCPD) (2015/2193/EU) (Brussels: European Union)
UK
Acts and SIs
(available at www.legislation.gov.uk)
The Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998 (SI 1998/2451) (London: The Stationery Office)
The Water Supply (Water Fittings) Regulations 1999 (SI 1999/1148) (London: The Stationery Office)
The Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002 (SI 2002/2677) (London: The
Stationery Office)
The Dangerous Substances and Explosive Atmospheres Regulations 2002(SI 2002/2776) (London: The
Stationery Office)
The Heat Network (Metering and Billing) Regulations 2014 (SI 2014/3120) (London: The Stationery Office)
The Measuring Instruments Regulations 2016 (SI 2016/1153) (London: The Stationery Office)
The Pressure Equipment (Safety) Regulations 2016 (SI 2016/1105) (London: The Stationery Office)
Guidance
HM Inspectorate of Pollution (1993) Guidelines on Discharge Stack Heights for Polluting Emissions HMIP
Technical Guidance Note (Dispersion) D1 (London: The Stationery Office)
WRAS (2000) Water Regulations Guide (Gwent: Water Regulation Advisory Service)
England
Acts and SIs
The Building Regulations 2010 (SI 2010/2214) (London: The Stationery Office)
Approved Documents
HM Government (2013) Non-Domestic Building Services Compliance Guide (London: RIBA Publishing)
212 (available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/conservation-of-fuel-and-power-approved-
document-l)
HM Government (2018) Domestic Building Services Compliance Guide (2013 edition, incorporating 2018
amendments) (London: RIBA Publishing) (available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/
conservation-of-fuel-and-power-approved-document-l)
MHCLG (2016) Conservation of fuel and power in new dwellings Approved Document L1A (2013 edition
with 2016 amendments) (London: Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government) (available
at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/conservation-of-fuel-and-power-approved-document-l)
MHCLG (2016) Conservation of fuel and power in new buildings other than dwellings Approved
Document L2A (2013 edition with 2016 amendments) (London: Ministry of Housing, Communities and
Local Government) (available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/conservation-of-fuel-and-
power-approved-document-l) (accessed 20/12/19)
MHCLG (2016) Conservation of fuel and power in existing buildings other than dwellings Approved
Document L2B (2010 edition incorporating 2010, 2011, 2013 and 2016 amendments) (London: Ministry
of Housing, Communities and Local Government) (available at https://www.gov.uk/government/
publications/conservation-of-fuel-and-power-approved-document-l)
MHCLG (2018) Conservation of fuel and power in existing dwellings Approved Document L1B (2010
edition incorporating 2010, 2011, 2013, 2016 and 2018 amendments) (London: Ministry of Housing,
Communities and Local Government) (available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/
conservation-of-fuel-and-power-approved-document-l)
MHCLG (2019) National Planning Policy Framework (London: Ministry of Housing, Communities and
Local Government) (available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/national-planning-policy-
framework--2)
Wales
Approved Documents and guidance
Transport Wales (2008) New Roads and Street Works Act 1991: Code of Practice for the co-ordination of
street works and works for road purposes and related matters (Cardiff: Welsh Assembly Government)
Welsh Government (2016a) Conservation of fuel and power. New buildings other than dwellings
Approved Document L2A (2014 edition with 2016 amendments) (Cardiff: Welsh Government) (available
at https://gov.wales/building-regulations-guidance-part-l-conservation-fuel-and-power)
Welsh Government (2016b) Conservation of fuel and power. Existing buildings other than dwellings
Approved Document L2B (2014 edition with 2016 amendments) (Cardiff: Welsh Government) (available
at https://gov.wales/building-regulations-guidance-part-l-conservation-fuel-and-power)
Note: It is understood that Wales has no Compliance Guides but refers to the English versions.
Scotland
Acts and SSIs
(available at www.legislation.gov.uk/)
The Building (Scotland) Regulations 2004 (SSI 2004/406) (London: The Stationery Office)
The Water Supply (Water Fittings) (Scotland) Byelaws 2014 (Scottish Water Byelaws 2014) (available at:
https://www.scottishwater.co.uk/help-and-resources/document-hub/business-and-developers/byelaws-
and-trade-effluent)
The Procurement (Scotland) Regulations 2016 (SSI 2016/145) (London: The Stationery Office)
Handbooks (the equivalent of Approved Documents) and guidance
Office of the Scottish Road Works Commissioner (2013) New Roads and Street Works Act 1991: Code of
Practice for the co-ordination of works in roads (Edinburgh: Scottish Government)
Scottish Government (2018) Non-Domestic Building Services Compliance Guide for Scotland (2015
edition, updated 2018) (Edinburgh: Scottish Government Building Standards Division) (available at
https://www.gov.scot/binaries/content/documents/govscot/publications/factsheet/2018/12/building-
standards-list-of-guidance/documents/non-domestic-building-services-compliance-guide-for-
scotland-2018/non-domestic-building-services-compliance-guide-for-scotland-2018/
213
govscot%3Adocument)
Scottish Government (2019) Building Standards Technical Handbook 2019 Non-Domestic (Edinburgh:
Scottish Government Building Standards Division) (available at https://www.gov.scot/publications/

building-standards-technical-handbook-2019-non-domestic/)
Note: There is a separate Building Standards Technical Handbook for domestic buildings.
Northern Ireland
Acts and Regulations
The Building Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2012 (SR 2012/192) (Belfast: The Stationery Office)
Technical Handbooks (the equivalent of Approved Documents)

DFPNI (2012) Conservation of fuel and power in buildings other than dwellings Technical Booklet F2
(Belfast: Department of Finance (Northern Ireland)) (available at https://www.finance-ni.gov.uk/
publications/technical-booklet-f2) (accessed February 2018)
214

