- Posted on November 24th, 2025
UK Heat Networks: Making Low-Carbon Heating Simple
JB’s Transforming Energy programme is accelerating climate action across the UK’s cultural sector, helping organisations to plan and deliver the decarbonisation of their buildings.
Across the UK, the way we think about energy is shifting. Instead of every building finding its own path to net zero, more places are choosing to work together. Community energy schemes make that possible, offering a practical, affordable way for cultural buildings to cut carbon without taking on major technical projects.
What are community energy schemes?
Think of a community energy scheme as a shared energy service for a neighbourhood. The most common version is a heat network: one central energy hub makes hot water and delivers it through insulated pipes to nearby buildings, i.e museums, theatres, galleries, libraries, offices, and homes. You simply connect and pay for the heat you use, much like you would with gas or electricity. The network operator designs, runs, maintains and upgrades the system, so you don’t have to.
Crucially, the policy direction is that these networks are mandated to use low-carbon energy in practice. That means when you connect, your building benefits from cleaner heat both now and as the network upgrades, your carbon footprint continues to fall without you installing your own kit.
Why this helps cultural buildings
Switching away from gas on a building-by-building basis can be difficult, especially for older or listed venues with limited plant space and tight budgets. Community schemes remove those barriers and the heavy lifting happens centrally.
For cultural organisations, this is a rare win-win: you may avoid major capital spend and disruption while making visible progress on climate commitments.
Low-carbon in practice, short and long term
“How low-carbon is it, really?” It’s a fair question. New and planned UK heat networks increasingly use large-scale heat pumps that draw warmth from rivers, aquifers, sewers, or ambient air, as well as recovered waste heat from data centres or industry. Where legacy systems still use fossil fuels, the direction of travel (and regulatory pressure) is to transition to zero-carbon sources. Because that transition happens at network level, it’s usually easier to achieve and verify than asking each building to engineer its own bespoke solution. This makes community schemes a viable solution both now and for the long term. You get immediate benefits by connecting, and the carbon intensity continues to drop as the network decarbonises further. In other words, it gets greener the longer you’re part of it.
More than heat: collaboration and fairness
Community energy is about more than pipes and plants. It’s a chance to work together across the cultural sector, local authorities, developers, and communities. By sharing infrastructure, we share costs and benefits. We also then open the door for smaller or cash-constrained organisations to participate in the transition, not just those with the funds for on-site systems.
For cultural buildings that champion creativity, social value, and inclusion, joining a shared scheme sends a clear message that says ‘we’re part of a collective, practical response to climate change that keeps spaces warm, open and welcoming’.
What to do next
- Check local plans. Start by asking your local authority or regional energy team whether a heat network is operating or planned in your area. Many councils are developing schemes, often supported by government funding designed to accelerate low-carbon heat.
- Make connection your first option. If a scheme exists or is imminent, explore connection early. It’s often simpler and more cost-effective than installing your own low-carbon plant and it locks in a supply that will decarbonise over time.
- Signal demand. If there’s no scheme yet, you can register your interest. Clusters of cultural venues, education campuses, housing, and offices can underpin a viable network. Together you could demand signals to move projects from concept to delivery.
- Prepare the basics. Inside your building, plan for electric hot water and electric kitchens where feasible. These are modest, manageable steps that start the decarbonisation journey.
A hopeful, practical step forward
Community energy schemes won’t appear overnight. They take coordination and investment. But their potential is significant. It could mean resilient, scalable heat that aligns with national decarbonisation policy and reduces emissions from one of the hardest-to-tackle areas. For cultural organisations, they offer something rare in sustainability, a solution that’s easy to join, simple to run and keeps improving without constant upgrades on your side.
In a world where the route to net zero can feel complex, community energy offers a refreshing proposition. The idea is to connect once, benefit for years and do it alongside your neighbours. It’s a practical path that can help cultural buildings stay warm, welcoming and affordable, all whilst playing a confident part in a shared, low carbon future.
Heat networks vs individual heat pumps: which is right for you?
Both heat networks and standalone heat pumps can deliver low-carbon heat, but they suit different situations. For many cultural buildings, especially those in dense urban areas or with limited plant space, heat networks remove the need for major capital works. You connect once, avoid installing your own equipment and benefit as the shared system decarbonises over time.
However, heat pumps remain a good option for buildings that have the space, funding and control to install their own system, or for those located far from any planned network. When well-designed, they offer high efficiency and full autonomy, but they come with higher upfront cost and more on-site requirements.
At a glance:
- Heat networks: low upfront cost, minimal disruption, no need for plant space, carbon performance improves over time, but only viable where a network exists or is planned and you have less direct control.
- Heat pumps: full ownership and consistent efficiency, suitable for standalone or rural sites, but require significant space, up front capital investment and careful design.
The best choice isn’t about which technology is “better”, but which makes decarbonisation simplest and most achievable for your building. In compact urban settings, networks often win. In more isolated locations, heat pumps may be the practical route for you.