Arup and Ordnance Survey hit major milestone in development of national heat network zoning model

The model will support at least ten English towns and cities to begin establishing their heat network zones later this year, with further zones to follow.

Arup, a global engineering and sustainability development consultancy, and OS, working as consultants, were first appointed by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) in 2024. This appointment was made under the Heat Network Zoning Consultancy Framework, to provide technical and consulting services to help identify and develop heat network zones in England.

As part of the framework, they have been working on the design and management of the national heat zoning model, which helps decide where large, low-carbon heat networks should be built across England.

The model is underpinned by OS building and address data, which provides the core inputs for assessing heat network development costs, alongside OS roads and rivers data. Accurate building classification data is critical to the model, as it informs heat demand assumptions and improves the reliability of outputs. The potential use of the OS National Geographic Database (OS NGD) is also being evaluated, with potential value in new building attribution and more comprehensive site-level data.

Arup and OS have recently been awarded a second contract from DESNZ to continue this work, further strengthening their role in delivering the national zoning model and supporting its ongoing assurance and development.

Tina Kennedy, Chief Customer Officer at OS, said:

“Ordnance Survey already plays a central role in supporting national and local government in enabling cost-effective approaches to delivering reliable, affordable heat. We are pleased to now be playing an integral part in the development of heat network zoning and the design of the national model. Working closely with Arup and DESNZ, OS is able to provide high quality, trusted data alongside deep technical and expert consulting services which are helping to turn this policy ambition into practical and efficient delivery.”

DESNZ’s recently released Warm Homes Plan sets out the Government’s plan to unlock the potential of low-carbon heat networks to meet clean energy targets and make energy more affordable. One of the new targets is to more than double the amount of heat demand met through heat networks to 7% by 2035, with them expected to provide a fifth of all heat by 2050. They currently provide 3% of the heat market.

Heat networks use insulated underground pipes to distribute heat from centralised sources, and deliver it to several different users, including public and commercial buildings, industrial units, hospitals, universities and large residential sites. This avoids the need for individual boilers or electric heaters in every building and also uses local sources of low carbon heat that might otherwise go to waste.

Heat network zoning is designed to transform the development of new heat networks by designating geographic zones so that local authorities and heat network developers can identify where new large-scale strategic heat networks should be constructed. The national zoning model is being tested in pilot areas through the Advanced Zoning Programme ahead of the introduction of mandatory heat network zoning later this year.

Following an announcement earlier this year, heat networks in England and Wales will now be regulated by Ofgem to tackle unfair pricing, poor standards in service, and ensure the most vulnerable are supported.

Separately, aligning with the Warm Homes Plan, OS has used data from the OS National Geographic Database to analyse around 23.6 million residential properties and identify hard-to-heat homes across Great Britain. This work included factors such as construction material and age of property which could make homes more vulnerable in colder conditions.

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