References
AECOM (2014) Pipework Standards for District Heating Connections and Bunhill Phase 2 [confidential
report for Islington Council] (London: AECOM)
Arup (2011) Decentralised Energy Masterplanning: A manual for local authorities (London: Ove Arup &
Partners)
ASHRAE (2019) District Cooling Guide (2nd edn) (Atlanta, GA: American Society of Heating Refrigeration
and Air-Conditioning Engineers)
Association of German Engineers (2005) VDI 2035 Part 1: 2005-12 Prevention of damage in water
heating installations. Scale formation in domestic hot water supply installations and water heating
installations (Dusseldorf: VDI)
Association of German Engineers (2009) VDI 2035 Part 2: 2009-08 Prevention of damage in water
heating installations. Water-side corrosion (Dusseldorf: VDI)
BEIS (2016a) Building Energy Efficiency Survey, 2014–15: Overarching report (London: Department for
Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy)
BEIS (2016b) Heat Network Detailed Project Development Resource: Guidance on the economic and
financial case, development of the financial model heat pricing and maximising opportunities (London:
Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy)
BEIS (2016c) Heat Network Detailed Project Development Resource: Guidance on strategic and
commercial case (London: Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy)
BEIS (2016d) Heat Network Detailed Project Development Resource: Template heads of terms (London:
Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy)
BEIS (2016e) Heat Network Detailed Project Development Resource: Guidance on powers, public
procurement and state aid (London: Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy)
BEIS (2017) The Clean Growth Strategy: Leading the way to a low carbon future (London: Department
for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy)
BEIS (2018a) Clean Growth — Transforming Heating (London: Department for Business, Energy and
Industrial Strategy)
BEIS (2018b) Heat Networks Investment Project: Case study brochure (London: Department for Business,
Energy and Industrial Strategy) (available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/heat-network-
case-studies)
BEIS (2018c) Delivering Financial Support for Heat Networks (London: Department for Business, Energy
and Industrial Strategy) (available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/heat-networks-
investment-project-hnip-scheme-overview)
BEIS (2019) Valuation of Energy Use and Greenhouse Gas: Supplementary guidance to the HM Treasury
Green Book on appraisal and evaluation in central government (London: Department for Business,
Energy and Industrial Strategy) (latest edition available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/
valuation-of-energy-use-and-greenhouse-gas-emissions-for-appraisal)
BESA (2003) Low Temperature Hot Water Heating Pipework Systems TR/20 (Part 1) (Penrith: Building
Engineering Services Association)
BESA (2006) Guide to the Use of Plastic Pipework TR/11 (London: Building Engineering Services Association)
BESA (2015) Heat Metering: Guide to good practice SUS 01 (Penrith: Building Engineering Services
Association)
BESA (2017a) District Heating and Cooling: Early design building connections guidance (London:
215
Building Engineering Services Association)
BESA (2017b) Site Pressure Testing of Pipework: Guide to good practice TR/6 (Penrith: Building
BESA (2018) UK HIU Test Regime: Technical standard (Penrith: Building Engineering Services Association)
Blackwell H (2019) ‘A technical note investigating the combination boiler market as a proxy for a simple
thermal quality of service standard in heat interface units’ Building Services Engineering Research and
Technology 40 (5) 627–637
BRE (2012) SAP 2012: The Government’s Standard Assessment Procedure for Energy Rating of Dwellings
(Garston: Building Research Establishment)
Bristol City Council (2018a) Connecting to the Bristol Heat Network. Part 1: A guide for developers,
building owners and architects (Bristol: Bristol City Council)
Bristol City Council (2018b) Connecting to the Bristol Heat Network. Part 2: A technical guide for
designers of building services (Bristol: Bristol City Council)
BSI (2000–2012) BS EN 806: Specifications for installations inside buildings conveying water for human
consumption (5 Parts) (London: British Standards Institution)
BSI (2006) BS EN 806-3: 2006: Specifications for installations inside buildings conveying water for
human consumption. Pipe sizing. Simplified method (London: British Standards Institution)
BSI (2009–2014) BS EN 15632: District heating pipes. Pre-insulated flexible pipe systems (4 Parts)
(London: British Standards Institution)
BSI (2009) BS 5422: 2009: Method for specifying thermal insulating materials for pipes, tanks, vessels,
ductwork and equipment operating with the temperature range –40°C to +700°C (London: British
Standards Institution)
BSI (2010) BS EN 806-4: 2010: Specifications for installations inside buildings conveying water for
human consumption. Installation (London: British Standards Institution)
BSI (2012) BS 8552: 2012: Sampling and monitoring of water from building services closed systems.
Code of practice (London: British Standards Institution)
BSI (2014a) BS ISO 55000: 2014: Asset management. Overview, principles and terminology (London:
British Standards Institution)
BSI (2014b) PAS 128: 2014: Specification for underground utility detection, verification and location
BSI (2014–2019) BS EN 13757: Communication systems for meters (Parts 1 to 6) (London: British
BSI (2015a) BS EN ISO 9001: 2015: Quality management systems (London: British Standards Institution)
BSI (2015b) BS EN ISO 14001: 2015: Environmental management systems. Requirements with guidance
for use (London: British Standards Institution)
BSI (2015c) BS 8558: 2015: Guide to the design, installation, testing and maintenance of services
supplying water for domestic use within buildings and their curtilages. Complementary guidance to BS
EN 806 (London: British Standards Institution)
BSI (2015d) BS EN 1434: 2015: Thermal energy meters (6 Parts) (London: British Standards Institution)
BSI (2017a) PAS 256: 2017: Buried assets. Capturing, recording, maintaining and sharing of location
information and data. Code of Practice (London: British Standards Institution)
BSI (2017b) BS EN 12831: 2017: Energy performance of buildings. Method for calculation of the design
heat load (4 Parts) (London: British Standards Institution)
BSI (2018a) BS ISO 45001: 2018: Occupational health and safety management systems. Requirements
with guidance for use (London: British Standards Institution)
216
BSI (2018b) BS ISO 31000: 2018: Risk management. Guidelines (London: British Standards Institution)
BSI (2018c) BS EN 13757-2: 2018: Communication systems for meters. Wired M-Bus communication

BSI (2018d) BS EN 13757-3: 2018: Communication systems for meters. Application protocols (London:
BSI (2019a) BS EN 253: 2019: District heating pipes. Bonded single pipe systems for directly buried hot
water networks. Factory made pipe assembly of steel service pipe, polyurethane thermal insulation and a
casing of polyethylene (London: British Standards Institution)
BSI (2019b) BS 8580-1: 2019: Water quality. Risk assessments for Legionella control. Code of practice
BSI (2019c) BS EN 13941: 2019: District heating pipes. Design and installation of thermal insulated
bonded single and twin pipe systems for directly buried hot water networks (2 Parts) (London: British
BSI (2019d) BS EN 14419: 2019: District heating pipes. Bonded single and twin pipe systems for buried
hot water networks. Surveillance systems (London: British Standards Institution)
BSI (2019e) BS EN 489-1: District heating pipes. Bonded single and twin pipe systems for buried hot
water networks. Joint casing assemblies and thermal insulation for hot water networks in accordance
with EN 13941-1 (London: British Standards Institution)
BSI (2019f) BS EN 13757-4: 2019: Communication systems for meters. Wireless M-Bus communication
BSRIA (2002) Variable-Flow Water Systems: Design, installation and commissioning guidance BSRIA
AG 16/2002 (Bracknell: BSRIA)
BSRIA (2007) Handover, O&M Manuals, and Project Feedback: A toolkit for designers and contractors
BSRIA BG 1/2007 (Bracknell: BSRIA)
BSRIA (2009) Building Services Job Book: A project framework for engineering services BSRIA BG 1/2009
(Bracknell: BSRIA)
BSRIA (2011a) Rules of Thumb: Guidelines for building services BSRIA BG 9/2011(5th edn) (Bracknell:
BSRIA)
BSRIA (2011b) Energy Efficient Pumping Systems: A design guide BSRIA BG 12/2011 (Bracknell: BSRIA)
BSRIA (2013) Water Treatment for Closed Heating and Cooling Systems BG 50/2013 (Bracknell: BSRIA)
BSRIA (2015) Legionnaires’ Disease: Risk assessment BG 57/2015 (Bracknell: BSRIA)
BSRIA (2016) Maintenance Contracts: A guide to best practice for procurement BSRIA BG 66/2016
(Bracknell: BSRIA)
BSRIA (2018a) A Design Framework for Building Services BSRIA BG 6/2018 (5th edn) (Bracknell: BSRIA)
BSRIA (2018b) Soft Landings Framework BSRIA BG 54/2018 (Bracknell: BSRIA)
BSRIA (2020) Pre-Commission Cleaning of Pipework Systems BSRIA BG 29/2020 (6th edn) (Bracknell:
BSRIA)
Carbon Trust (2018) Stakeholder Engagement in Heat Networks: A guide for project managers (London:
Carbon Trust)
CCC (2019) Net Zero — Technical Report (London: Committee on Climate Change)
CIBSE (2001) Automatic controls CIBSE Commissioning Code C (London: Chartered Institution of Building
Services Engineers)
CIBSE (2002a) Boilers CIBSE Commissioning Code B (London: Chartered Institution of Building Services
Engineers)
CIBSE (2002b) Refrigerating systems CIBSE Commissioning Code R (London: Chartered Institution of
217
Building Services Engineers)
CIBSE (2003) Commissioning management CIBSE Commissioning Code M (London: Chartered Institution
of Building Services Engineers)
CIBSE (2006) Building log book toolkit CIBSE TM31 (London: Chartered Institution of Building Services
Engineers)
CIBSE (2007) Reference data CIBSE Guide C (London: Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers)
CIBSE (2008) Energy benchmarks CIBSE TM46 (London: Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers)
CIBSE (2009) Building energy metering CIBSE TM39 (London: Chartered Institution of Building Services
Engineers)
CIBSE (2010) Water distribution systems CIBSE Commissioning Code W (London: Chartered Institution of
CIBSE (2012) Energy efficiency in buildings CIBSE Guide F (London: Chartered Institution of Building
Services Engineers)
CIBSE (2013a) Combined heat and power for buildings (CHP) CIBSE AM12 (London: Chartered Institution
CIBSE (2013b) Evaluating operational energy performance of buildings at the design stage CIBSE TM54
(London: Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers)
CIBSE (2013c) Minimising the risk of Legionnaires’ disease CIBSE TM13 (London: Chartered Institution of
CIBSE (2014) Maintenance engineering and management CIBSE Guide M (London: Chartered Institution
CIBSE (2015) Environmental design CIBSE Guide A (London: Chartered Institution of Building Services
Engineers)
CIBSE (2016a) Surface water source heat pumps: Code of Practice for the UK CIBSE CP2 (London:
Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers)
CIBSE (2016b) Heating CIBSE Guide B1 (including Corrigenda dated 26 June 2019) (London: Chartered
Institution of Building Services Engineers)
CIBSE (2019a) Open-loop groundwater source heat pumps: Code of Practice for the UK CIBSE CP3
(London: Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers)
CIBSE (2019b) Energy Benchmarking Tool (2019) (available online via CIBSE Knowledge Portal)
CIBSE (forthcoming) Domestic hot water temperatures from instantaneous heat interface units (HIUs)
CIBSE Guidance Note (London: Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers)
CMA (2018) Heat Networks Market Study: Final report (London: Competition and Markets Authority)
Cornwall Insight and Lux Nova (2017) Heat Network Electricity Revenues and Licencing Guidance
(Norwich: Cornwall Insight) (available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/heat-network-
electricity-revenues-and-licencing)
Crane M (2018) ‘Carbon savings from gas CHP supplying heat networks: how to maximise and
estimation of carbon savings in operation’ Proc. Conf. CIBSE Technical Symposium, London South Bank
University, 12–13 April 2018 (available at: https://www.cibse.org/Technical-Symposium-2018/Past-Papers-
Case-Studies-Archive/2018)
Danish District Heating Association (2015) Water Treatment and Corrosion Prevention:
Recommendations (translation) (Skanderborg: Silhorko-Eurowater)
Dansk Standard (2009) DS 439: 2009 Code of Practice for domestic water supply installations
(Charlottenlund, Denmark: Dansk Standard)
DECC (2015) Assessment of the Costs, Performance, and Characteristics of UK Heat Networks (London:
218 Department of Energy and Climate Change) (available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/
assessment-of-the-costs-performance-and-characteristics-of-uk-heat-networks)
DfT (2012) New Roads and Street Works Act 1991: Code of practice for the co-ordination of street works

