December 2021
Predictions for 2022: What’s next for green plumbing and construction? As we near the end of what has been a challenging year, navigating the new normal brought on by Covid-19, 2022 will see greater normality as the industry learns to adapt to these challenges and move forward. clean air and little-to-no carbon emissions. Homeowners don’t want the houses of the past which have poor energy efficiency ratings and are built with single use materials – they seek sustainable solutions that conserve natural resources and give back to the environment. With sustainability in mind, what trends can we expect to emerge in plumbing and construction in 2022?
Growing popularity of heat pumps As the technology and affordability of low-carbon heating systems is anticipated to improve in coming years, they will become the obvious, affordable choice for consumers.
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ith rapidly emerging technologies, products and changing industry attitudes, you can’t help but wonder what advances will be adopted throughout the industry as we move into the post-pandemic era of plumbing and construction. However, the future isn’t all about technology and the digitisation of the industry - sustainability and green building practices are also increasingly gaining visibility as people are becoming more environmentally conscious.
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Consumers now want green infrastructure in their homes, shopping centres, and office buildings. They want places with
Following the government’s recent heat pump grant announcement which will see homeowners offered subsidies of £5,000 to make the switch from gas boilers to lowcarbon heat pumps – we will see a heightened public awareness around sustainable heating and hot water provision in 2022. The move towards heat pumps is a great way to lower CO2 emissions from the housing sector - currently responsible for c. 15% of UK overall greenhouse emissions – by swapping gas to capturing heat from the air outside or underground and using it to heat a building. Unlike more conventionally used heating systems, these pumps provide renewable heating that don’t emit carbon into the atmosphere.
What’s more, many heat pumps rely on copper pipes in order to improve efficiency and safety, meaning that less sustainable materials such as plastic pipes are likely to be phased out. For example, copper is a superior conductor of heat so can withstand large variations in temperature without expansion or contraction issues. Furthermore, copper is also a safer product to install within a house as its melting point is over 1,000 degrees Celsius so, unlike plastic, it doesn’t burn or give off harmful gases in a fire. Flow rate and pressure drops must also be considered when choosing which pipe to use in heat pumps. As well as having serious environmental problems, plastic pipes have a bore size which is considerably smaller than copper and a smaller internal area, which has a dramatic effect on flow characteristics. If installers select plastic pipe instead of copper without checking the size correctly, this could have a negative effect on the heat pump’s performance. The use of copper pipes in heat pumps not only improves their efficiency, but also their water safety. As heat pumps operate at lower temperatures than gas boilers, stored water may only be heated to around 50 degrees Celsius. This is often fine for household use, but it can pose a risk of Legionella build-up. However, using copper pipe would mitigate this risk due to its natural anti-bacterial and anti-microbial properties. Additionally, thanks to