and works for road purposes and related matters (London: Department for Transport)
ENA (2020) Engineering Recommendation G99: Requirements for the connection of generation
equipment in parallel with public distribution networks on or after 27 April 2019. Issue 1 Amendment 6
(London: Energy Networks Association)
FairHeat (2019) Methodologies for DHW Sizing, commentary for CP1 [confidential paper]
GLA (2014) District Heating Manual for London (London: Greater London Authority)
GLA (2017) The London Plan. The spatial development strategy for London consolidated with alterations
since 2011 (January 2017 revision) (London: Greater London Authority)
Greaves J (2019) ‘Water quality assessment in UK district heating systems’ Proc. Conf. CIBSE Technical
Symposium, University of Sheffield, 25–26 April 2019 (available at: https://www.cibse.org/technical-
symposium-2020/past-papers-case-studies-archive/2019)
Highways Agency (2005) New Roads and Street Works Act 1991 — Diversionary Works Advice Note SA
10/05 (Dorking: Highways Agency)
Hitchin R (2013) Embodied Carbon and Building Services CIBSE Research Report 9 (London: Chartered
HM Government (2013) Non-Domestic Building Services Compliance Guide (London: RIBA Publishing)
HM Government (2018) Domestic Building Services Compliance Guide (2013 edition, incorporating 2018
amendments) (London: RIBA Publishing)
HMT (2018) The Green Book: Central government guidance on appraisal and evaluation (London: HM
Treasury)
HSE (2013) Legionnaires’ Disease: The control of legionella bacteria in water systems. Approved Code of
Practice and guidance L8 (Bootle: Health and Safety Executive)
HSE (2014a) Legionnaires’ Disease: Technical guidance. Part 2: The control of legionella bacteria in hot
and cold water systems HSG274 (Bootle: Health and Safety Executive) [this document contains technical
guidance in support of L8]
HSE (2014b) Avoiding Danger from Underground Services HSG47 (Bootle: Health and Safety Executive)
IEA (2011) (online) District Heating and Cooling [website] IEA Annex X (International Energy Agency).
http://www.iea-dhc.org (accessed May 2012)
IGEM (2012) Gas in Multi-occupancy Buildings IGEM/G/5 Edition 2 (Kegworth: Institution of Gas
Engineers and Managers)
Islington Council (2015a) Guidelines for Connecting to Heat Networks. Part 1: A guide for developers
and building owners (London: Islington Council)
Islington Council (2015b) Guidelines for Connecting to Heat Networks. Part 2: A guide for building
services designers connecting to Bunhill Heat and Power (London: Islington Council)
Jones G (2017) Optimising Heat Networks [online] (London: Guru Systems)
Jones PG, Dunham C and Davidson C (2019) ‘A roadmap to achieve 5th generation heat networks in the
UK’ Proc. Conf. CIBSE Technical Symposium, University of Sheffield, 25–26 April 2019 (available at:
https://www.cibse.org/technical-symposium-2020/past-papers-case-studies-archive/2019)
King M and Shaw R (2010) Community Energy: Planning, development and delivery (CHPA, TCPA and
LDA Design)
Lauritsen AB (ed.) (2015) Varme Ståbi (7th edn) (Odense: Praxis – Nyt Teknisk Forlag)
Martin-Du Pan O, Woods P and Hanson-Graville R (2019) ‘Optimising pipe sizing and operating
temperatures for district heating networks to minimise operational energy consumption’ Building
Services Engineering Research and Technology 40 (2) 237–255
McIntyre D (1986) ‘Output of radiators at reduced flow rate’ Building Services Engineering Research and 219
Technology 7 (2) 92–95
NHBC (2019) NHBC Standards (Milton Keynes: National House Building Council)
Ofgem (2020) (online) Licence Lite [website] (Lonon: Office of Gas and Electricity Markets) (https://www.
ofgem.gov.uk/licences-industry-codes-and-standards/licences/licence-lite) (accessed 19/10/2020)
Regen SW (2016) Community-led Heat Projects: A toolkit for heat networks (London: Department of
Energy and Climate Change)
Scottish Government (2017) Scotland’s Energy Efficiency Programme: Second consultation on Local Heat
& Energy Efficiency Strategies, and regulation of district and communal heating (Edinburgh: Scottish
Government)
SFT (2018) Guidance on the Development of Heat Supply Agreements for District Heating Schemes
[online] (Edinburgh: Scottish Futures Trust) (http://www.districtheatingscotland.com/wp-content/
uploads/2018/02/HSA-guidance-final-Feb-18.pdf)
Smith A (2016) ‘On a mission: using data to optimise heat networks’ CIBSE Journal (May 2016) 34–36
(available at: www.cibsejournal.com/technical/on-a-mission-using-data-to-optimise-heat-networks/)
Street Works UK (2007–2018) Street Works UK Guidelines (6 volumes) (London: Street Works UK)
(available at www.streetworks.org.uk)
Svensk Fjärrvärme (2007) Kulvertkostnadskatalog (Stockholm: Svensk Fjärrvärme AB) (available at https://
www.energiforetagen.se/globalassets/energiforetagen/det-erbjuder-vi/publikationer/
kulvertkostnadskatalog_2007-1.pdf)
Swedish District Heating Association (2016) Technical Regulations F:101: District heating substations
— design and installation (Stockholm: Energi Foretagen/Swedish District Heating Association)
Tour & Andersson (2002) Balancing of Radiator Systems: A manual for the design, balancing and
troubleshooting of hydronic radiator heating systems (Ljung: Tour & Andersson AB)
Wiltshire R, Williams J and Woods P (2014) A Technical Guide to District Heating (Garston: IHS BRE Press)
Further reading
The documents below should be treated as generic guidance on the subject and following one or more
of them does not in itself confer compliance with this Code of Practice.
General
AECOM (2015) Assessment of the Costs, Performance, and Characteristics of UK Heat Networks: Final
report (London: Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy) (available at: https://www.gov.
uk/government/publications/assessment-of-the-costs-performance-and-characteristics-of-uk-heat-
networks)
ASHRAE (2020) ‘Thermal storage’, ASHRAE Handbook — HVAC Systems and Equipment, chapter 50
(Atlanta, GA: American Society of Heating Refrigeration and Air-Conditioning Engineers)
BEIS (2018) ‘Experimental statistics on heat networks’ (London: Department for Business, Energy and
Industrial Strategy) (available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/energy-trends-march-
2018-special-feature-article-experimental-statistics-on-heat-networks)
BESA (2003) Hot Water Service TR/20 (Part 4) (London: Building Engineering Services Association)
BESA (2003) Natural Gas TR/20 (Part 9) (London: Building Engineering Services Association)
BESA (2003) Welding of Carbon Steel Pipework TR/5 (London: Building Engineering Services Association)
BESA (2008) Installation of Biofuel Heating TR/38 (London: Building Engineering Services Association)
BESA (2015) Installation of Combined Heat and Power TR/37 (London: Building Engineering Services
Association)
BESA (2017) Flue and Chimney Design, Installation and Maintenance TB035 (London: Building
220
BRE (2015) ‘Distribution loss factors for heat networks supplying dwellings in SAP’ Consultation Paper

— CONSP:04 Issue 1.0 (Garston: Building Research Establishment)
BSRIA (1996) Commissioning of Pipework Systems: Design considerations BSRIA AG 20/95: (Bracknell:
Building Services Research and Information Association)
BSRIA (2007) Combined Heat and Power (CHP) for Existing Buildings: Guidance on design and
installation BSRIA BG 2/2007 (Bracknell: Building Services Research and Information Association)
BSRIA (2010) Commissioning Water Systems BSRIA BG 2/2010 (Bracknell: Building Services Research and
Information Association)
BSRIA (2014) How to Procure Soft Landings BSRIA BG 45/2014 (2nd edn) (Bracknell: Building Services
Research and Information Association)
Carbon Trust (2009) Biomass Heating: A practical guide for potential users CTG012 (London: Carbon
Trust)
CIBSE (2010) Non-domestic hot water heating systems CIBSE AM14 (London: Chartered Institution of
CIBSE (2014) Biomass heating CIBSE AM15 (London: Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers)
CIBSE (2016) Heating, ventilating, air conditioning and refrigeration CIBSE Guide B (London: Chartered
Crane M (2016) ‘Individual apartment substation testing — development of a test and initial results’
Proc. Conf. 15th International Symposium on District Heating and Cooling, Seoul, Republic of Korea, 4–7
September 2016
Crane M (2016) ‘Energy efficient district heating: the importance of achieving low return temperatures’
Proc. Conf. CIBSE Technical Symposium, Heriot-Watt University, 14–15 April 2016 (available at: https://
www.cibse.org/technical-symposium-2020/past-papers-case-studies-archive/2016)
DECC (2013) The Future of Heating (London: Department for Energy and Climate Change)
Dixon B (2018) New Metrics For Communal Heating Design [online] (London: Max Fordham LLP) (available
at: https://www.maxfordham.com/research-innovation/new-metrics-for-communal-heating-design/)
Efficiency Valuation Organization International Performance Measurement and Verification Protocol

(IPMVP) [online] (https://evo-world.org/en/)
Euroheat & Power (2008) Guidelines for District Heating Substations (Brussels: Euroheat & Power)
(available from: http://www.euroheat.org/ Technical-guidelines-28.aspx, accessed 26 August 2014)
Frederiksen S and Werner S (2013) District Heating and Cooling (Lund, Studentlitteratur)
IGEM (2004) Application of Natural Gas and Fuel Oil Systems to Gas Turbines and Supplementary and
Auxiliary-fired Burners IGEM/UP/9 Edition 2 (Kegworth: Institution of Gas Engineers and Managers)
IGEM (2005) Soundness Testing and Purging of Industrial and Commercial Gas Installations IGEM/UP/1
Edition 2 (Kegworth: Institution of Gas Engineers and Managers)
IGEM (2005) Gas Installation Pipework, Boosters and Compressors on Industrial and Commercial
Premises IGEM/UP/2 Edition 2 (Kegworth: Institution of Gas Engineers and Managers)
IGEM (2009) Application of Compressors to Natural Gas Guel Systems IGEM/UP/6 Edition 2 (Kegworth:
Institution of Gas Engineers and Managers)
IGEM (2015) Gas Fuelled Spark Ignition and Dual Fuel Engines IGEM/UP/3 Edition 3 (Kegworth:
Institution of Gas Engineers and Managers)
IGEM (2016) Commissioning of Gas Fired Plant on Industrial and Commercial Premises IGEM/UP/4
Edition 4 (Kegworth: Institution of Gas Engineers and Managers)
SAV Systems (2014) Low Carbon System Design — A whole system approach ‘70°C flow / 40°C return’
221
(Woking: SAV Systems Ltd)
UKDEA (2015) A Guide to Developing District Energy Schemes in the UK (Cirencester: UK District Energy
Association)
Woods PS and Zdaniuk G (2011) ‘CHP and District Heating — how efficient are these technologies?’
Proc. Conf. CIBSE Technical Symposium, De Montfort University, Leicester, 6–7 September 2011 (available
at: https://www.cibse.org/technical-symposium-2020/past-papers-case-studies-archive/2011)
Standards
Heat networks
BS EN 448: 2019 District heating pipes. Bonded single pipe systems for directly buried hot water
networks. Factory made fitting assemblies of steel service pipes, polyurethane thermal insulation and a
casing of polyethylene (London: British Standards Institution)
BS EN 488: 2019 District heating pipes. Bonded single pipe systems for directly buried hot water
networks. Factory made steel valve assembly for steel service pipes, polyurethane thermal insulation and
a casing of polyethylene (London: British Standards Institution)
BS EN 489: 2009 District heating pipes. Bonded single and twin pipe systems for buried hot water
networks. Joint casing assemblies with thermal insulation for hot water networks in accordance with EN
13941-1 (London: British Standards Institution)
BS EN 15698-1: 2019 District heating pipes. Bonded twin pipe systems for directly buried hot water
networks. Factory made twin pipe assembly of steel service pipes, polyurethane thermal insulation and
one casing of polyethylene (London: British Standards Institution)
Dansk Standard (2012) DS 475: 2012 Code of Practice for trenching for underground pipes and cables
(Charlottenlund, Denmark: Dansk Standard)
Hot water systems

BS 7592: 2008 Sampling for Legionella bacteria in water systems. Code of practice (London: British
BS 8558: 2015 Guide to the design, installation, testing and maintenance of services supplying water for
domestic use within buildings and their curtilages. Complementary guidance to BS EN 806 (London:
BS EN 806-3: 2006 Specifications for installations inside buildings conveying water for human
consumption. Pipe sizing. Simplified method (London: British Standards Institution)
consumption. Installation (London: British Standards Institution)
consumption. Operation and maintenance (London: British Standards Institution)
222
List of figures and tables

Figures
Figure 1 Typical Plan of Work for a heat network project 5
Figure 2 The RIBA Plan of Work 2020 6
Figure 3 Typical examples of project programmes for different procurement routes showing
timing, activities and ownership 7
Figure 4 A typical district-wide heat network 8
Figure 5 Component parts of a heat network 9
Figure 6 Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, which features an 18 km district energy network 10
Figure 7 Existing buildings supplied by a new heat network, Stafford Cripps Estate, Islington 12
Figure 8 Some typical features of a heat network 15
Figure 9 Example from the CP1 checklists 17
Figure 10 Continual performance monitoring and use of the evidence pack 17
Figure 11 Typical steps in each stage of the Code 21
Figure 12 Possible timing of the CP1 checks 21
Figure 13 General heat metering arrangement 23
Figure 14 New-build housing supplied by a heat network — Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park 35
Figure 15 Example taken from an hourly operating model for a heat pump plant 45
Figure 16 Example of an annual load duration curve for a heat pump plant 45
Figure 17 Example of optimising CHP capacity and thermal store size. Figure shows NPV for
a range of CHP plants and thermal store sizes 46
Figure 18 Indirect connection packaged thermal substation for a large building, prior to
insulation 55
Figure 19 Examples of energy display devices linked to heat meters 56
Figure 20 The combination of skills required to develop an overall business case and
implementation strategy 66
Figure 21 Typical heat network development project lifecycle 66
Figure 22 Diagram to show definition of diversity factor 72
Figure 23 ‘Rule of thumb’ space heating diversity factor 73
Figure 24 Diversity factor for instantaneous domestic hot water systems for dwellings:
Danish DS 439 (pipe sizing) (see Annex D for the full calculation methodology) 76
Figure 25 Typical dwelling hydraulic interface unit — shown with cover on and removed 79
Figure 26 Indirect two-stage thermal substation connection 80
Figure 27 Radiator connection methods 84
Figure 28 Danish/Swedish DH connected radiators, with flow into the top and return from
the bottom 85
Figure 29 DHW temperature generated by an instantaneous HIU versus the service actually
delivered to the consumer 87
Figure 30 Indicative heat losses from insulated pipes and relative performance of
Series 1–3 insulation (for a pair of flow and return pipes at fixed ambient
and fluid temperatures) 90
Figure 31 Typical optimisation of pipe sizes on lifecycle cost basis 93
Figure 32 A typical pre-insulated pipe system 95
Figure 33 Diagram of a typical surveillance system 97
Figure 34 Accommodating expansion in risers without expansion bellows (isometric detail) 97
Figure 35 Typical heat meters 102
Figure 36 Benefits of using shared risers compared to horizontal runs for typical flat layouts 104
Figure 37 Typical floor plan showing effect of HIU location 105
Figure 38 Examples of valve insulation 108
Figure 39 Typical breakdown of distribution losses from a heat network with oversized
pipework: network losses per flat by component 110
Figure 40 Design of an energy centre created using BIM 114
Figure 41 Illustration of CHP modelling with thermal store over a 24-hour period 116
Figure 42 Example of good diffuser design 117
223
Figure 43 A thermal store in operation in Coventry 117
Figure 44 Schematic of a possible arrangement of thermal stores 118

Figure 45 Trench wall supports 126

Figure 46 Method for establishing the average temperature difference from two heat
meter readings 137
Figure 47 Typical customer welcome pack 139
Figure 48 Inside the King’s Cross energy centre 142
Figure 49 Heat Trust trademark 162
Figure 50 Example Bluetooth clamp thermometer 176
Figure 51 CP1 example commissioning checklist 177
Figure 52 Key measurement points on heat networks 180
Figure 53 Key performance indicators to be targeted and monitored in heat networks 181
Figure 54 Case study based on five storeys with identical flat layouts 182
Figure 55 Example of an open-loop ambient temperature network 193
Figure 56 Example of an ambient ground loop using heat pumps in Enfield 194
Figure 57 Indirect space heating and instantaneous hot water heating 200
Figure 58 Indirect space heating and hot water cylinder (external plate heat exchanger
for the hot water storage is also possible) 200
Figure 59 Direct space heating and instantaneous hot water heating 200
Figure 60 Direct space heating and hot water cylinder (external plate heat exchanger for
the hot water storage is also possible) 200
Figure 61 Indirect space heating and centralised hot water 200
Figure 62 Direct space heating and centralised hot water 200
Figure 63 External plate heat exchanger and domestic hot water cylinder 201
Figure 64 Primary side heat store 201
Figure 65 Reduction in return temperature for variable flow temperature (compensated)
and variable volume (throttled control) 202
Figure 66 Reduction in return temperature with load for two levels of flow temperature 202
Figure 67 Load duration curve for typical new-build scheme of 50 houses 205
Figure 68 The new-build scheme of 50 houses described by Figure 67 205
Tables
Table 1 Typical responsibilities during a heat network project 24
Table 2 Steps in implementing a heat network 37
Table 3 Preferred design temperatures for sizing new and replacement building services
systems 50
Table 4 Typical flow velocities for steel pipes to BS EN 253 for initial sizing of
external networks 53
Table 5 Typical flow velocities for PEX pipes to BS EN 15632 for initial sizing of
external networks 53
Table 6 Different options for ownership and operation of heat network schemes 67
Table 7 Preferred design temperatures for sizing new and replacement building services
systems 84
Table 8 Minimum insulation thicknesses for pipework in internal and external spaces 107
Table 9 Maximum domestic hot water peak load demands for pipe sizing, derived from
NHBC Standards (NHBC, 2019) (section 8.1.5, Table 4) 109
Table 10 Typical sizes of DHW HIU plate heat exchangers 109
Table 11 Dwelling types 1, 2 and 3 and their corresponding required DHW flow rates and
space heating demands 184
Table 12 Pipe sections categories for the building shown in Figure 54 and the
corresponding number of dwelling types each pipe section must serve 184
Table 13 Combined DHW and space heating diversified flow rates for each pipe section
for the case study illustrated in Figure 54 186
Table 14 Basis of pipe size selection: velocity constraints for medium grade steel 187
Table 15 Methodology for selecting the smallest practicable pipe size for a pipe section 187
Table 16 Parameters for control of water quality and pipe corrosion, assuming initial fill
with mains water and chemical treatment used in operation 189
Table 17 Parameters for control of water quality and pipe corrosion, assuming that
demineralised fill water with a controlled pH within VDI parameters is used and
224
treatment following VDI 2035 Parts 1 and 2 191
Index
Index
Note: page numbers in building information modelling plan/programme 114, 134

(BIM) 99, 114 procedures 135–136,
italics refer to figures; Building Regulations 208, 174–178
page numbers in bold 212–214 pumps 145
refer to tables. building thermal substation see records 136, 138
thermal substations stages 175–177
buried pipework 52, 54, 96–97, substations 137–138
abbreviations 170–173 97–99
acceptance testing 23, 143– team 134
business case 66, 68, 123 communal heating 9
145
business strategy 66, 68 compliance, with CP1 16, 18,
access for maintenance 34–35,
70, 81, 108 bypasses 89, 91, 105, 106, 141 20
acoustic surveys 63, 122 see also flushing bypasses condensing boilers 113
ambient temperature 34 construction
ambient temperature heat calorific value 44 contractor responsibilities
networks 193–194 capital cost model 60, 120 26
annual heat consumption 40, carbon emissions 44, 62, 120, environmental impacts
72 121–122, 154–155 131–132
annual reports 155 carbon intensity 63, 112, 153, health and safety 126–127
158 site management 126,
applicability see Statement of
Applicability Carbon Price Support (CPS) 131–132
Approved Documents 212–214 payments 210 waste 131
CDM Regulations see Construction (Design and
‘as installed’ layout drawings
Construction (Design and Management) (CDM)
129, 151
Management) (CDM) Regulations 2015 70,
assessors/auditors 16, 18 Regulations 2015 126
audits 16 CEEQUAL 132 construction contracts 141
automatic meter reading (AMR) CEMS (continuous emission consultant responsibilities 25
55, 101, 102, 138, 139, monitoring systems) 153
140 consumables 58
central plant 10, 15, 111–115 consumer legislation 211
see also boilers; combined continuous emission
BEMS (building energy heat and power (CHP); monitoring systems
management systems) heat pumps (CEMS) 153
140, 141, 150, 181
certification 31, 71, 148 contractor responsibilities 26
benchmarks, energy demand
checklists 17, 18–21, 20, 177 contracts 66
40–41
chemical dosing 99, 150 construction 141
BESA UK HIU Test Regime 79,
82, 83, 86 chilled beams 51 customer 32–33, 34–35,
billing systems 149, 155, CHP see combined heat and 137, 149, 164, 166–167
163–165, 209 power (CHP) maintenance 152, 153
BIM (building information CHP Quality Assurance (CHPQA) control strategy 112
modelling) 99, 114 programme 210 control systems 49, 80–81, 91,
biofuels/biomass 62, 63, 122 client responsibilities 8, 24 118–119, 131
boilers 81 client targets 20 commissioning 135–136,
centralised versus client/ownership 7 140–141
decentralised 47, 113 CO2 content of heat supplied see also remote control and
see carbon intensity monitoring
condensing 113
CO2 emissions 44, 62, 120, control valves 49, 80, 81
efficiency 195
121–122, 154–155 differential pressure (DPCV)
location 46–47
combined heat and power 91, 136
minimum flow rate 113
(CHP) 44, 45, 112, 113 insulation 108, 113
operating temperatures 113
NOx emissions 63, 121 pressure independent (PICV)
standby 46–47, 81, 113 88, 91, 136
Quality Assurance (CHPQA)
top-up 46–47, 113 programme 210 cooling demand 42
British Standards 15 combustion tests 158 cooling systems see district
building connections 197–202 commercial considerations cooling
costs 54–56 65–68 corrosion prevention 89, 98,
direct versus indirect 78–79, see also contracts; economic 99, 151, 152, 188
81 assessment costs 58
feasibility study 41 commissioning building connections 54–56
inspection 157 contractor responsibilities 26 capital cost model 60, 120
maintenance 156–158 heat interface units (HIUs) operating costs 12, 58, 155
schematic 15 137–138, 174–178 see also economic
building energy management heat metering 138–140, assessment
systems (BEMS) 140, 142–143 CPS (Carbon Price Support)
141, 151, 181 optimising return payments 210
building heat distribution see temperature 135–136, customer billing 149, 155, 225
distribution pipework 175–176 163–165, 209
customer charges 32, 120 cooling sources 114 see also CO2 emissions; NOx
Index
customer compensation 32, 165 demand estimation 42 emissions; particulate

customer contracts 15, 32–33, operating temperatures 51 emissions
34–35, 137, 149, 164, pipework 94 energy balance 58, 141, 154
166–167 pump selection 92 energy centre
customer guidance 155, 156, district heating (definition) 9 commissioning 140–141
157 hydraulic design 112
see also heat networks
customer incentives 33, 44, 88, diversity of demand 72–73, layout design 113
93 75–76, 185–186 location 13, 44, 63
customer information 32, 35, documentation security 148
139, 142, 162–163, space provision 57
165–166 annual reports 155
‘as installed’ layout drawings see also plant rooms
customer obligations 166–167
129, 151 Energy Company Obligation
customer protection 12, 32, (ECO) 210
162–163 commissioning records 136,
138 energy demand
customer responsibilities 26
description of operation benchmarks 40–41
customer service 15, 32–33, (DesOps) 112, 140, 145 estimates 40
34–35, 140, 151
energy supply/use reports modelling 40, 41
customer training 142 163–164 monitoring 41, 42
functional controls see also heat demand
Danish standard DS 439 75–76, specification 140
185 energy efficiency 14, 89–92,
operational 140, 142, 151, 104, 152, 203–205
data communication 56, 81, 154, 156
102, 103 Energy Efficiency Directive 209
photographic records 130 energy masterplanning 43
description of operation domestic hot water (DHW) 11,
(DesOps) 112, 140, 145 energy metering 22, 179–180,
82–88, 197–201 209
design risks 70 centralised 199
designer responsibilities 26 see also heat metering
demand estimation 74, energy performance 155, 195
developer responsibilities 24, 183–185
82 energy rating 195–196
diversity of demand 73,
DHW see domestic hot water energy supply/use reports
75–76, 185, 186
(DHW) 163–164
energy performance 195
differential pressure control environmental impacts and
heat interface units (HIUs) benefits 62–63, 113,
valves (DPCV) 91, 136 82, 87, 109
disaster recovery 148, 151 121–122, 131–132,
individual dwelling 199–200 158–159
distribution pipework 104–111 Legionella risks 70–71 EU Emissions Trading System
accessibility 108 metering 100 (EU ETS) 210
buried 52, 54, 96–97, 97–99 operating temperatures 49, evidence pack 16, 17, 18, 20
cleaning 129, 130 50, 50, 84, 87 external air temperature 34
expansion 97 operational monitoring 148
flow rates 53, 107, 135, peak load demands 74, 109 fan coil units (FCUs) 84, 85
186, 187, 187 pipework sizing 106, 109, feasibility consultant
flushing 129, 130 183–185 responsibilities 25
heat losses 13, 83, 104, from primary DH supply 80 feasibility study 25, 36–37,
106–108, 110, 111, scaling risk 83 39–68
195–196
with storage 197–198, 201 Feed-in Tariffs (FiT) 210
hot and cold separation 108
supply capacity 34 filters 91, 129, 150
installation 92–93, 95, 96,
temperature see operating financial advisors 25
97–99, 126, 127, 128
temperatures financial appraisal see economic
insulation 54, 106–107
two-stage design 80, 87–88 assessment
layouts 104, 105 financial incentives 44, 210
see also instantaneous hot
modelling 99 water see also customer incentives
nitrogen charging 129 DPCV (differential pressure financial support 207
photographic records 130 control valves) 91, 136 fire protection 148
pigging 129 DS 439 75–76, 185 fire risk assessment 71, 148
routes 51, 52, 93, 98, 99 due diligence 123 flow and return temperatures
selection 94 see operating
separation distance 95 ECO (Energy Company temperatures
sizing 52–53, 54, 93, 106, Obligation) 210 flow rates
108, 109, 110 economic assessment 44–45, distribution pipework 53,
stress analysis 97 58, 59–60 107, 135, 186, 187, 187
supports 108 see also operating costs domestic hot water (DHW)
surveillance systems 97, economic model 45, 59–60, 120 185, 186
129, 151 see also operating model measurement and control
underground 52, 54, 96–97, efficiency see energy efficiency; 137
97–99 operational performance peak flow velocity 107, 108
welds 98, 99 electrical supply 112 radiators 86, 136
see also pipework electricity consumption/demand space heating 186
district cooling 10 40, 58 flushing bypasses 82, 87, 131
226
chilled beams 51 emissions monitoring 153, 158 fouling 101, 157, 187
fuel calorific value 44 investigation 155 hydraulic interface units (HIUs)
Index
fuel emission factors 62, 122 key performance indicators see heat interface units
see also carbon intensity (KPI) 182 (HIUs)
fuel supply 112 primary heat network 90, 92
functional controls specification heat metering implementation strategy 66
140 building network metering inspection
future proofing 46, 113, 119, 179 building connections 157
159 commissioning 138–140, heat meters 149
142–143 insulation 129
G99 embedded generator contractual terms 34, 149 periodic 153
regulations 209 dwelling/end-point metering quality inspections 128
gas pressure boosters 112 179 installation 125–132
gas safety 71 frequency 155 heat meters 101, 130
gas supply 112 operations and maintenance pipework 92–93, 95, 96,
glossary 170–173 149 97–99, 126, 127, 128
ground source heat pumps see prepayment systems 138 instantaneous hot water 49,
heat pumps requirements 22, 100–103, 74, 87, 198
ground surveys 54, 94, 99 179–182 insulation 204
schedule/register 139 inspection 129
handover process 141, 142–143 heat meters 100–102 pipework 54, 86, 89, 90,
health and safety legislation compliance 180–181 106–107, 129
206 inspection 149 pumps, valves, flanges and
health and safety risks 70–71, installation 101, 130 fittings 108, 113
126–127, 148–149 maintenance and calibration removal and refitting 148
see also Legionella risks 149 thickness 107, 107
heat demand 12–13 see also automatic meter vapour seals 108
annual heat consumption reading (AMR) International Performance
40, 72 heat networks Measurement and
demand management applications 11–13 Verification Protocol
137–138 component parts 9, 15 (IPMVP) 179
design estimates 71–77 defined 9 international standards 15
domestic hot water (DHW) expansion 157 investment appraisal 123–124
74, 109, 183–184 fourth- and fifth-generation see also capital cost model
monitoring 41, 42, 51, 74, 77 10–11 ISO standards 15
space heating 41, 74, 77, 184 mixed developments (new isolating valves 81, 96, 148, 151
see also peak heat demand and existing) 13
heat emitters 14, 50 primary, secondary and jointing, pipework 96, 99, 128
see also fan coil units (FCUs); tertiary 9
radiators; space heating; typical features 15 keep-warm facility 106, 163
underfloor heating see also more specific
heat exchangers 55 key outputs 16, 20
headings
approach temperatures 51 key performance indicators
Heat Networks Investment (KPI) 20, 153, 154, 182
domestic hot water (DHW) Project (HNIP) 210
83 Heat Networks (Metering and
sizing 81 Billing) Regulations 2014 leak detection 81, 129, 151
heat interface units (HIUs) 54, 164, 179 leakages 96, 113, 148, 151,
79, 130–131 heat pumps 193–194 158
accessibility 81 future proofing 159 legal advisers 25
commissioning 137–138, guidance 2 Legionella risks 49, 86, 87,
174–178 148, 199
linked to district cooling 114
connections 130 legislation 8, 206–214
operating temperatures 14,
domestic hot water (DHW) 48, 112 lifecycle considerations 45,
82, 87, 109 58–59, 66, 92–94
refrigerants 63, 121–122
flushing bypasses 82, 87, 131 local authority legislation 207
and thermal storage 115
heat losses 88 local government 24
heat recovery 47, 114
keep-warm strategy 106 local planning authority 63, 113
heat sources, low-carbon 14,
location within a dwelling 43–46, 63 lone-working 148
87, 105 heat supplier responsibilities low-carbon heat sources 14,
remote monitoring 56, 81 26 43–46, 63
scaling risk 83 heat supply monitoring 34
selection 86 see also metering maintenance 152–153
servicing 56, 157 heat tariffs see tariff structure access 34–35, 70, 81, 108
sizing 109 Heat Trust 12, 32, 157, 162, building connections
testing 86, 131 164 156–158
heat losses 11 heating supply capacity 34 contractor 26
distribution system 13, 83, HIUs see heat interface units contracts 152, 153
104, 106–107, 111, (HIUs) contractual terms 34–35
195–196 hot water storage 83, 197– costs 58
heat interface units (HIUs) 88 198, 201 domestic customers 157
227
insulated pipes 90 see also thermal storage facilities 113
heat meters 149 thermal substations 81, pre-insulated polymer pipes

Index
preventative 152 151, 155–156 51–52, 95, 127–128

thermal stores 119 see also heat supply pre-insulated steel pipes 51,
Medium Combustion Plant monitoring; operational 54, 95, 96, 127, 128
Directive (MCPD) 211 performance radiators 85
metering see energy metering; operational options 67 scalding risks 127
heat metering operational performance 154 sizing 186–187, 187
modelling assessment 20 see also distribution
economic 45, 59–60, 120 key performance indicators pipework
energy demand 40, 41 (KPI) 20, 153, 154, 182 Plan of Work 5, 6, 21
operational 44–45, 58, measurement 16, 20, planned preventative
111–112, 114 22–23, 179–182 maintenance (PPM) 152
pipework 99 monitoring 16, 17, 20, 153, planning legislation 206–207
181 plant replacement 58, 70, 119,
thermal storage 44, 45, 46,
116 targets 20, 22, 143–145, 153
182 plant rooms
testing 22–23, 143–145,
new-build applications 11–12, maintenance access 81
181–182
24 process and instrument
operational reports 154
nitrogen charging 129 diagram 157
operational risks 148
noise levels 63, 122, 158 security 148
operations and maintenance
Northern Ireland 213 space temperatures 148
150–153
NOx emissions 44, 62–63, 120, ventilation 113
operations and maintenance
121–122 plate heat exchangers 83, 85,
(O&M) manual 142
operator responsibilities 26, 82 109, 201
objectives 16, 18 overheating risk 104, 110 pre-insulated polymer pipes
occupancy levels 12, 41, 76, 109 51–52, 95, 127–128
owner responsibilities 24, 82
oil storage 113 pre-insulated steel pipes 51,
ownership 7 54, 95, 96, 127, 128
operating costs 12, 58, 155 change of 21
see also economic prepayment systems 149
options 67 pressure differentials 14, 86,
assessment
operating hours 34, 132 91, 141
parasitic energy consumption pressure independent control
operating model 44–45, 58, 58
111–112, 114 valves (PICV) 88, 91, 136
particulate emissions 62–63, preventative maintenance 152
thermal storage 44, 45, 46, 121–122
116 procurement strategy 7, 68
peak flow temperatures 34, 50,
operating temperatures 48–51, project brief 31
83, 89, 90, 203–204
203–205 project lifecycle 66
peak flow velocity 107, 108
boilers 113 project management 30–31
peak heat demand 34, 40, 46,
‘cascade’ systems 50 48, 72–77 project stages 5, 6, 19, 21
contract terms 34 domestic hot water (DHW) ‘proving periods’ 145
customer incentives 33 74, 109 pumps 91, 92
design temperatures 49, 72, space heating 41, 74, 77 commissioning 145
84 performance assessment 18, insulation 113
for different network 20 pressure differentials 14, 91
topologies 11 performance measurement 16, selection 111, 202
district cooling 51 18, 22–23, 179–182 variable speed 14, 91, 111,
domestic hot water (DHW) Performance Metrics 20 141, 204
49, 50, 50, 84, 87 performance monitoring 16,
heat exchanger sizing 81 17, 20, 153, 181 quality assurance 71
heat pumps 14, 48, 112 performance standards 182 quality inspections 128
monitoring 155 performance targets 18, 20
optimising 14, 82–83, see also key performance
90–91, 134 radiator valves 85, 86, 136
indicators (KPI)
part-load conditions 14, 48, see also thermostatic
performance testing 22–23, radiator valves (TRVs)
83, 90 143–145, 181–182
radiators 49, 84, 85 radiators
periodic inspection 152
retrofit applications 12 design temperatures 50
phased development 56–57
space heating 197 flow rates 85, 136
photographic records 130
thermal storage 116 operating temperatures 49,
PICV (pressure independent 84, 85, 197
see also peak flow control valves) 88, 91,
temperatures 136 pipework 85
operational documentation pigging, pipework 130 sizing 82
140, 142, 151, 154, 156 pipework top entry and bottom exit
operational legislation 209–211 (TEBE) 84, 85
insulation 54, 86, 89, 90,
operational log books 142 106–107, 129 records see documentation
operational monitoring 151, jointing 96, 99, 128 refrigerants 63, 121–122
154–156 materials 49, 51–52, 92, regulations
domestic hot water (DHW) 95–96 energy efficiency 209
148 maximum temperatures and energy metering 209
228
energy demand 41, 42 pressures 49 water supply 87, 209
reliability, availability and diversity of demand 73, thermal substations 54, 80
Index
maintainability (RAM) 47 186, 186 commissioning 137–138
remote control and monitoring flow rates 186 location 8
56, 81, 181 heat demand 41, 74, 77, operational monitoring 81,
see also building energy 184 151, 155–156
management systems operating temperatures 197 plant rooms 81
(BEMS) peak heat demand 41, 74, thermostatic radiator valves
Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) 77 (TRVs) 85, 86, 88,
100, 210 pipe sizing 184 201–202
repair and replacement strategy supply capacity 34 thermostats 88
58
see also heat emitters top-up boilers 46–47, 113
reports see documentation
spares and consumables 58 traffic management 126
responsibilities 5, 23, 24–26
special purpose vehicle 66 training 3
commissioning team 134
stage sheet 19–21 commissioning team 134,
ownership and operational
stages see work stages 135, 175
options 67
stakeholders 36, 41, 62, 64, customer 142
retrofit applications 12–13, 24,
65, 124 fitters 128
82–83, 194
Standard Assessment Procedure operational staff 134, 152
return temperature see
(SAP) 195–196 welders 99
operating temperatures
standards 14–15 trench excavations 70, 126,
return temperature limiters 83,
88, 202 see also performance 129
standards TRVs (thermostatic radiator
RIBA Plan of Work 6
standby boilers 46–47, 81, 113 valves) 85, 86, 88,
risk analysis 61–62, 120
see also design risks; Statement of Applicability 18, 201–202
operational risks 20, 31, 36, 65 twin-pipe systems 54, 92, 95
room temperature control 86, STOD (seasonal time of day)
88 tariff structure 44, 112
ultrasonic meters 101
strainers 81, 99, 157
underfloor heating 50, 84, 199
safety see health and safety street works 52, 93, 95,
126–127, 208–209 underground pipework 52, 54,
risks 96–97, 97–99
SAP (Standard Assessment stress analysis 97
see also ground surveys;
Procedure) 195–196 substations see thermal trench excavations
SCADA (supervisory control and substations
utilities 52
data acquisition) 140 success criteria 141
see also street works
scalding risks 127, 148 summer shut down 34, 199
scaling 83 supervisory control and data
acquisition (SCADA) 140 vapour seals 108
scope, of CP1 7–10 variable flow control 14, 204
Scotland 211–212, 213 surveillance systems 97, 129,
151 variable speed pumps 14, 91,
seasonal time of day (STOD) 111, 141, 204
tariff structure 44, 112 ventilation, plant rooms 113
secondary networks see tariff structure 64, 164
technical feasibility study 25 vibration 63
distribution pipework
temperatures see operating visual impact 63
security 148
temperatures vulnerable customers 32–33
sensitivity analysis 61–62, 120
service levels see customer terminology 170–173
service testing warranties 99
servicing see maintenance heat interface units (HIUs) waste management 131
side-stream filters 91, 150 86, 131 water hammer checks 94
signage 148, 157 performance testing 22–23, water leakage see leakages
143–145, 181–182 water quality 98, 99, 150–151,
site management 126, 131–
132 thermal storage 115–119 188, 189–192
sizing of plant 13, 72 benefits 115–116 water supply regulations 87,
pipework 52–53, 54, 93, control system 118–119 209
186–187, 203 diffuser design 116–117 water treatment 98, 99, 129,
thermal storage 116 location 119 148, 150–151
see also diversity of demand multiple stores 117, 118 weather compensation 48, 83,
smart metering 55–56, 101, operating model 44, 45, 46, 88
103 116 welding 99, 126, 128–129
Soft Landings 141 operating temperature 116 welds 98, 99
space heating 82–88 sizing and dimensions 116 whole-life economic model 45
demand estimation 41, 74, temperature sensors 117 work stages 5, 6, 19, 21
77 see also hot water storage workmanship 128
229

CP1 (2020)

Uploaded by

Document Information

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

CP1 (2020)

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Heat networks: Code of Practice for the UK

The Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers

Code of Practice for the UK

Raising standards for heat supply

The Association for

Raising standards for heat supply

The authors have created a series of checklists to assist the

The Association for

No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or

© Second edition December 2020 Chartered Institution of Building Services

CIBSE registered charity number: 278104

ISBN 978-1-912034-79-6 (book)

Typesetting by Alasdair Deas for CIBSE Publications

Information reproduced from Government publications is licensed under Open

Withdrawal from the European Union

Note from the publisher

Steering Committee members

Corresponding Steering Committee members

CIBSE Technical Director

Units for temperature

Part A: Understanding and using this Code

Part B: The requirements

A1.1 Overall purpose

This updated Code of Practice CP1 (2020) is therefore written to:

— improve the quality of feasibility studies, design, construction, commissioning

— deliver energy efficiency and environmental benefits

— provide a good level of customer service1

This updated CP1 (2020) is complementary to CIBSE/GSHPA Code of Practice CP2:

Understanding and using this Code

— technical issues: enhanced minimum and best practice requirements to

— compliance: making the Code easier to verify/check.

Where different parts of a scheme are being developed by different organisations, it

A1.3 The structure of the Code of Practice

The core of the Code is structured as follows:

(2) For each project stage a number of objectives are set.

This Code of Practice also includes suggested best practice requirements, to

B. Achieving low network heat losses

C. Achieving consistently low return

D. Use of variable flow control principles

E. Optimising the use of low-carbon heat

Figure 1 Typical Plan of Work for a heat network project

Constructor The Association for

The RIBA Plan of Work

Figure 2 The RIBA Plan of Work 2020

— achieving a more optimised integrated design

— correct commissioning of the system prior to the operational phase.

Understanding and using this Code

This Code of Practice is designed to be as prescriptive as possible around the minimum

Code includes a summary of legislation that is likely to be encountered in the course of

(a) A typical district-wide heat network

Understanding and using this Code

— Communal heating is defined as a heat network that serves a single building,

— tertiary systems: the dwelling internal circuits, radiators etc., even if no

This approach for domestic properties is shown in Figure 5. A non-domestic building

A2.2 Central plant

A2.3 District cooling

A2.4 Fourth and fifth generation heat networks

Fourth generation (4DHC): Traditional centralised topology with energy centre(s)

Fifth generation (5DHC): Is a non-traditional topology with decentralised plant

A3 Applications for heat networks: challenges and

A3.1 New-build applications

New buildings offer important opportunities to utilise optimal (perhaps lower)

A3.2 Retrofit applications

Understanding and using this Code